Newport Beach, CA (December 3, 2014) – Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian was recognized by the Regional Center of Orange County (RCOC) for its dedication and ongoing commitment in support of people with developmental disabilities. The certificate of appreciation was awarded for Hoag’s program that employs individuals with developmental disabilities in its food and nutrition departments.

“We are honored to be recognized by the Regional Center of Orange County for our work with individuals with disabilities,” said Lesa Blake, Director of Food, Nutrition and Support Services at Hoag. “It is inspiring to have these hardworking and wonderful people on our team and we look forward to continuing our partnership with Goodwill and Irvine School District.”

For more than 10 years, Hoag has worked with Goodwill of Orange County to employ a number of Goodwill program participants with disabilities. These individuals find a sense of purpose working alongside a job coach and other Hoag employees in the cafeteria. Hoag also offers volunteer opportunities for students with developmental disabilities in the vocational programs within the Irvine School District.

“Hoag has been a longtime supporter of our Employment Training and Education Program,” said Frank Talarico, Jr. CEO and President of Goodwill of Orange County. “The jobs they provide empower individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment to achieve their fullest potential and positively impact the community.”

The Regional Center of Orange County is one of 21 regional centers in the State of California created under the Lanterman Act, helping coordinate life-long services and support for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Developmental disabilities include autism, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and intellectual disabilities. Currently, RCOC serves close to 17,000 Orange County residents with disabilities.

ABOUT HOAG MEMORIAL HOSPITAL PRESBYTERIAN

Hoag is an approximately $1 billion nonprofit, regional health care delivery network in Orange County, California, that treats more than 24,000 inpatients and 362,000 outpatients annually. Hoag consists of two acute-care hospitals, six health centers, and six urgent care centers. Hoag Hospital Newport Beach, which has served Orange County since 1952, and Hoag Hospital Irvine, which opened in 2010, are designated Magnet hospitals by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Hoag offers a comprehensive blend of health care services that includes five institutes providing specialized services in the following areas: cancer, heart and vascular, neurosciences,women’s health, and orthopedics through Hoag’s affiliate, Hoag Orthopedic Institute. In 2013, Hoag entered into an alliance with St. Joseph Health to further expand health care services in the Orange County community, known as St. Joseph Hoag Health. Hoag has been named one of the Best Regional Hospitals in the U.S. News & World Report Metro Edition. National Research Corporation has endorsed Hoag as Orange County’s most preferred hospital for the past 19 consecutive years and, for an unprecedented 19 years, residents of Orange County have chosen Hoag as one of the county’s best hospitals in a local newspaper survey. Visit www.hoag.org for more information.