Many
people consider the Coachella Valley "paradise", every year
this paradise becomes a dangerous and scary place to the
hundreds of young people who are trying to survive on the
streets without resources to help them. A 2001 needs
assessment conducted by the Regional Access Foundation
found that all Coachella Valley homeless programs currently
serve either adults or families with children. The
696 homeless and runaway children that were reported last
year fall into neither category.
Located in Riverside, Operation SafeHouse is a private,
nonprofit organization dedicated to the safety and well
being of children in crisis.
SafeHouse opened its doors in 1990 and is governed by a
16-member Board of Directors, SafeHouse is the only 24-hour
emergency shelter of its kind in Riverside County providing
core essential services for runaway, homeless, and
throwaway kids. SafeHouse provides emergency crisis
intervention and support services for approximately 600
youth yearly through a structured 14-day program consisting
of daily counseling sessions with a family counselor,
formal secondary education, peer facilitated support
groups, and a collaborative educational effort with
community agencies such as Alternatives To Domestic
Violence, Inland Aids Project, and The Rape Crisis Center.
SafeHouse is committed to providing comprehensive support
services for at-risk youth and those struggling with
crisis-situations.
