This article was contributed by Chamberlain’s Children Center.
The 12 Days of Giving campaign runs Dec. 1-12, and during that time any monetary donation you make is increased by a pool of funds provided by generous sponsors and supporters. Your donation will help organizations not only make the holidays brighter for thousands, but also assist all year!
Such is the case of Chamberlain’s. Their Mission Statement is “Empowering youth and families to heal from trauma, discover individual strengths, and achieve meaningful relationships and permanency.”
For 54 years, the Chamberlain’s staff has cared for and taught some of the most vulnerable children in the state. Chamberlain’s was recently certified as a Short Term Residential Therapeutic Program, which provides behavioral stabilization and permanency services to youth ages 6-17 in a home-like setting using the highest quality of comprehensive full-scope therapeutic milieu, clinical, permanency, and rehabilitative services.
Chamberlain’s also provides residents and non-residents special education options at the on-campus Keith Thompson Non-Public School which lets students grades 1-8 learn in a safe and empowering environment to make strides academically, socially, and emotionally with the goal of transition to a traditional educational setting.
The qualified staff of Chamberlain’s is comprised of therapists, case managers, teachers, and residential counselors who, in partnership, create an individualized treatment program for each child so they may learn to overcome the effects of the trauma they suffered through and start learning valuable skills. Chamberlain’s staff of 75+ employees works 24/7/365 to create positive strategies through individual and group therapy, case management, social skills milieu, schooling, and psychiatry, along with a family-like living environment for the children to become happy, healthy, and hopeful individuals with the goal of a loving foster home placement or in some circumstances, a competent family member.
The funds raised during 12 Days of Giving helps Chamberlain’s provide many extras to aid the kids’ overall development. Extras they have never experienced before like a visit to Monterey Bay Aquarium, Gilroy Gardens, or Academy of Sciences, which helps them build a sense of family and essential social skills. Adding to the list of extras are experiences of trips to the beach, picnics at the park, shopping for new clothes, seeing a movie, and other family-like activities many of us are familiar with but a Chamberlain’s child is not. Funds from 12 Days of Giving help ensure fun experiences for the Chamberlain’s children so they may learn and discover their strengths and develop healthy positive relationships.
On Christmas morning, the children are surprised with wrapped gifts under the tree and later a home-cooked Christmas dinner! The fun for the kids continues during the winter holiday break! Staff take the children off campus to Christmas in the Park and shopping after Christmas! The look of joy on the kids’ faces is invaluable! Bright, cheerful and grateful! They cannot believe they get to keep what they received or that they were able to participate in the excursions! 12 Days of Giving funds helps provide this and so much more well into the New Year!
Please consider donating during 12 Days of Giving, where your donation will be increased! No donation is too small and you can donate online with a credit card or mail in your check or stop by the office with cash.
NOTE: All donations must be made between Dec. 1 and Dec. 12. Checks must be dated between Dec. 1-12 and “12 Days” written in the check memo. Mail to Chamberlain’s Youth Services, PO Box 1269, Hollister, CA 95024, stop by the office Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. OR donate online at www.chamberlainsyouth.org
If you would like to donate to the other four participating agencies, please visit the 12 Days of Giving Facebook page or their individual websites.
*Matching funds for the 12 Days of Giving are made possible through our generous Partners, United Way of San Benito County and Taylor Farms; Sponsors: Anderson Homes, Brent Redmond Transportation, Community Foundation for San Benito County, Eden Housing, Graniterock, Hollister Pediatrics, K&S Properties, Recology, Teknova,
