Community Partner Highlight: Olive Crest

OneLife LA works with a diverse number of Community Partners as part of our year-long mission to encourage volunteerism and community outreach. Like many of our other partners, Olive Crest works creatively and compassionately to serve at-risk children and their families.

Olive Crest’s mission grew out of the example of one couple, Dr. Donald and Mrs. Lois Verleur who opened their home over 40 years ago to four teenage girls. Today, Olive Crest leads the way in the prevention and treatment of child abuse with centers all over the United States, including in Los Angeles. The ethos that Dr. Donald and Mrs. Lois Verleur first instilled in Olive Crest is alive today: “One Life at a Time.”

Olive Crest works through early intervention, prevention, and treatment.

Their innovative programs alleviate stress experienced by struggling parents like finding and offering alternatives to child welfare, giving parents time to address the issues in their lives that could result in child abuse or neglect.

For example, one of their most creative programs is Safe Families For Children. Parents experiencing crisis such as temporary hospitalizations or job loss, can reach out to Olive Crest for support. The Safe Families for Children program finds host families to welcome children and gives their parents time to get back on their feet. The goal of the program is always biological reunification. As one mom who was helped by Olive Crest said, “They are a group of amazing Christian families who just want to support those parents who need a little bit of a push up, a hand up!”

There are so many ways to get involved and support Olive Crest!

You can become a volunteer or open your home to children in Olive Crest’s programming. There are also two upcoming fundraisers to support Olive Crest! On April 12 in Orange County, join the Wine, Women & Shoes benefit. The evening of wine-tasting, gourmet bites, and shoe shopping is for a great cause! And on May 18th, their 19th Annual Gala Auction: Anchored in Love, Hope, Family will bring people together for a fun evening with the goal of raising $450,000 to support Olive Crest programming.

Find a way to get involved today with this compassionate and important ministry! Only by working together can we create a civilization of love. One mission, one ethos, one life together in LA!