Olive Crest

Approx. 1 in 8 Coachella Valley households live in poverty. Many more lack basic resources and extended family support systems essential to preventing child abuse and neglect.

To support these children and families, Olive Crest is launching a new Children & Family Resource Center which will provide for an expansion of our regional programs and services. This center opens in Fall, 2023 and will allow for increased emphasis on 1) Expansion of Child Abuse Prevention and 2) Creation of a Community Resource Center for the population-at-large.

Expansion of current child abuse prevention programs will equip parents with the tools and resources necessary to break the generational cycle of abuse, neglect, and poverty. The program includes provision of basic needs, education, and creation/development of supportive ‘care communities’.

The Resource Center will provide a home for partnerships between Olive Crest and other organizations serving the same population for the betterment of children and families in crisis. Office space will be available for use by multiple resource partners. Parenting classes, urgent needs closet and food pantry are also incorporated at the Center.

Altogether, this project will afford greater resources to Coachella Valley children and families through Olive Crest’s proven service models.

Contact: Tracy Fitzsimmons

Email: tracy-fitzsimmons@olivecrest.org

Phone: 951-300-9816

2021-2022 Safe Families for Children Project Summary:

Safe Families for Children, with an office in Palm Desert and serving the entire Coachella Valley, is an innovative program that prevents child abuse by early intervention during crisis or amidst stressors in a parent or caregiver’s lives. Services are provided by loving and compassionate host families who have been screened, certified and fully trained.

Child Protective Services receives nearly 10,000 calls throughout the Coachella Valley. Of those, child welfare services were provided to less than 900 – leaving a gap of over 9,000 in unmet needs. Safe Families works in serving this remaining population with the purposes of 1) placing all children in need with a safe, loving family, 2) connecting parents with healthy support systems while they resolve their crisis, and 3) permanently reuniting the child with his/her parent in a safe, loving home.

In this way, this program is dedicated to the restoration of local families who are threatened by the struggles of poverty, unemployment, mental illness and addiction.

Organization: Olive Crest

Program: Safe Families for Children

Contact Person: Walter Mueller

Email: walter-mueller@olivecrest.org

Phone: 619-600-1284