Social Services Commission & Directory

The Social Services Commission and the Community Services Department are responsible for identifying and addressing community needs and coordinating social service programs within the city. The provision of information and referral services and recommending funding for social service programs that are administered by non-profit agencies in the Whittier community are important components of the Social Service efforts.

Local non-profit agencies are funded through grants allocated annually in four major categories: Small Grants, Matching Funds, Contingency and Request for Proposal. The Social Services Commission focuses on violence prevention programs for young people; homelessness programs youth services including child care; substance abuse prevention programs; affordable housing; community counseling; and juvenile delinquency prevention.

The Social Services funding program is supported by the City's General Fund and HUD Community Development Block Grant funds. The Commission and staff continue to work with the Whittier Area Interfaith Council, the Uptown Business Association and the community regarding concerns about homelessness and panhandling. The City Council has created a subcommittee to investigate funding opportunities and locations to create a regional "One-Stop Center" to address community and homeless needs.

WHITTIER SOCIAL SERVICES FUNDING APPLICATIONS NOW AVAILABLE

The Whittier Social Services Commission invites applications for funding from local non-profit organizations that provide needed social services for City of Whittier residents for fiscal year 2010-11. The deadline for submitting applications is Friday, December 18, 2009.

The Social Services Commission encourages innovative programming that could include agencies submitting joint applications for projects to better the quality of life in Whittier.

Applications and an informational letter may be obtained by calling the Community Services Department at (562) 464-3360; in person at the Department office at Whittier City Hall, 13230 Penn Street; or downloaded from this website.

All groups applying for funding must supply proof of non-profit status with the application. The following documents are required as proof of non-profit status: a Certificate of Filing, Certificate of Status or Certificate or Articles of Incorporation or Exemption Determination Letter of the California Secretary of State and a Determination Letter of Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recognition of their section of 501 c (3) exempt status.

Examples of social services programs which may be eligible for grant funding include employment assistance, crime prevention, child care and education, health, drug abuse and recreational needs that primary assist low to moderate income residents including abused children, battered spouses, senior citizens, those with disabilities, homeless persons, illiterate persons and migrant farm workers.

The Whittier Social Services Commission will review all applications to determine eligibility. The Commission's recommendations regarding funding will be forwarded to the City Council for final approval.

Agencies that receive funding may be required to make presentations at Commission meetings.

For more information regarding this Social Services funding application process, please call the Community Services Department at (562) 464-3360.

To obtain a copy of the informational letter, click here. To obtain a copy of the funding application, click here.

Commission Goals

Information and Referral

The Information and Referral office is located at the Whittier Senior Center. City staff and trained volunteers provide residents with information on social service agencies in the area and the services they provide. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is located at 13225 Walnut Street, Whittier, CA 90602. They may be reached at (562) 464-3368.

The Commission publishes a Social Services Directory. The directory is available for purchase at the Senior Center. To download the complete 2009 Social Services Directory in pdf format click here. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to read or print the directory.

“VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR” HONORED

Those attending the Social Services Volunteer Recognition Program include (left to right):  Alexandra Law, Social Services Commissioner; Councilman Joe Vinatieri; Carole Marin, Social Services Commissioner; Councilwoman Cathy Warner; Councilman Owen Newcomer; Mayor Bob Henderson; Patricia Holody, Meals on Wheels; Councilman Greg Nordbak; Lorena Duran, SKILLS Foundation; Marjory Farmer, formerly with Intercommunity Blind Center; and Charlene Dimas-Peinado, Social Services Commission Chair.

Volunteers from three community social services agencies were honored as “Volunteers of the Year” by the Whittier Social Services Commission and City Council.

Lorena Duran of the SKILLS Foundation, Marjory Farmer of the Intercommunity Blind Center and Patricia Holody of Whittier Meals on Wheels were recognized at a reception held Tuesday, October 13 at Whittier City Hall, following by their being honored at the City Council meeting.

Every year, local social services agencies are invited to nominate someone they feel deserves the “Volunteer of the Year” honor. More than 200 volunteers have been honored by the Commission since the Volunteer Recognition Program began in 1991.

Charlene Dimas-Peinado, Commission Chair, said the program recognizes “outstanding individuals who contribute their time and expertise to the betterment of the community. Volunteers are the backbone of any strong non-profit agency.”

Duran is currently President-Elect of the SKILLS Foundation, and has been instrumental in helping to facilitate the partnership between SKILLS and the Safe Schools Healthy Student grant-WINK.

Farmer has volunteered at the Intercommunity Blind Center since 1967. Although the Blind Center closed in 2007, she continues to serve by continuing the Center’s arts and crafts program at the Whittier Senior Citizens Center.

Holody has been delivering meals with the Meals on Wheels program for six years, serving up to 16 participants daily. She is also the current President of the Meals on Wheels Board of Directors.

For further information on the Volunteer Recognition Program, call the Community Services Department at (562) 464-3360.

2009-10 SOCIAL SERVICES FUNDED AGENCIES

The American Indian Healing Center’s mission is to provide high quality, culturally sensitive and appropriate primary medical care to Native Americans living in Los Angeles County, and to empower all patients to attain the highest level of health possible through comprehensive physical examinations, extensive health education and regular health re-assessments. The program, “Stop Domestic Violence in the Native American Community,” addresses the critical issue of domestic violence while focusing on non-emergency follow-up medical treatment, diagnostic testing, counseling and prescription refills for patients referred to the clinic from shelters in and around Whittier.

The American Red Cross, Rio Hondo Chapter provides relief to disaster victims and helps people prepare for, prevent and respond to emergencies. The local Chapter offers a variety of valuable services to help prepare the community for emergencies. These services are free of charge. The programs include training courses, Safe Kids Safety Days, Youth Emergency Preparedness (YEP), First Aid Services Teams (FAST) and Youth Showcase Concert Events.

The Assistance League of Whittier provides personal, educational and enrichment services to local area residents without regard to race, creed or political preferences. As volunteers, League members consider it a privilege to give of their time and resources to for this purpose. The Dental Care Program assists students in kindergarten through 12th grade who do not receive state aid, but who cannot afford emergency dental care.

The Boys & Girls Club of Whittier mission statement is “To inspire and enable all young people to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens.” The College Bound Program will be implemented through the new Teen Center. This program will guide the youth to meet academic, financial and testing requirements for the University of California, California State University and private university systems. The program will guide participants through curriculum choices and testing protocol, as well as the application, financial aid and scholarship process for a successful college experience. The goal is that there is a college for everyone.

Bridge of Faith H.O.M.E. has a mission to “Stop the high rate of recidivism in our prisons and to assist those emancipated from the foster care system.” The VIP Program is an innovative residential program that helps emancipated foster girls and women recover from a life of trauma and dysfunction that includes abandonment, prostitution, substance abuse and despair. The primary goal has always been to rehabilitate at-risk and homeless women and girls who have been emancipated from the foster care system to become self-sufficient, productive community members.

C.A.P.C., Inc.’s (Community Advocates for People’s Choice) mission is to empower individuals with disabilities to maximize the quality of their lives in their home communities. The program, “Instruct for Success,” provides instruction to adults with disabilities to foster independence and further their life goals. The objective is to develop a curriculum and instruction plan for support staff to improve the quality of their instruction; to conduct in-services training for support staff; have staff utilize the curriculum and training to improve the quality of their teaching/ and for individuals with disabilities to achieve their annual goals.

C.R.C. Inc.’s (The Center for Recovery from Compulsivities) mission is to provide a low-cost, sober living environment and recovery service to individuals with a chemical addiction who desire a safe, sober and supportive atmosphere in which to strengthen personal recovery and prepare for a healthy re-entry into society. The H.O.W. House Program is a State Licensed Recovery Home for Chemically Dependent Adult men.

Hispanic Outreach Taskforce (H.O.T.) improves the quality of life for Hispanics and the community through programs in education, health, economic development, financial literacy and cultural arts. The HOT Annual Scholarship Program assists local area high school students in offsetting the cost of entering a college or university. The goal is to reduce the high incidence rate of students dropping out of school, and to encourage more students to complete high school and graduate from a college or university. The program is open to all high school seniors, regardless of race, gender or religious affiliation.

Homework House provides free mentoring and tutoring for at-risk children in a neutral and caring environment. Tutoring is one-on-one, which adds mentoring benefits to the actual tutoring, along with a very structured program designed to promote oral reading enjoyment, add new vocabulary, journal writing, practice diagnostic skills and, of course, homework assistance. The general goal is to support students in achieving great success in the school setting.

The Intercommunity Child Guidance Center's mission is to provide comprehensive mental health and social services to children and their families. Developing alternatives to abuse and violence and addressing emotional and behavioral challenges results in healthy children, families and communities. The Crisis Intervention Program allows Child Guidance to provide crisis treatment to children, adolescents and their families experiencing a crisis in the life (e.g. divorce, unemployment, homelessness, terminal illness, death, etc.). The Parenting Education Program utilizes the Effective Parenting Model customized for children of different age groups. Parents will develop their skills in core-effective parenting techniques that include: teaching mutual respect; effective, nonviolent discipline techniques; the power of encouragement; and successful communication skills.

Intercommunity Counseling Center, Inc. provides professional counseling, while being sensitive to the needs of clients of diverse ethnic, cultural and spiritual backgrounds in the Whittier community and surrounding area. The program is fee-assistance for counseling low-income, at-risk residents. Individual (child, adolescent, adult), marital and family therapy may be accessed using this program for residents who meet low-income guidelines.

The Interfaith Food Center is committed to serving the food needs of the hungry, disadvantaged and homeless population of Whittier and La Mirada. Interfaith provides supplemental food assistance to low-income families and a lunch-type bag of food to homeless individuals who live in Whittier, La Mirada or the unincorporated Los Angeles County area with a Whittier address. Interfaith will feed as many needy, hungry and homeless individuals as resources allow.

Los Angeles Centers for Alcohol and Drug Abuse (LACADA)’s mission is to save lives, unite families and protect the community by providing addiction counseling and healthy living services. The program provides comprehensive services for individuals and families with a primary substance abuse problem in office-based and live-in settings. LACADA provides comprehensive integrated treatment and prevention services for individuals and families that increase public safety; reduce crime; ensure recovery for addictions; prevent addictions in youth; reduce transmission of the HIV virus; reduce family violence; and increase positive coping skills, along with developing productive independent lifestyles for community members.

Legal Aid Society of Orange County (dba Community Legal Services) provides civil legal services to low-income individuals and seniors and promotes equal access to the justice system through advocacy; legal counseling; innovative self-help services; in-depth legal representation; economic development; and community education. The Domestic Violence Prevention program assists low-income individuals with obtaining restraining orders to protect themselves from domestic violence and civil harassment.

LUNA Recovery, Inc. strengthens and empowers individuals and families who struggle with substance abuse and addition. LUNA Recovery holds the belief that recovery is a lifelong process. Recovery is not only about remaining clean and sober, it is also about living a healthy life. The Adolescent Social Change Model Program empowers and supports adolescents in discovering their “gift within,” providing development of social and communication skills necessary to explore their uniqueness and transformation from childhood to adulthood.

Project Sister Family Services’ mission is to reduce the trauma and risk of sexual assault and child abuse. The Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention and Prevention Education Services Program provides crisis counseling, information and referral for survivors of sexual assault and abuse to help them to return to healthy productive lives. There are violence prevention education programs on ways to avoid date and acquaintance rape; how to avoid abuse through date rape drugs and alcohol; child abuse prevention classes; self-defense classes; and senior citizen safety classes.

Rio Hondo Temporary Home helps disenfranchised families end their cycle of homelessness permanently and gain self-sufficiency in their homes, schools, communities and workplaces. The Mental Health Services for Homeless Families with Children Program provides two group therapy sessions weekly; weekly art therapy sessions for children; and mental health services to those in need. The goal is to achieve a decrease in homeless families’ counterproductive behaviors that led them into homelessness; to develop life skills necessary to move into permanent housing; and to develop skills to enable them to permanently reintegrate into all aspects of community life and maintain housing.

The Salvation Army provides the Hospitality House Emergency Shelter and Homeless Shower Program, which is an emergency shelter for up to six months. Homeless men, women and families are accepted. Breakfast and dinner are provided. The goal is to assist clients with a safe and supportive program to get back on their feet. Case management, job referrals, meals and other referrals are provided.

The Salvation Army’s Transitional Living Center (TLC) Program is to empower homeless women and their children through education and vocational training, leading to employment and independent housing. This program provides housing and comprehensive support services to homeless women and their children and can accommodate 28 families at a time. Services on-site include educational and employment assistance, licensed childcare, counseling, parenting, computer and life skills, meals and health care.

SASSFA’s (Southeast Area Social Services Funding Authority) mission is to enhance the quality of life in local communities by developing partnerships designed to promote self-sufficiency and independence through coordinated services and comprehensive referrals. The SASSFA Senior Services program provides services to senior citizens residing in the Whittier area, including: congregate nutrition, home-delivered meals, care management, telephone reassurance, homemaking, personal care, homemaker registry, caregiver support groups and community education. The goal is to prevent premature and unnecessary institutionalization.

The SKILLS Foundation exists to create a partnership of parents, schools, businesses, government and the community to support programs that give every child the opportunity to develop the “SKILLS” necessary for living and learning successfully. The Friday Forum and Teen 101 program is a social enrichment program that targets middle school-aged children living in the Whittier area along with their parents. A dance provides a safe, fun and appealing atmosphere that encourages peer-to-peer interaction while integrating participants into the community. It allows adolescents to develop their own autonomy, while simultaneously discouraging negative influences. The program also provides the participants’ parents with education through a parent program that addresses such pressing matters as teen pregnancy, cyber safety, family management, peer pressure and AIDS.

The City of Whittier Community Services Department Social Services Commission Scholarship Program provides opportunities for families to enhance their quality of life by “Creating Community through People, Parks and Programs.” The funds are used to provide opportunities to those meeting the Community Development Block Grant income guidelines to participate in Community Services Department recreation programs. The program provides quality leisure services and activities to lower income residents and allows many individuals who would otherwise be unable to afford to participate in constructive recreation programs.

The Southern California Rehabilitation Service’s (SCRS) mission is to empower persons with disabilities to achieve their personalized goals through community education and individualized services that provide the knowledge, skills and confidence building to maximize their quality of life. The Southeast Center for Independent Living Program provides support services to individuals with disabilities of all ages, mostly provided free of charge. Services include peer counseling; independent living skills and training; housing assistance; information and referrals; job development and placement; and disability and sensitivity training on disability issues.

SPIRITT Family Services (Skills for Prevention, Intervention, Recovery, Individual Treatment and Training) promotes mental health and well-being through proactive programs of education, prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery to strengthen the family unit and individual’s self-concept through personal development, taking into consideration the multicultural communities served. The CLARO (Challenging Latinos to Access Resource Opportunities) and SERENA (Self-Empowerment Resources to Educate, Nurture and Advocate) programs involve weekly support groups for at-risk youth at several schools in Whittier. The programs consist of positive encouragement with emphasis on education, while utilizing case management and culturally sensitive programming, including role modeling.

The Whittier Area First Day Coalition helps the homeless and at-risk individual’s transition toward self-sufficiency. The Social Services Program provides the direct services, information and referrals and transition management for those in a homeless situation. Mental health needs are provided for by the Pacific Mental Health Clinic on-site during weekly service hours. Through a combination of available services, referral and one-on-one counseling, a path of stabilization is created.
The Whittier Area Interfaith Council provides a Cold Weather Shelter for Whittier’s most hard-to-serve homeless. The Cold Weather Shelter Program typically houses 35 people at night in a Whittier church social hall, with each church hosting the shelter for a week at a time. Guests use a sleeping pad and are given bedding. Dinner and breakfast are provided. Volunteers offer informal life coaching to encourage guests to develop new approaches to life that will get them on the right track. This service is offered to those who are not qualified for the residential homeless services in Whittier, such as First Day and the Salvation Army.

The Whittier Area Literacy Council provides free literacy and English as a Second Language tutoring programs to adults and children who are in need of better skills. Volunteers are trained to provide these services. The Tutor-Student Retention and Enrichment Program provides family literacy workshops using professional educators. The programs also serve to make the parents of the students feel they are a part of the process, and also keep tutors informed and up-to-date with current information and techniques. All of these efforts ensure better success for the students.

Whittier Meals on Wheels’ sole purpose is to make available tasty, healthy meals to persons having need of this service. Volunteers deliver the meals, consisting of a hot meal and a cold plate, plus milk or juice and a dessert Monday through Friday around the noon hour. Money received is used for subsidies for those persons in the area served who are in need of nutritional meals and are unable to secure them from other than through Meals on Wheels and unable to pay the full cost of the meals.

Whittier Rio Hondo AIDS Project’s (WRHAP) mission is to minister to the needs of the community impacted by HIV/AIDS by providing support and understanding to individuals and families affected by this disease. Services include health care, social services, case management, mental health care and policy advocacy. WRHAP educates youth an the community at large through programs aimed at the prevention of HIV/AIDS, and provides a safe haven at the Christopher Wahl Youth Center, where young people may come together to play, learn and grow in an atmosphere for mutual respect.

YMCA of Greater Whittier is an association of all people united in a common effort to put Judeo-Christian principles into daily practice and to enrich the quality of the spiritual, mental, physical and social life of their families, their community and themselves. The STRIDE programs for developmentally disabled adults provides ongoing education in daily living skills, practical math, computer usage, community integration, library skills and vocational skills.