Community Corner
Safe Families for Children Provides a Healthy Network of Support for Children
Sarah* was jobless and homeless with a 2-year-old son to take care of when Safe Families for Children stepped in to help her be a stronger and healthier mother to her son. With the help of Tim and Sharon Ives, a host family that took in her son, Sarah received the support necessary to begin changing her life, while her child was staying in a safe, temporary place without threat of losing custody.
Sarah was confused as to why her host family would help a stranger to such a degree. What began as one family taking care of another mother’s child, turned into a relationship between the two families, giving them an ability to share powerful moments of mentorship.
After 5 months of having her son stay with the Ives host family, Sarah took the right steps towards putting her life back together. She began by finding employment and then obtaining temporary housing. Soon, her housing was permanent, and she began working toward her GED. Today, Sarah has changed her life around and is continuing on the right path to living a successful and healthy lifestyle for herself and her son.
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“Of the approximate 37,000 calls placed to social services hotlines in the Inland Empire in 2012, only about 2,300 are severe enough to qualify for services. Safe Families for Children offers support to families early in the cycle of crisis, thus reducing the likelihood that the family’s stressors will grow to a level of concern for the safety of the children.”
- Danny Sells, Director of Safe Families for Children
Since 2009, Olive Crest has hosted the Safe Families for Children Southern California network throughout Orange County, South Los Angeles County, North San Diego County and the Inland Empire. They maintain an extensive database of more than 40 host churches, 200 host families and 1,000 other volunteers, in order to arrange family matches to the desired time frame and location.
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Safe Families for Children has offered sanctuary to thousands of children, minimizing the risk for abuse or neglect while giving parents the time and tools they need to help their families thrive. Parents experiencing a temporary crisis can arrange for their children (newborn to 18 years old) to stay with a pre-screened family, while they focus on resolving crisis situations and work to bring stability back to their homes. This innovative collaborative effort brings together a network of churches, ministries and social service providers with a common goal—to reunite children with their parent(s) in a home that now has a healthy network of support.
Networking with 300 community partners, including domestic violence shelters, homeless shelters and other key organizations that provide services to families in need, the Safe Families for Children Southern California network is a donor-funded program. Gifts from individuals, corporations, foundations, churches and community organizations provide the resources necessary to implement the Safe Families for Children program.
About Safe Families for ChildrenTM
Safe Families for ChildrenTM is a national movement of compassion that gives hope to families in crisis. Safe, loving homes are provided where parents may voluntarily have their children cared for while parents seek to restore stability in their lives. Our dedication to family support, stabilization, and child abuse prevention is driven by responsibility for the well-being of children in our communities. Founded in 2003, Safe Families for Children has partnered with churches, local community agencies, and volunteer families, as well as government organizations in 26 states. The Safe Families for Children network has provided essential extended-family relationships to over 11,000 children and families since it began. Learn more at www.safe-families.org.
