Office: 760-843-0701
24/7 Hotline: 760-949-4357
Last week, a local business owner was murdered for flying a gay pride flag in front of her store.
What is your first thought after reading that sentence? An acquaintance of mine immediately responded saying that she was probably forcing her homosexuality onto someone and putting it in their face. Another acquaintance said she has been yelled at and threatened over his rainbow bumper sticker. My first thought was why? Why would anyone be filled with so much hate that they feel the need to murder someone because of a flag? Why would anyone hate people because of who they love or their belief that everyone should be free to love whomever they want?
Flags make a statement. When I see a POW/MIA flag, I think about my friends who did not return from combat. When I see a Marine Corps flag, I am reminded that my brothers are everywhere. When I see a Chicago Bears flag, I am reminded that some people still like that horrible team (I am a Packers fan). Some flags make a statement about where we are from, what sports team we support, or any number of other groups. In a combat situation, a flag can identify the enemy. We are not in a combat situation. We are in a community where we should be able to exchange ideas and promote our beliefs.
When I read the article, I felt a deep sadness. Sadness that this wonderful lady lost her life. Sadness that someone was filled with so much hate he decided to kill someone. Sadness that I have not done enough to spread love in the world. Sadness that spreading hate is a billion-dollar-a-year industry with political power. We have gay pride flags at our facilities. Over the next month, we will look for more ways to promote gay pride. I will cover my vehicles, my house, and anywhere I can with pride flags. We cannot let hate win. We cannot push our LGBTQ brothers and sisters into the closet.
On a side note, the lady was not gay. She was married with children and grandchildren. She flew the flag to let people know that in her store everyone is welcome.
We had C.J. from Community Health Action Network and Officer Castello with the California Highway Patrol hold a car seat safety class for our Hope House shelter participants and staff. C.J. and Officer Castello talked to the participants about proper car seats for children based on the child’s height and weight. They also demonstrated how to properly install the car seats. C.J. and C.H.A.N. donated car seats for our Hope House transportation vehicle, and will be donating some to our participants as well. Thank you C.J. and Officer Castello for this valuable information!
Where were you on August 1st from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm? I’ll tell you where the Hope House teams were…representing at National Night Out 2023! We were so pleased to have Advocates representing the agency and providing resources in Victorville, Hesperia, and Apple Valley! We also want to thank Jaydee, Rudy, and Raven from Fam Spot for coming out and joining our Advocates; teamwork at its finest!
The Hope House Shelter and Empowerment Center want to welcome D.J. to the team! D.J. is the new Financial Empowerment Advocate for the High Desert area. D.J. is a stock market whizz and a self-made entrepreneur. We are excited at the skill set he brings to our clients. Welcome D.J. to the Hope House Team
We are still hoping to give our children at Hope House and Transitional Housing the supplies they need to go back to school. Please help us help them to be successful this school year. Items that will be needed are notebook, pens, pencils, backpacks, reusable water bottles, color pencils, etc. Please contact Tracey or Sylvia the Hope House Empowerment Center for more information, (760) 843-0701.
Today’s Women Foundation has been a supporter of the Hope House shelter participants and transitional housing clients. Every year, Today’s Women Foundation facilitates its Self-Sufficiency Class and invites our participants and staff to attend. They have just finished the last class for the 2023 year on August 5, 2023, and we couldn’t be happier for our participants and the support they received from this class. Cindy, the Executive Director of Today’s Women Foundation, the board members, and the speakers who facilitate the classes are so passionate and caring, sharing their expertise with those in attendance. Our participants enjoy this class and every year they come back happier and full of hope. Thank you, Today’s Women Foundation, for providing these classes to our clients.
Welcome Home is proud to announce the integration of education and fun into our weekly house meetings. As part of this initiative, we have partnered with Planned Parenthood to provide informative presentations for our clients. Every Friday, representatives from Planned Parenthood will join us to explore a range of important topics, including gender and sexuality, healthy relationships, and STI contraceptives. We have also been incorporating pizza into our house meetings as an opportunity to celebrate a successful week of cleaning and completing chores. We believe in using positive reinforcement to help solidify healthy habits and cleaning patterns.
To shed light on some good news, we are happy to announce another successful exit this month. One of our participants was able to grow from this space and rent an apartment with a family member. We have taken in two new clients and hope to see more success stories in the future.
If you or a loved one is part of the LGBTQIA+ community and need shelter, please reach out to Welcome Home to get on our waiting list. You can reach us at welcomehome@familyassist.org
Thank you to all of our sponsors for our annual Dreams Come True Gala. It will take place on Saturday, October 7th at the Hilton Garden Inn Conference Center in Victorville. Cocktail hour starts at 4:30 pm.
If you are interested in sponsoring this event, contact misty@familyassist.org
Hosted by our amazing venue sponsor, Courtyard by Marriott in Hesperia, we’re raising money for homeless youth in the High Desert. We will have food, drinks, music, raffles, and more from 5-11 pm. Thank you to Patterson Print Shop for printing our event tickets and always supporting your community. Tickets are selling fast! Buy yours today! Only $20 to enter this amazing event! Music, performances, local food, prizes & more!
Don’t forget to get your tickets for this fun, family-friendly event!
If you would be interested in donating a raffle prize, being a centerpiece sponsor, or buying a table email vida@familyassist.org
Who will be the next to step up and sponsor a tiny home? You can be a part of the solution to end homelessness by donating to the tiny home village. For more information, visit our website or email vida@familyassist.org
What an amazing summer it has been with our clients here at Open Arms. One of our greatest hits this summer was our cooking classes. Classes ranged from making different breakfast options like burritos and pancakes to lunch specials like grilled cheeses to delicious dinners like spaghetti and ground beef tacos. This summer was a great opportunity for our clients to either learn or brush up on their cooking skills. We would also like to thank Operation New Hope for collaborating with us on a weekly basis with different fun Friday activities: water balloon fights, kickball, dodgeball, and arcade games. It was truly an amazing experience this summer with all staff and clients.
For the month of August, we are looking forward to collaborating with Operation New Hope to host a community resource fair on Friday, August 25th from 10 am – 3 pm. Please do not miss this great opportunity to come out and learn about some of the amazing resources our community has to offer.
Open Door will sadly miss Karina Martinez as she continues her journey at CSUSB to get her Master’s degree. It was a pleasure to work with her. Karina was not only pleasant to be around but also a hard worker. She will truly be missed. Here are a few words from Karina:
Open Door has been doing a lot of tabling events and presentations. We had a blast at National Night Out in San Bernardino. We got to collaborate with a lot of new resources. Open Door was at the Ontario Health Fair. That was very successful they were giving out free covid shots.
Bernadette also did a presentation for the HUD program on the signs and indications of Human Trafficking and let them know all of what the Family Assistance Program offers. That’s just the beginning. If you would like to see the events we are doing, please like our page on Facebook ” Open Door”.
They’re still time to sign up for the State Certification Human Trafficking Advocate training. If you have any questions feel free to contact Bernadette@familyassist.org
“Unfortunately, my time with Family Assistance has come to an end for now, but I have enjoyed getting to know each one of you. Thank you for such a great opportunity and I look forward to seeing you all again.”
~ Karina Martinez
Our House foster youth clients continued to enjoy various outings and interactive groups throughout late summer. We provided the place to create art to help pass our summer days. Now our youth are gearing up for school.
When not in school clients are painting, weaving, crocheting, and sowing seeds for a garden. Outings have included visits to Newport Beach, Big Falls, Big Bear Lake, “Mentone Beach” (the neighboring creek), the trampoline park, the movie theatre, and the bowling alley.
We are happy to report great collaboration with districts in our region supporting transportation so clients can continue at their schools of origin, while many other clients are eager to experience Redland’s schools during their time with us.
It’s been a fun summer here at Fam Spot! Some of our youth went on a 3-day camping trip to Silverwood Lake. They had such a great time and are looking forward to the next one. Hikes are a regular occurrence around here, which everyone loves; there’s nothing better than getting out and enjoying some fresh air and beautiful views. Everyone here is trying to stay cool, so we had another water day complete with water games, food, and prizes! It was a crazy, fun-filled day!
We are looking forward to September and our Fiesta on the 15th!!! Come chow down on tacos and enjoy the festivities while supporting the Tiny Home Project. Tickets are $20 and all Fam Spot staff have tickets for sale.
My Place has some exciting announcements that have happened over the month of August. We start with multiple applications to Job Corps being filled out with the help of our staff. Three of our clients went on to get their food handlers license and received help making resumes which will help them pursue jobs. The clients enjoyed plenty of activities and groups that helped with their mental health. We took the kids to go watch the new Haunted Mansion movie, which was a smash hit. We look forward to continuing to create an environment that feels like home and the upcoming season with lots of fears and cheers this spooky season!
The Family Assistance Program’s Health Advocacy and Navigation program is assisting clients at five of San Bernardino County’s six Domestic Violence shelters. The program completes health assessments on adults and their children and reports healthcare needs to shelter staff. Health appointments are then scheduled, and navigation begins. Navigation can vary in time from a few hours to almost all day depending on the shelter location and the type of care needed.
For example, uninsured clients living in Option House in San Bernardino are currently being navigated to Victorville for free mental health care. Additionally, the lack of a Medi-Cal approved eye doctor practicing in the Mountains means Dove’s clients must be navigated to the Victor Valley for care. Through advocacy, the program is trying to raise awareness that these health gaps need filling.
Domestic or Relationship Abuse
Theft
Bullying
Physical or Sexual Attacks
Illegal Evictions
Hate Crimes
Mistreatment by the Authorities
Family Assistance Program is here to support and advocate for you. If you’ve been victimized or just need someone to talk to, don’t hesitate to call us at 909-571-5659. Together, we can explore your situation, your rights, and find a path forward. Watch the videos on our website to learn more about how we can help you.
We are currently hiring full and part-time for many open positions.
Click here to see all of the open positions at Family Assistance Program:
If you are interested in applying for any of our open positions, email your resume to hr@familyassist.org
If you want to help the most at-risk members of your community, you can donate to Family Assistance Program:
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If you are interested in donating items or anything other than a monetary donation you can email angela@familyassist.org
If you are homeless and feel that your civil rights were violated by police or community official please click this link to fill out a form from the ACLU.
Family Assistance Program envisions a community where each person has a loving, nurturing home life. We provide the tools necessary to create healthy interpersonal relationships, economic empowerment, and stable housing.
15075 7th Street, Victorville, CA 92395
Main Office: (760) 843-0701
Toll Free: (866) 770-7867
