Save the date
OYHFS 2008 MENTOR
AWARDS GALA
OPTIMIST YOUTH HOMES
& FAMILY SERVICES
MORE THAN 100 YEARS OF CARING FOR
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
NEWSLETTER SPRING 2008
AN
ANNUAL REPORT 2006-2007
Wednesday, October 22 at Universal Studios.
We will be honoring Cindy Osbrink of the Osbrink Agency and Bruce Corbin
of Union Bank.
Michaela Pereira of KTLA and Chris Schauble of KNBC will co-emcee this
fabulous event.
5:30 pm Reception & Silent Auction
7:15 pm Dinner & Awards
Come join us for a fun evening honoring these special people who have
made a difference in the lives of our youth!
For additional information, please contact Jennifer D’Alvarez at
(323) 443-3023
Where are they now?
1 (877) 74-YOUTH
6957 N. Figueroa Street
P.O. Box 41-1076
Los Angeles, CA 90041-1076
Return Service Requested
OPTIMIST YOUTH HOMES &
FAMILY SERVICES ANNOUNCES
INAUGURAL RECRUITMENT
FAIR, SATURDAY, APRIL 26
[When Kevin came to Optimist last year, it was his
last chance to be rehabilitated. By the age of 17, he
had already been arrested numerous times and was a
drug user. After less than five months in our Altadena
and Carson group homes, Kevin made a remarkable
recovery and has returned home to his family. This is
how he tells his experiences at the Home.]
Seeking Grassroots and Professional
Assistance…
As the crisis of at-risk children escalates, so do
the needs and resources of the nonprofit agencies
that care for them.
Read more on page 9
Read more on page 2
Optimist Youth Homes
& Family Services
Board Officers
President
Vice President
Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Gerrie O’Meara
Bill Bertrand
Terry McWeeney
Leland Lau
Dee Gadbury
Members
Dennis Andolsek Paul Green
Sheriff Lee Baca Lynette Grismore
Larry Brown
Manny Guerrero
Darlene Caraway Phil Lankford
Ted Carter
Cathy McCutcheon
Larry Chen
Jim McDonnell
Ed Davis
Norb Moniz
John Dieken
Richard Niederberg
Pam Duben
Jane Wallace
WELCOME
EXECUTIVE MESSAGE
SILVIO JOHN ORLANDO
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
T
he past four months have been active
ones for OYHFS. The holiday appeal was
very successful and we thank all of our
contributors. We opened our satellite office in Palm
Springs that will house another branch of our Foster
Family Agency and serve as a base of operations for
our Riverside County program for emancipated
foster youth.
administration in order to make it more streamlined
and cost effective.
Our family finding program continues with eight
young people now involved, and we expanded our
mentoring program by adding new participants.
As you will see in the enclosed annual report we
continue to have one of the most efficient models
of administration with less than 10% of the funds
received being spent on such operations, a fact in
which we are extremely proud.
Past Presidents
Phil Infelise
Andrew Lloyd
Gene McGrath
Tom Spiel
Ona Wexler
Julie DeBoever
Scott Graham
Scott Williams
Advisory Board
Barbara Moore
Co-Chair
Michaela Pereira
Co-Chair
Colin Barr
Adriana Orlando
Patricia Barulich Cindy Osbrink
Terry Chapman Don Pedersen
Bruce Corbin
Deborah Racine
Dave Doski
Bernie Roswig
Carole Henry-Sigmon
Karen Odom
Larry Smith
Paul Johnson
Sonia Sonju
Larry Moore
Ona Wexler
George Murphy Phil Wexler
Lance Oak
Ara Zenobians
OYHFS Executive Staff
Silvio John Orlando, ACSW
Executive Director
Maria Bhattachan Louise Wein
Crystal Brackin
Bob Guzman
Doug Buttrick
Alan Eskot
Jennifer D’Alvarez Mary Hudson
James Gibson
Young Lives - Spring 2008
A staff publication of OYHFS
Bernie Roswig
Senior Editor
Jennifer D’Alvarez
Editor
Gretchen Mucci
Editor
QuickerPrinter
Design and Graphics
We would like to hear your comments!
Please contact our development office at
Tel: (323) 443-3022
E-mail:development@oyhfs.org.
THANK YOU FOR
YOUR SUPPORT
Struggles with the Los Angeles Unified School
Board continue as we try to negotiate reasonable
rates as well as change policy so that more students
will qualify for our special education high school on
the main campus.
In addition, we have begun talks with Clarke
County Nevada regarding the possibility of offering
services to troubled youth and their families from
that area.
We have also restructured some of our out
of county operations to a regional model of
With the release of the Governor’s controversial
budget that, if passed, would cut rates paid for our
residential and foster family programs, we have
become politically active in order to help maintain
the current level of funding even though those rates
themselves are totally inadequate.
And finally, we are pleased to announce the
addition of the Los Angeles Police Department’s
chief of staff, Jim McDonnell, to our Governing
Board of Directors.
It has indeed been a strong quarter for OYHFS,
but we could not have accomplished all of this
and more, without the hard work of our 320 staff
members and the generous support from all of you,
and for that I am extremely grateful.
Residential Programs
The main campus houses up to 99 boys between the ages of 12 and 18, referred by
county probation departments throughout California. Therapists, social workers, youth
care counselors and educators are assigned to each boy and their families to craft individualized treatment plans.
Our highly successful independent living program provides on-campus apartment
living for 12 boys while they learn self-sufficiency, life and job skills to further prepare
for productive adulthood.
Four Community Group Homes
Four community group homes throughout Southern California (two of the homes are
for girls) offer residents an alternative approach to the main campus. Most residents
are graduates of our dormitories who no longer need its more formal structure thereby
enabling a quick transition into mainstream community living.
Foster Care & Adoption Services
Our Foster Family & Adoption Agency (FFA) was established to find temporary,
suitable homes to house abused and neglected infants, children and teens to avoid
institutional placement. Professional social workers recruit, train and certify foster
and adoptive parents and provide regular follow-up care. We also provide adoption
assistance where appropriate to our foster families. Our FFA offices are located in Los
Angeles, Palmdale, Long Beach and in Orange and Riverside Counties.
Optimist High School
As a state certified non-public school, we provide special educational services to
students residing in our campus dorms, community group homes and to students
referred by local school districts. Students benefit from a one to four teacher/student
ratio and receive a comprehensive academic and physical educational program.
Our pioneering Fix It Network Enterprise(F.I.N.E.) program teaches skills in general
construction that will lead to securing jobs in several building trades. Other vocational
programs include graphic arts, photography and auto repair which is taught in our fully
equipped auto shop.
Transitional Housing
...From cover (Recruitment)
To meet this growing challenge
and enhance the quality of caregiving, Optimist Youth Homes &
Family Services is reaching out to
the entire community for grassroots and professional assistance in
giving society’s forgotten children
a second chance.
The Home is staging its
inaugural “I Need” Recruitment
Fair, Saturday, April 26 (10:00 a.m.
to 1:30 p.m.), at its main campus
(6957 N. Figueroa Street).
The fair was conceived as an
opportunity for social workers,
counselors, teachers and professional
therapists to learn more about the
mission of Optimist Youth Homes
& Family Services and explore
potential employment and career
alliances. It also aims to increase
awareness of the various programs
and services the agency provides
to the community, and is inviting
prospective foster and adoptive
parents, mentors and volunteers
to discover how their vital
contributions can make a difference
in a child’s life.
People interested in learning
more are invited to the Home’s
open house which is being held in
tandem with the recruitment fair.
“We’ve dedicated our careers
to the treatment, education and
enrichment of children and families
in jeopardy, but now we must turn
to the community to bolster our
programs and services to those in
desperate need of a second chance,”
said Crystal Brackin, director of
program development.
For more than 100 years,
Optimist Youth Homes &
Family Services has been at the
vanguard of confronting the harsh
realities of child abuse, neglect,
abandonment and juvenile crime.
As one of the region’s largest
treatment and education centers
for at-risk youth, the agency
every day provides 550 children
and adults with comprehensive
services ranging from residential
and after care, mental health
treatment, foster family care and
adoption and special education.
Individuals or businesses
interested in becoming a community partner via sponsorship may
choose from four levels of sponsor
designation at the event. For more
information about sponsorships
and to RSVP, contact (323) 4433021 or jdalvarez@oyhfs.org.
This program is for at-risk youth between the ages of 18-24 who have been emancipated or “aged-out “of the foster care system. The intent is to provide affordable housing,
support services and a safety net that will lead them to self-sufficiency and independence. The program can be used for up to a two-year period or until the age of 24.
Mental Health Services
In partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, we provide
individual, group and multi-family group counseling sessions with the goals of improving self-esteem, adjustment issues and family relations. Other specialties include art,
music and movement therapies which offer accelerated help for anger management,
conflict resolution, and dealing with frustration and peer pressure. Program graduates
and their families receive follow-up via after care services.
Community Mental Health Programs
Community Mental Health Programs are in place to stabilize families and avoid institutional placement of their children. We also offer treatment services to those incarcerated in LA County Juvenile Halls and probation camps.
Family Finding
Foster children often feel completely alone without parents or extended family for support or a sense of belonging. This service is intended to locate, connect and establish
relationships between foster children and family members who have been lost to each
other. New technology makes it possible to search for family members who may be
able to provide new direction and stability to a child.
Mentoring
A caring, trusting relationship between a youngster and adult mentor can provide
enlightenment, incentive and encouragement in all areas of a youth’s life including educational attainments, professional aspirations and an appropriate model of healthy adult
living. Mentors can provide tutoring and educational assistance, guiding and supporting
higher educational, vocational and career goals while becoming a supportive, caring
adult figure.
11
OPTIMIST YOUTH HOMES & FAMILY SERVICES
OYHFS NAMES NEW DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
ANNUAL REPORT 2006 - 2007
who we are
JENNIFER K. D’ALVAREZ
FINANCIAL STATEMENT S OF JUNE 30, 2007
Assets
Liabilities
Cash & Bank Deposits
$
773,731
Accounts Payable
$
Receivables (Net)
$ 2,215,203
Accrued Liabilities
$ 1,599,024
Pledges Receivables
$
Accrued unemployment liability $
0
Investments (Securities & Bonds) $
774,289
Prepaids & Other Assets
$
118,108
Real Estate & Equipment (Net)
$10,894,537
Total Assets
319,507
129,844
Lines of credit
$
0
Notes Payable
$
29,168
Total Liabilities
$ 2,077,543
Net Assets
$ 12,698,325
Total Liabilities & Net Assets $ 14,775,868
$14,775,868
Our operating budget has more than tripled in 10 years
O
ptimist Youth Homes and Family Services has come
a long way since our humble beginnings on the
Strickland’s chicken ranch more than 100 years ago.
Optimist’s programs have grown tremendously while staying
true to our original purpose of providing high-risk children
with not just a home, but hope.
Since our inception, Optimist has stayed true to its mission
to provide culturally sensitive, comprehensive treatment,
specialized education and support services to abused, neglected
or at-risk children and youth and their families, to establish
stability within families and communities.
Now entering its second century, Optimist has become one
of the largest residential treatment programs serving high-risk
youth in California. A multi-service organization, it provides a
broad array of services and programs supporting the well-being
of youth and families from throughout Southern California.
A non-profit 501(c)3 corporation, we provide the following
programs for at-risk children:
◆ Residential and Behavioral Care
◆ Independent Living
◆ Community Group Homes
◆ Transitional Housing
◆ Non-Public High School
◆ Youth Vocational Center & Cultural Arts
◆ Community & Residential Mental Health Services
◆ Foster Care & Adoption Services
◆ Aftercare Services
Optimist Youth Homes and Family Services continues to
stay at the forefront of youth and family service agencies. Our
biggest accomplishment is the difference we make in the lives of
the high-risk youth we serve. We can proudly say that 85% of
youth emancipating from Optimist make a successful transition
to life in the community during the first year following their
18th birthday. Approximately 20% of our youth go on to attend
classes at a college or vocational training school upon their
graduation from high school. Optimist is a beacon of hope and
opportunity, providing high-risk youth with services, resources
and tools to regain and rebuild their lives.
10
$ 25,000,000
O
ptimist Youth Homes & Family
Services, one of the region’s
largest mental health treatment
and education centers for at-risk youth,
has announced the promotion of Jennifer
K. D’Alvarez to director of development.
A resident of Monrovia, D’Alvarez
will be responsible for overseeing the
research and requests for funding support,
major gifts and planned giving programs;
special events; communications and
outreach; and coordinating activities
with the agency’s Advisory Board and
Optimist Clubs.
She joined the OYHFS staff in July 2006 as
assistant director of development where she played a
special role in major gifts and contributed to all areas
of fundraising.
“During this particularly challenging time of
declining government funding for at-risk youth, it
has been our priority to recognize those who go the
extra mile for our mission,” said Sil Orlando, executive
director of Optimist Youth Homes & Family Services.
“Jennifer’s impressive accomplishments, professionalism
and commitment led to her promotion.”
Prior to joining Optimist Youth Homes & Family
Services, D’Alvarez was capital campaign manager for
Southern California Public Radio, where she oversaw
a $20 million capital campaign, developed fundraising
resources and directed a variety of special events.
Earlier, she managed a $10 million capital campaign
as well as a $5 million endowment campaign for Hillel
at UCLA. She received her Masters in Business
Administration from Pepperdine University.
$ 20,000,000
POLICE USE ITS MOUNTED PLATOON IN NEW
PROGRAM FOR OPTIMIST YOUTH
$15,000,000
$10,000,000
$5,000,000
Revenue
Expenses
0
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Ethnicity of Client Population - 2007
Hispanic
African American
Caucasian
Multicultural
Asian
American Indian
Other/unknown
50%
28%
13%
3%
2%
1%
3%
Optimist Boy’s Home and Ranch, Inc.
Revenue By Source
2006
2007
8.1%
8.0%
15.3%
14.0%
40.4%
2.5%
1.1%
42.6%
11.3%
2005
21.2%
9.8%
10.1%
16.5%
2.2%
37.1%
12.1%
24.2%
■ Residential
■ Foster Family Agency
■ School Fees
19.4%
■ Mental Health
■ Other Fees/Gov. Contracts
■ Contribution and Other Revenue
P
olice and horses may
seem like an unlikely
match to help teenagers
in
i the juvenile justice system
climb
c
out of their cycle of crime
and
abuse. But to Pasadena
a
philanthropist/businessman
p
Terry
T
Chapman, a selfdescribed
d
urban cowboy, ardent
supporter
s
of at-risk youth
and
a Advisory Board member,
horseback
riding provided a
h
discipline
d
that could help turn
aaround troubled lives.
He also decided that
llearning such lessons from
police officers would expose
p
tthe teenagers to a facet of law
eenforcement that was alien to
tthem.
As a horseman who’s riding
cclub abuts the Los Angeles
Police Dept.’s Mounted
P
Platoon in Los Feliz,
P
Chapman was able to launch a
C
pilot program integrating the
p
tthree improbable components
– juvenile
j
il delinquents,
d li
t police and the equestrian arts.
Chapman, who founded Chapman & Assoc.
Insurance Brokers of Pasadena in 1973 and its offspring
Chapman Charitable Foundation, was friendly
with Lt. Jon Peters, the officer in charge of LAPD’s
Mounted Platoon. He introduced the concept of
bringing six boys living at Optimist Youth Home to
the department’s stables for a series of sessions that
would expose them to riding and the responsibilities
of caring for the animals. The pilot program continued
through February and hopefully will be restarted later
this year.
“This is the first time our unit has worked with
youngsters with backgrounds like those from Optimist
Youth Homes,” said Peters, “and we felt it was a great
opportunity for them to see police officers in a different
light while learning some valuable lessons about caring
for the horses, maintaining their environment and for
the pure enjoyment of riding.” Officer Joe Willey, the
boys’ chief trainer and a former high school teacher,
plays a key role in the program.
“Learning about horses while interacting positively
with police officers seems a positive way for the
youngsters to have experiences that can only enhance
their chances of one day leading productive adult lives,”
said Chapman.
“I want the kids to see the cops as human and learn
more about the police, while the officers see first hand
that these kids are not all bad.”
Chapman, Lt. Peters and the Optimist center
each hope the program can continue as an innovative
method of revealing valuable new experiences to the
at-risk population.
3
Special Thank you
HONOR ROLL OF DONORS
TO SOME VERY GENEROUS SUPPORTERS
W
e’ve been fortunate to receive several incredibly generous contributions over the last few
months.
At a time when government funding is consistently being cut, we can’t express how
much these donations mean to us and the youth and families we serve.
Thank you to The Casner Family Foundation which has been supporting us with generous donations
since 1999. Also to a new donor, D. J. Scheffler, Inc, which learned of Optimist through one of our
seasoned staff members Ken Garcia. And to Tom Spiel, a longstanding board member of OYHFS,
and his wife Candy, for their thoughtful year-end contribution.
These gifts have made a great impact on the children and families we serve, and we are eternally
grateful to these and our supporters for believing in and helping us accomplish our mission.
Thank you!
STAFF HEROES
DECEMBER 1, 2007 - MARCH 1, 2008
Optimist Clubs
Bella Vista of Montebello
Beverly Hills
California City
Camarillo Noon
Central City
East Bakersfield
Lawndale
Los Angeles
Los Angeles International
Airport
Magnolia Park/Burbank
North Hollywood
Pan American
Pasadena
SCV of Newhall
Westside
Opti-Mrs. Clubs
S
ofia Aguillar has been selected by her peers to receive speciall
recognition and an award as the OYHFS “Employee of the Year””
for 2007.
d
Sofia began her employment in 1993, and since then she has worked
as a youth development counselor, senior counselor in our Transitionall
n
Day Treatment Program, and for the past four years as the transportation
coordinator for our non-public school.
She is responsible for coordinating all of the routes for the 10 vans thatt
pick up our community students so that they can continue to attend ourr
school here on campus.
Throughout her tenure, she has worked tirelessly to assist the children
served by OYHFS and has participated in several quality improvement committees in an effort to
make things better for all.
“Being recognized by my peers is the greatest,” says Sofia. “I love this agency and the kids we
serve”.
Sofia is a true staff hero.
JOAN PROBST TO CHANGE ROLES
J
oan Probst, long time Director of the OYHFS Foster Family and
d
Adoptions Programs, recently retired from her position after 20 yearss
of service. Joan would like to spend more time traveling with herr
husband, Jim, and thus made this difficult decision.
Luckily for us, Joan will remain on as a part-time consultant to assistt
with the transition process, which will include a new regionalization modell
that will help with the administration of the program that has grown soo
much over the years.
During her tenure at OYHFS, Joan worked on campus as a social worker,,
ran our Day Treatment program, and began the FFA program from itss
modest inception to one that now has offices in Los Angeles, Long Beach,,
Palmdale, Orange County (Tustin) and Riverside County (Palm Springs).
We are deeply indebted to Joan for her years of loyal service and her expertise in the field.
4
Monterey Park
North Hollywood
Foundations
In Loving Memory Of
Darryl Anderson
Joan Anderson
Jay Attarian
Leonard Tilney
Mark Weinsoff
Bill Breitzman
Archie & Lois Hardy
Greg & Doris Morton
Lynn Parker
Dottie Brockman
Victoria Schuetz
Jesse Castillo
Brent Mikel
Antoinette Cavallo
Robert Chovanec
Bill Clark
Wanda Clark
Bank of America Foundation
Burke Foundation
Sybil Collins
Dan Collins
Companies
Barbara Cotton
Julie DeBoever
Betty Preston
Apramian Carpets
BJR Public Relations
California Technical Plating
Cook’s Photo Art Studio
LA Water & Power
Employees
L & M Fashions
McMaster-Carr Supply Co.
Medina Boutique
Moore & Associates
Pacific Cove Escrow
Paul’s Maintenance
Provisions General Store
D. J. Scheffler, Inc.
Telepacific Communications
The Osbrink Agency
Yoga Madre
Honorariums
In Honor Of
OYHFS Staff
William Lofthouse
Jennifer D’Alvarez
Mary Jeffe
Nancy Mansfield-Staudt
Dennis Andolsek
Eddie Murphy
In Loving Memory Of
Mother & Father
Bennie Boyer
Merlin Adams
Vera Adams
Jan Klein
Margaret McVicker
Michael E. Curry
Margery Gould
Sil & Adriana Orlando
Mary Passarini
Adelina Sorkin
Phil & Ona Wexler
Allan Elfant
Florence Elfant
Leo Fenster
Maryann Fenster
Lloyd Hahn
Diane Rosedale
Yo Hosozawa
Elizabeth Baca
Bill Idelson
Don Haselkorn
Alfred Jacobs
Margaret Jacobs
Frank Jones
Betty Jones
Al Levine
Richard Chase
Lionel Matthes
Ruth Matthes
Howard Nariman
Marguerite Holz
Garrett Nariman
Gail Preston
Betty Preston
Rudy Radofsky
Milton Rudy
Sandee Romano
SCV of Newhall Optimist
Club
Marilyn Shaffer
Mahjong Group
Jennie & Chuck Sugarman
Mr. & Mrs. Fritz Durfee
Joe Westler
Dee Gadbury
In kind Donations
Avery Dennison
Hannah Baker
Jon Bishop
Ivar Brogger
Michael Drummond
Erica Dugas
The Fanning Family
Linda Fontaine
Kim & Colin Ford
Benjamin Friedman
David Fuller
Devon Gearhart
Cecilia Gibson
Seth Goldberg
Jesse Griffin
Ernest Heinz
LuAnne & Alyson Hodges
Imperial Air Conditioning
Holly Kaplan
Ryan Kitley
Lisa & Shanica Knowles
Jordon Krain
Kevin Linehan
Joy Lofton
Los Angeles Fire Station
Highland Park
Ida & Malory Low
Hal Lubin
Elizabeth Martin
Mackenzie Mauzy
Kristen McClure
Alison Moir
Carolyn Morse
New Hope Christian
Fellowship
Susan Nickells
Ed & AJ Noel
One Girl Who
Jason Pace
Paul’s Maintenance
Peter Foy & Associates
Jake Picker
Jeannie Pincavage
Linda Pinkston
Sonia Quezada
Darrin Revitz
Maggie Ried
William Robinson
Valeria Rubio
Blaine Sanders
Randy Scott
Tara Sinclair
St. Robert’s Church
Brooke Stone
John Talevich
The Burkholder Family
The Duty Family
The Moss Family
The Ormsby Family
The Osbrink Agency
Susie Toole
Clyde Tull
Brian Vestal
Julie Wittner
Individual Donors
of $100 or more
Chantal Levinson
William Lofthouse
Joseph Lopez
Arnold & Doris Luster
Alice Martinez
Jack McBride Trust
Cathy McCutcheon
Jim McDonnell
Honey-Lynne McGruder
Lynda McHugh
Margaret McVicker
Randall Mehl
Brent Mikel
Adelaide & Norb Moniz
Sharon Moon
Doris & Greg Morton
Anthony Mulkern
Eddie Murphy
George Murphy
Tom Neary
Adriana & Sil Orlando
Judy Pang
Franny Parker
Lynn Parker
Paul & Jean Pierce
Betty Preston
Marlene Rapkin
Jack Ricketts
Danny & Evelyn Ruiz
Bruce Saltzer
Alan Salzman
Adelina Sorkin
Tom & Candy Spiel
Ricki Stambaugh
Phyllis Thomas
Obide Thompson
Liz Toton
Shari Underwood
Anne Vogel
Carolyn Wallrich
Therese Walsh
John Ward
Dr. Charles Wasserman
Mark Weinsoff
Ona & Phil Wexler
Albert Wong
Shang Wong
Jack Wood
Connie Worden-Roberts
Doreen Wydra
Jim Yamaguchi
Anthony & Kathleen
Yturralde
9