Transforming Lives Campaign | Orange County

The Campaign for the New
Orange County Children
and Family Resource Center + Teen Housing Complex

CHILDREN, TEENS, AND FAMILIES IN
ORANGE COUNTY ARE SUFFERING

California is home to the largest child welfare population in the nation with approximately 60,000 children and young adults on any given day. Seventeen (17%) percent of those individuals are between the ages of 18 and 21. In California less than three (3%) percent of teens who have been in the child welfare system will graduate from college. Approximately 27,000 teens, between the ages of 12 and 24, are homeless or housing insecure in Orange County. These teens now experience disproportionately higher rates of:

• Unemployment
• Homelessness
• Substance Abuse
• Dependence on Public Assistance
• Lower Educational Attainment
• Teen Pregnancy
• Incarceration
• Suicidal Tendencies

Without housing and support programs, these teens are less likely to complete their education, find employment, and make healthy relational decisions. No teenager should have to live this way.

Yet, the problems extend far beyond heartbreak in the teenage years. Many children and families in Orange County are in crisis each day due to homelessness, abuse, sudden loss, or other factors outside their control. These kids and families are in need of resources they can’t achieve on their own.

One of the most significant factors leading to child abuse and neglect is isolation. Suffering families are often not connected to the support system and resources necessary to address their problems. Therefore, it is imperative that we are able to support more high-risk children, teens, and families with a lifeline of resources and provide the emergency services for their stability and growth.

OUR TWO-FOLD SOLUTION

1. Children and Family Resource Center

Orange County’s state-of-the-art Children and Family Resource Center (CFRC), once fully renovated and expanded, will not only link us to more broken families for immediate assistance, but also provide a comprehensive coordination of care. By connecting with these children, youth, and families, they will be linked to the resources needed to flourish in the community.

2. New Teen Housing Complex

Olive Crest plans to expand its services by building a two-bedroom, 16-unit apartment complex adjacent to the Children and Family Resource Center. In addition to stable housing, all teens living in our facilities must participate in Olive Crest’s Operation Independence program (OI) to help them work towards self-sufficiency and adulthood.

Updates and additions planned for the CFRC:

• Expand the existing counseling center to serve up to 350 individuals monthly. Currently we are serving 300 individuals per month, with a 20 to 30-day wait list.

• A safe place for victims of human sex trafficking where teenagers can come to find safety, use the computer lab, make private calls, and visit with counselors, who have been “trauma informed” trained. Additional resources include a laundry room, private shower, and pro bono legal help.

•A youth drop-in center will serve youth and teens who can drop in to access a computer or resources for leads on jobs, housing, and other vital information. This will also serve as a place for mentors and young adults to socialize and connect in a safe environment.

• Expand and renovate the current Family Visitation Center to create a home and family atmosphere where parents can develop their skills as they seek to reunify with their children.

• Create a more usable space, including atrium play area for children, prayer room, and coffee shop operated by foster teens.

OI’s specialized program and services include:

• Personalized case management

• Mental health support

• Alcohol and substance abuse treatment

• Health care

• Cooking classes (with access to healthy and fresh food, and storage)

• Mentoring with caring adults

• Financial literacy

• Tutoring

• Career counseling/goal setting

These services address the individual needs of high-risk teens as they work toward self-sufficiency and adulthood, and we are proud to report that almost 90% of teens who participate in Operation Independence complete the program.

READ BROCHURE
These updates will allow us to move high-risk children, youth, and families out of immediate crisis and into a community of support. By renovating and expanding the Children and Family Resource Center and building new affordable teen housing, we can bridge this gap and get ahead of abuse and neglect in Orange County. Together, we can ensure Child Abuse Stops Here.®
1. Orange County’s State of the Art Children and Family Resource Center

Orange County’s Children and Family Resource Center, once fully renovated and expanded, will not only link us to more broken families for immediate assistance, but also provide a comprehensive coordination of care. By connecting with these children, youth, and families, they will be linked to the resources needed to flourish in the community.

2. Build a New Teen Housing Complex

Olive Crest plans to expand its services by building a two-bedroom, 16-unit apartment complex adjacent to the Children and Family Resource Center.
In addition to stable housing, all teens living in our facilities must participate in Olive Crest’s Operation Independence program to help them work towards self-sufficiency and adulthood.

READ BROCHURE

FUNDING THE CAMPAIGN

A $18 Million campaign has been initiated to fund the expansion and building of these two important resources, including a $2 million endowment fund for future maintenance.

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 Orange County.

Double Your Gift to Help Prevent Teen Homelessness

Olive Crest received an extraordinarily generous $1 million matching gift challenge to help prevent teen homelessness in Orange County by supporting the construction of a new apartment complex. We are truly thankful to the visionary philanthropic Scheetz Family with Total Environmental Management team CEO Jim Hindman and CPO Tom Cook, who joined us in this campaign to provide safe new housing and reduce teen homelessness in our community.

All Gifts and pledges received between
September 2024 and September 2025 will be
matched up to $1 Million

MAKE A PLEDGE
DONATE NOW

ABOUT THE PHILANTHROPIST

Curtis Scheetz, Co-Founder
Total Environmental Management Inc (TEM)

Total Environmental Management Inc. (TEM), an HVAC industry leader, was co-founded in 1985 by Curtis Scheetz. For nearly 40 years, TEM has provided innovative solutions to HVAC challenges, including the cooling for the Winter Olympic torch in 2004. In addition to turn-key solutions and customized installations in a variety of industries, the Anaheim-based company’s main focus has always been its dedication to customer service. Today, led by CEO Jim Hindman, TEM houses the largest inventory of any HVAC rental company on the West Coast.

Mr. Scheetz’s passion for his industry combined with an astute ability to think outside the box led him to found TEM as a way to provide emergency and temporary HVAC services lacking at that time.

Widely known for his business acumen and success, Mr. Scheetz is equally passionate in his commitment to make a difference in the lives of children and families in crisis. “By investing in today’s youth,” said Mr. Scheetz, “we’re changing the pathways of these young individuals that deserve an opportunity to thrive and be successful.”

A dedicated philanthropist, Mr. Scheetz has been married to his beautiful wife, Jill, for 47 years, and is the proud father of son Curtis and daughter Natalie.

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.

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