Taking Care of the Kids : Shelter’s center for children lets homeless women look for work or go to school.

Two years ago, the Women’s Care Cottage, a shelter for homeless women and children, opened in North Hollywood.

But women who moved in had trouble looking for jobs because they couldn’t pay for child care without working.

To help ease the situation, the San Fernando Valley Friends of Homeless Women and Children, which founded the shelter, in July opened a child-care center in Pacoima. Funded by a $239,000 state grant, the center can accommodate 30 youngsters, ages 2 to 5. Top priority is given to children of shelter residents, though families from Pacoima and San Fernando drop off their youngsters, too.

“Now the women can get out of welfare,” said Cynthia Caughey, executive director of the cottage. “They can get work or go to school. They can get it together again.”

Caughey said that the center’s fees are based on a sliding scale but that most parents, due to their low incomes, don’t have to pay anything. In December, the center will add two staff members and be able to take 16 more youngsters. Caughey said about 100 children are on a waiting list.

Soap Opera Auction

The Save the Earth benefit in early August at the Hotel Bel-Air raised $52,000, according to the group’s founder, Neal Pargman.

The event featured soap opera celebrities auctioning their possessions to help the Woodland Hills-based environmental organization.

Pargman started Save the Earth in 1972, and has raised about $160,000 in the last four years for its nonprofit foundation, which subsidizes research programs at UCLA, UC Davis, Duke University, Columbia and the University of Washington.

The money collected at the benefit will go toward studying forests in Washington, Oregon and Northern California to determine the effect of logging on the environment. The biggest check came from Jack-In-The-Box in the state of Washington, which donated $35,000.

Among the items sold was a dress worn by the character Nikki on “The Young and Restless.” Nikki is played by actress Melody Thomas Scott, the national spokeswoman for Save the Earth. The dress was purchased for $150.

Camera Buffs

Every other Wednesday, the West Valley Camera Club meets to study the latest photographic techniques.

The group, in its 35th year, learns about exposure, types of films, use of filters, composition and special effects. The 30-member group includes mostly senior citizens.

“It’s a nice habit for the retired,” said Helen Jacobs, a member since 1975. “It’s a great way to learn how to do more things with your camera.”

Periodically, the club takes field trips to practice new techniques. Recent stops have included Chinatown and the Queen Mary. Each month, the group stages competitions for its members.

For more information, call (818) 761-4220.