The Campaign for Riverside’s New Crest Cottages

OUR TEENS AND FAMILIES ARE IN CRISIS

Every day in Riverside County, hundreds of teens, young adults, and families in crisis struggle to find affordable housing and the support services necessary to move beyond the trauma and adversity
they experience daily. Teens aging out of the child welfare system endure untold challenges before reaching adulthood and are trying to pick up the pieces from challenging childhoods. More must be done to help them find stable housing and get on track for productive and rewarding futures.

Every month, dozens of teens turn eighteen years old and emancipate or leave the child welfare system. History tells us that within six months of being “independent,” more than 60% of these teens become homeless or housing insecure and experience severe housing instability (couch surfing is not a stable home). When homeless and living on the streets, these teens experience even more traumatic mental health issues and often turn to substance abuse and other negative lifestyle issues. In addition to these young adults needing stable housing and supportive, holistic services, local families with young children experience similar challenges.

WHAT THE HORRIFIC STATISTICS REVEAL

60%	of children who are sex trafficked come from the child welfare system.
60%	of teens who ‘age out’ of the system are homeless within six months to one year.
60%	of children from the foster care system will at some point become incarcerated.

OUR SOLUTION

AN INNOVATIVE CHURCH-COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP

Through our proven service model, we have seen firsthand the transformative effects of teens and struggling families living within a positive support system and stable housing. With safe housing and hope of a better future that includes independent living skills and stable positive relationships, individuals will begin to heal and continue these positive experiences into adulthood.

As we plan to meet the community’s pressing needs for housing and support services, and the desire to help even more teens and young adults, we are raising funds to invest in this new community. To meet teens, young adults, and vulnerable single-parent family’s needs, we are building a new community called “Crest Cottages.”

We realize that strategic partnerships are crucial to helping make this dream a reality. Therefore, we have joined together with the compassionate Riverside-based Crest Community Church whose mission is to be a “house of mercy” that loves their neighbors unconditionally. We are building eleven homes for young adults aging out of the child welfare system and for young families experiencing temporary crisis to divert them from homelessness, domestic violence, medical, or other challenges that lead to child welfare intervention.

The church sits on a 1.75 acre campus it owns, which includes excess land to accommodate this new housing complex. The goal is to provide young adults and struggling families with housing and comprehensive support services by the Olive Crest
staff. Simultaneously, Crest Community Church volunteers will provide basic and spiritual support, and build a community that creates a lifelong safety net for these children and families. Crest Cottages will include:
• 11 homes
• Housing for 16-24 young adults and families
• Interactive play spaces
• A shared park area
• Classrooms for training and life skills
• Offices for counseling and essential support services and coordination
• A full-time manager (family) living on-site to oversee operations, ensure safety, and build relationships

READ BROCHURE

FUNDING THE CAMPAIGN

This transformational Crest Cottage Village will require philanthropic investments from forward looking donors and friends to achieve its $4 million, plus a $1 million facility endowment that will allow for maintenance and up-keep. We invite you to join us in this life changing initiative.

We invite you to stand with us as we prevent child abuse and preserve the family, One Life at a Time®. You can join us in this mission of hope and healing as together we transform lives in Riverside.

DONATE NOW

MAKE A PLEDGE

This campaign would not be possible without the help of our generous donors. To honor their compassionate philanthropy, we have facility naming opportunities. Click the button below for naming opportunities available for this campaign.

NAMING OPPORTUNITIES

Follow along with our campaign as we build towards this ambitious and life-transforming goal.