A Love of Reading, A Commitment to Community: Miriam Circle Supports Literacy at Friendly Center
Through Friendly Center’s Murphy’s Little Readers program, Miriam Circle, CAP OC, and the Murphy Family Foundation are bringing essential resources and the joy of reading to Orange County families.
Twenty minutes before Friendly Center’s monthly diaper distribution begins, Mrs. Judy Ortiz, co-president of Miriam Circle, is already unloading box after box of books from her car. Alongside fellow members of the local women’s organization, she carefully arranges books for babies, toddlers, and older siblings to take home.
It is a labor of love rooted in a simple but powerful idea: when a community comes together, it can do more than meet immediate needs. It can help build brighter futures.
Through Friendly Center’s Murphy’s Little Readers program, Miriam Circle brings early literacy resources to families attending the center’s first Thursday diaper distributions each month in the Orange location. The program builds on Friendly Center’s longstanding partnership with Community Action Partnership of Orange County (CAP OC), which helps provide families with essential diaper supplies. In 2025, Friendly Center distributed 85,050 diapers to 200 children, with distribution numbers expected to increase in 2026.
With support from the Murphy Family Foundation, these efforts combine basic needs assistance with early literacy, creating more opportunities for children and parents to learn and grow together.
A Partnership with a Shared Purpose
Miriam Circle first connected with Friendly Center through a personal introduction. Mrs. Judy’s husband, Dr. Luis Ortiz-Franco, a retired Chapman University professor, began volunteering as a math tutor at the center. Learning more about its work inspired Mrs. Judy to introduce Friendly Center to her fellow members.
The opportunity resonated with the group’s mission of charitable service, education, and social action.
“Part of the mission of our group is to help others, and it just sounded like this would be a perfect place for us to get involved with,” said Mary Balmages, Miriam Circle’s co-vice president of social action.
The group began supporting Friendly Center through food and hygiene drives and Thanksgiving food baskets. Conversations with Friendly Center CEO Dr. Kenia Cueto soon revealed another opportunity: helping children access books during their earliest years.
Dr. Cueto recognized that Miriam Circle’s members brought more than a willingness to volunteer. Many had professional experience in education, administration, and law that could help strengthen Friendly Center’s programs. That insight led to the creation of the Ambassador Program.
“The women of the Miriam Circle exemplify the power of compassion, expertise, and service. Many are retired educators, administrators, and attorneys who I had the pleasure of meeting with one day to learn how they could support the children and families we serve. With these remarkable women in mind, the Ambassador Program was created, knowing that their experience, wisdom, and commitment could help us strengthen the educational support we provide,” Dr. Cueto said.
“Together with CAP OC’s diaper distribution support and the Murphy Family Foundation’s $25,000 award, Miriam Circle has helped make Murphy’s Little Readers possible. This partnership allows us to expand literacy resources and meaningful parent-child engagement beyond what Friendly Center could achieve alone. We are deeply grateful for their continued commitment and support,” she added.
The collaboration reflects a shared approach to family support: CAP OC helps meet essential diaper needs, Miriam Circle contributes books and educational expertise, and the Murphy Family Foundation provides financial resources. Friendly Center brings these contributions together as part of its broader commitment to supporting children and families.
Opening the Door to Early Literacy
Miriam Circle’s book initiative grew from a collective effort. Members gathered books from their homes, thrift stores, library bookstores, and other community sources. Parents and grandparents donated books their children had outgrown, while members with educational backgrounds helped guide selections.
Today, the group has assembled approximately 5,000 books, ranging from sturdy board books for babies to classics, award-winning titles, and educational materials for students through high school.
For Mrs. Judy, the goal is to make reading a natural part of everyday life.
“The idea is that they just don’t read or see books in the school or library only, but to actually own them,” she explained.
By having books at home alongside their toys and other belongings, children can begin to see reading as part of their everyday environment. Families can keep the books they select, encouraging parents to read with their children, siblings to share stories, and young readers to explore independently.
Initially, Miriam Circle distributed books at seasonal events, including Easter basket and backpack distributions. Through conversations with Dr. Cueto, the group expanded its efforts to Friendly Center’s monthly diaper distributions, reaching children during the earliest stages of development.
“We talked to Kenia, and she said the center would like to have us bring books for the diaper distributions every month because this was the earliest reading stage,” Mrs. Judy recalled. “Babies and toddlers, so they could be exposed at an early age.”
Adding books to the existing diaper distributions allows families to access literacy resources without having to seek out a separate program.
Behind the scenes, the work takes dedication. Mrs. Judy estimates that sorting, organizing, and preparing books requires about five hours each week, with fellow members helping maintain the collection.
But the most rewarding moments are often the simplest.
Balmages remembers a young boy proudly showing off a Superman book he had selected.
“It’s wonderful,” she said. “There is a little boy with a Superman book with a big smile on his face just showing it off so proudly.”
For Miriam Circle, moments like these demonstrate how a single book can spark excitement, encourage curiosity, and give a child something to call their own.
Building a Welcoming Experience for Families
Friendly Center’s vision for Murphy’s Little Readers extends beyond putting books into children’s hands. Support from the Murphy Family Foundation is helping expand literacy resources and create a more welcoming experience for parents and children.
An additional $25,000 raised through the foundation’s recent gala paddle initiative is helping Friendly Center advance the program. Funding can support additional books, furniture, and beanbags to create comfortable reading spaces, as well as food for parents and children attending the program.
Together, the partners are helping transform a monthly distribution into an opportunity for families to access essential supplies, discover books, and engage in meaningful reading experiences. Their combined support allows Friendly Center to expand the resources and expertise available to families.
A Community Effort That Continues to Grow
Miriam Circle is exploring ways to expand its impact. Members have established relationships with several Orange County libraries that regularly supply books and are seeking additional Spanish-language titles so more parents can read with their children in their preferred language.
The group is also considering a partnership with Orange Central Library on Chapman Avenue that could introduce families to library services, help them obtain library cards, and bring a pop-up library experience to Friendly Center.
Although the book initiative is a significant part of its outreach, Miriam Circle also participates in cultural activities, maintains a book club, engages in civic initiatives, and supports other community organizations.
For Mrs. Judy, the larger purpose is bringing people together around a common goal.
“The idea of our organization and others that we collaborate with is to expand the community of good-thinking people who want to better the lives of everyone in Orange County,” she said.
That philosophy is reflected in the partnership among Friendly Center, Miriam Circle, CAP OC, and the Murphy Family Foundation. Each contributes distinct resources and expertise, demonstrating how collaboration can strengthen support for local families.
Every first Thursday of the month, that commitment comes to life as families receive essential supplies and discover books that can open new worlds for their children.
Because building a brighter future begins with meeting today’s needs, investing in tomorrow’s opportunities, and bringing a community together to make both possible.