Santa Ana, CA (June 16, 2025) – This June, the Orange County Community Foundation (OCCF) celebrates 15 years of impact at The Village at 17th Street, Orange County’s first dedicated office building for local nonprofits. Since opening in 2010 in Santa Ana, The Village has been a home for 42 local nonprofit tenants, offering a dynamic environment that supports, connects and enhances mission-driven organizations working to uplift and strengthen our community.
The Village’s co-founders—William Podlich, retired PIMCO CEO and Warren Lortie, retired CEO of WLA Investments– joined OCCF CEO Shelley Hoss and Charitable Ventures CEO Anne Olin together with community leaders, partners, tenants and supporters in marking the important milestone at a special event on June 10.
”“The Village at 17th Street has become a successful model of a thriving and collaborative nonprofit hub, thanks to the vision and dedicated efforts of Bill Podlich and Warren Lortie more than 15 years ago,” Hoss said. "We are proud that it has helped organizations maximize resources, share knowledge, build relationships, and support each other, to better serve the people of Orange County."
The concept of the Village originally came from Podlich, who visited a nonprofit hub in Colorado and sought to adapt the idea to Orange County. He discussed his vision with Hoss, who connected him with fellow OCCF donor-advisor Lortie, a real estate investor and architect. A two-story office building in Santa Ana was identified as an ideal site, and Lortie contributed his design expertise to transform the aging building, adding a boardroom, conference room, training spaces, and upgrading the building with many new amenities.
The Village was formed as a project of the Orange County Community Foundation, and Hoss supported efforts to secure funding for the renovation and implemented solutions to turn a shared-space building into more than just a workplace for nonprofits. Anne Olin, founder and CEO of Charitable Ventures, was invited to manage the Village operations and connect and support the tenants. Since the day the center opened, Olin has been building a community among the tenants.
Today, the Village supports a diverse collection of nonprofits focusing on areas such as health, homelessness, entrepreneurship, child development, and more. It is an environment where changemakers in Orange County have the support to help them achieve their mission.
About the Orange County Community Foundation:
The Orange County Community Foundation (OCCF) transforms our community’s heartfelt intention into greater impact for good by working with local donors and nonprofit partners as an expert advisor and innovator. We serve as a resource for individual and family philanthropists, facilitate grant and scholarship programs, and lead community-based initiatives. We inspire giving and connect people and resources to create sustainable impact, granting more than $1.1 billion since 1989 in Orange County, across the country, and around the world. For more information, visit oc-cf.org or call (949) 553-4202. Be a part of our conversation on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. View OCCF’s 2024 annual report here.
Media Contact:
Lisa Liddane
(714) 656-5002 | lliddane@cornerstonecomms.com
