One of the participating nonprofits in San Benito GIVES is Chamberlain’s Children Center (CCC), a state licensed and nationally accredited group home for at-risk foster youth. Originally started in 1965 by Clara Chamberlain, CCC was established to serve special-needs babies. Over its 52-year history, the nonprofit continues Mrs. Chamberlain’s vision to help special children in critical need.
The children who come to Chamberlain’s have been removed from their families due to abuse and/or neglect and have been placed in traditional foster families but due to their past traumas, they require more professional help in order to heal and move forward in life. With a staff of 60 employees, the center provides the children, ages 6-17 years, with the tools they need to achieve success and happiness.
CCC offers individual and group therapy, case management, schooling and residential treatment in a loving home-like environment. On campus is the Keith Thompson Non-Public School for the children who need more individualized academic help by a Special Education teacher & paraprofessionals. CCC also created a unique health, wellness and nutrition program for a holistic approach to the children’s treatment and care with the goal of life-long success.
One example of a Chamberlain child’s success is with Jessica Craven, who lived at CCC between 1989 and 1993. You’d be hard pressed to see the pain this woman suffered through as a child. Powell Cottage supervisor Lupe Grimaldo recalls, “She arrived as a scared little girl. Over the 3-plus years she lived here, we addressed one by one all the troubles this girl had seen and felt.”
Together with the caring staff, Jessica gained valuable skills like self-confidence in the arts, giving her a path to healing and the ability to discover love and trust. Jessica wrote in 2016: “20 years ago when I came to Chamberlain’s Children Center abused, hurt, confused, angry, rejected by my mother and family and placed in and out of foster care wondering when this roller-coaster would end….I fell into Lupe’s arms. That day I walked in as an orphan with so much fear that I would have to leave again. For the first time I finally felt like I was home.” Jessica now lives in Texas with her husband and children and is running a successful nonprofit organization.
Chamberlain’s Children Center is located at 1850 San Benito St., Hollister. To learn more, visit www.chamberlaincc.org , follow on Facebook or call 831-636-2121, ext. 129.
Please join us on this day of giving and support the organizations that are participating. To donate to Chamberlain’s Children Center during San Benito GIVES, visit https://www.razoo.com/story/Chamberlains.
San Benito GIVES is a 24-hour, online team fundraising event on Tuesday, May 16th providing opportunities to donors to support 23 nonprofits in San Benito County. The event is hosted by the Community Foundation for San Benito County in partnership with BenitoLink and Mission Village Voice. More information is available at https://www.razoo.com/team/Sanbenitogives
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