Heartlines Summer 2014
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Casa Pacifica Reaches Its 20th Anniversary! n July 18th increasing the number of twenty years lives the agency touches ago six children each year. In the last 20 O– four boys and years more than 25,000 two girls – walked children/youth have been through Casa admitted into one of the Pacifica’s front doors agency’s 17 therapeutic and into the intake programs – all bringing area of the with them substantial Administration Casa Pacifica's gymnasium and administrative building under construction. challenges and significant Building. Immediately needs. Here’s a look at facility staffed by competent and caring following a medical screening in the Health where we started and where we are today. professionals. They have benefitted enormously Clinic they were ushered to brand new from the services cottages, introduced to just trained cottage they received staff, and hours later following a hot shower THEN NOW here and and a scrumptious meal, they were tucked into Children Served Annually 324 4,900 relationships bed with clean sheets and comforters. Services Delivered Campus Only Throughout Ventura they formed. & Santa Barbara Counties Casa Pacifica’s By the first full month, the six children admitted Programs 4 17 “alumni” are on that first day of operations were joined by Offices Campus Only Campus, Camarillo (Flynn), now in their 20s another 65 children – many having been exposed Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and 30s and the to extreme trauma which required removal Staff 100 390 agency is from home. Some exhibited unmanageable and Volunteers 370 1,250 hearing from destructive behaviors. All came with complex Largest Event 100 (at Pierpont) 5,000 at CSU Channel Islands many of them. emotional and behavioral needs. Reflecting the Budget $4.5 million $30 million In fact, a number reaction of most of them created children to the their own Casa Pacifica Facebook page. Here’s INSIDE: beauty and newness Most important to this 20-year success, a recent interchange from that page reminiscing of the campus, however, is the amazing support of the about their time on campus: President’s Message however, one boy on community -- thousands of volunteers helping CEO’s Message his second day to make the kids lives better, thousands more “The staff members who really cared are the Page 2 commented “I can’t participating in one or more of our premier true heroes and champions who dedicated their believe people care fundraising events, and of course those who Annual Fundraising lives to help us kids break free from the darkness about us this much.” provide their financial support as well. Page 6 and despair and slowly discover ourselves and Casa Pacifica has come a long way in its first the warm light of trust and love....God bless Flash forward twenty twenty years and we look forward to Wine, Food & Casa Pacifica.” And the response, “I too will years – more than continuing our mission with the successful Brew Festival never EVER forget that place and especially the 5,300 children and completion of our current $21 million Building Page 8 - 11 great people who helped change and reshape youth have crossed New Foundations of Hope Capital Campaign – our future for the better.” Angels & Amigos Casa Pacifica’s positioning us to meet the future needs and Page 12 & 13 threshold to receive challenges of our communities’ most vulnerable Six years after opening, Casa Pacifica expanded Heartlines Heartlines campus-based children and families for the next twenty years. its services off campus and into the community Upcoming Events services and reside – to homes, and neighborhoods – significantly Page 16 on our state-of-art Summer 2014 Volume 14 • Number 1 From the President of the Board of Directors s the cover story for this issue of Heartlines joyfully acknowledges, Casa Pacifica 2006. Or through Eagle Scouts projects that have brought our campus improvements such as has reached the milestone of 20 years of providing its therapeutic, compassionate, life- the BMX bicycle track and a walking labyrinth. It is seen in the unselfish and dedicated gifts of changing programs and services to our communities’ most vulnerable children and families. time, expertise, and then more time from our wonderful Angels, who host the four children’s ATwenty years – the time it takes to bear a child and watch him or her grow to a young adult parties each year and organize our major fundraising events; and the Amigos who in addition who is attending college and choosing his future life path. I find it an interesting parallel that to time and expertise, mentor our children during their 32 fun-filled weekends over the year. Casa Pacifica currently finds itself in the midst of a capital campaign defining its ‘future life Then, of course, there are is the financial generosity of so many who ensure Casa Pacifica has path,’ expanding and improving not only its campus facilities, but the the resources it needs. And there is so much more, I couldn’t begin to mention it all. programs and services it administers as well. On behalf of Casa Pacifica and the Board of Directors, I would like to thank the thousands of Just as young adults depend on their families to nurture and support them individuals who have not only supported Casa Pacifica and its mission for the past twenty years as they grow to adulthood, independence, and success, Casa Pacifica has (even longer for our founders who envisioned Casa Pacifica so long ago) but have expanded, had the privilege of having the foundational support of its own loving enriched, inspired, supported, believed-in, and cared for Casa Pacifica and its children. You family – the community – made up of caring individuals, businesses, have enabled us to offer so much more to the children Casa Pacifica serves than we could have corporations, and foundations. Their support is seen in a plethora of ways ever hoped. Thank you for your kindness, your compassion, your dedication, but most of all such as the kind efforts of on-campus volunteers Pat McDonough and thank you for being our unwavering support – our own family. Rose Larson who have served as the nonpublic school’s librarians since Keets Cassar President From the Chief Executive Officer ince Casa Pacifica officially launched the Building New Foundations of Hope Capital community, our Camarillo campus remains our hub and our “heart.” Campaign at the Founders Day celebration last October the campaign has experienced But, twenty years of providing emergency shelter care and residential several milestones. Most recently, in June we received an exciting $3 million investment treatment to thousands of traumatized children and youth with Sfrom the County of Ventura. This significant donation combined with Campaign gifts extreme needs has taken its toll. We have responded to the ever already received – most notably a remarkable $5 million pledge from the Wood-Claeyssens increasing demands for our services by adding temporary, modular Foundation - have put us at close to two-thirds of our $21 million goal. buildings and by using every possible nook and cranny in existing buildings – some for purposes not intended. Quite simply, we Steven E. Elson, Ph.D. It goes without saying that this campus “build out” is the most significant project we have have outgrown and over-used the buildings on campus. Chief Executive Officer undertaken since we opened in 1994 – replacing temporary, modular buildings and adding more capacity for beds, “outpatient” services, and for strengthening infrastructure. The And so, we have launched the Building New Foundations Board of Directors has authorized construction to begin when we reach 85% of the goal; of Hope capital campaign to replace temporary modular another $4.5 million needed to be raised on top of the $13.5 million now in hand. Our structures, expand an existing classroom building, and add best estimates place ground breaking sometime this fall. new buildings to the campus (seven in all) – 55,050 sq. ft. of total new construction. In addition, we will repurpose the For the last 20 years Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families has provided critically current administration building for “outpatient” services needed services to the most vulnerable and challenging children in our region. We have exclusively. With the Building New Foundations of Hope admitted into one of our programs more than 25,000 children and youth. In our first year Capital Campaign we are acting today to meet demands that of operation we cared for 350 children entirely on our campus in Camarillo. This year we will inevitably arise from our community tomorrow – preparing us to continue as a leader will serve over 4,500 children and youth in every community throughout Santa Barbara and in our field for the next 20 years. Ventura Counties. Our 17 different nationally accredited programs are all geared to help children with the most complex emotional and behavioral needs achieve their potential and For more information about the Building New Foundations of Hope Capital Campaign, live the most productive lives possible. I believe our work strengthens our community and, please contact Carrie Hughes at (805) 366-4011. ultimately, improves the quality of life here on the Central Coast. Though we have offices in Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, and Camarillo to support the services we provide in the 2 www.casapacifica.org • 805-445-7800 Therapy Dog Updates - Archie, Baker, Tess and Otis! rchie is quite the athlete these days as the senior member of Casa Pacifica’s therapy any arthritic build up. The therapies have worked wonders with Archie’s range of movement dog team. To help his joints and muscles stay in their best condition and strength, and strength, and it is obvious he is feeling great by his perky spirit! Archie visits his friends at the Barkley Pet Hotel and Spa in Westlake Village for hydrotherapy and laser treatments twice a week.