Non-Profit Children, Youth & Family Services

AbilityFirst was established in 1926 and known as the Crippled Children's Society of Southern California (CCS) for many decades. Lawrence L. Frank and Paul Dietrich, both Rotarians, were two of the original founders of the organization and they continued their loyal support throughout their lives. Operating in the greater Los Angeles area, AbilityFirst has 25 facilities which support individuals with disabilities through after school enrichment programs, job training, community employment, accessible camping, and affordable and accessible housing. AbilityFirst is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and the American Camping Association (ACA). Some facilities are licensed by the California Department of Social Services and the Department of Developmental Services.

Asian Rehabilitation Service, Inc. (ARS) is a non-profit 501(c)3 community-based corporation whose primary purpose is to provide vocational rehabilitation and other programs to assist individuals with disabilities facing barriers to employment to achieve their highest potential for self-worth and independent living. We purpose our mission to provide program participants with meaningful work experience, training, and vocational rehabilitation in an industrial environment and assistance with job placement with public and private employers.

The Boys and Girls Club of Pasadena promotes the health, educational, social, vocational, and character development of boys and girls ages 6-18.  Our goal is to improve the lives of children by helping them to build self assurance and develop leadership skills while reinforcing positive values.

D'Veal Family and Youth Services is a leading Behavioral Healthcare provider in the greater San Gabriel Valley.  D'Veal's primary goal is to achieve "Balanced Families, Balanced Children, and Balanced Lives" for the communities we serve. D'Veal provides a comprehensive range of programs and services in many settings.D'Veal provides comprehensive assessment, evaluation, and treatment for children ages 0-20. Services are provided in the home, community, schools, and in our offices located throughout the San Gabriel Valley.

Substance Abuse Prevention and Advocacy Organization: Neighborhood Improvement, Parents, Youth

Families Forward Learning Center, formerly known as Mothers’ Club, is a non-profit organization that provides free education and social services to low-income families in Pasadena and Altadena with children from birth to five years old. All of our services are based on a two-generation learning model that empowers both parents and children to gain knowledge and skills that improve outcomes for the whole family. Our primary objectives are to ensure that children in our program are safe, healthy, and on-track developmentally, and to enhance parents’ skills, literacy, and self-sufficiency so that they can be active participants and advocates for their children’s education. Learning programs are offered during either a morning or afternoon session, Monday-Friday, and include early childhood education, parent education, adult education, mental health support, and leadership training.

Five Acres, The Boys' and Girls' Aid Society of Los Angeles County, is a child and family services agency that strengthens families and prevents child abuse through treatment and education in community-based and residential programs. Originally founded as an orphanage in 1888, today Five Acres offers an array of services including residential care and education, mental health services in homes and schools, foster care and adoptions, and domestic violence prevention.

Flintridge Center’s mission is to break the cycle of poverty and violence through community planning, innovation, and action. Our vision is of a healthy, safe community where families thrive, youth reach their full potential, and equality and opportunity are accessible to all. We provide a continuum of services from adolescence through adulthood, focusing on youth and families impacted by incarceration. These strategies encompass a continuum of trauma-informed youth diversion and development programming and adult reintegration services that prevent and intervene in cycles of incarceration. Our youth programs support academic, social, and emotional outcomes for youth at high risk of justice involvement and youth with incarcerated family members. Reintegration services provide pathways to self-sufficiency for formerly incarcerated adults by expanding career opportunities and connecting individuals with supportive resources.

Multi-service food pantry

Hillsides has always created safe places for children; strengthened families, provided special education; and advocated for children's rights. From its inception in 1913 as an Episcopal Orphanage, The Church Home for Children, until its present-day status as a private, nonprofit foster care and treatment center, Hillsides has never wavered from its commitment to creating a safe place for children. Although it began as an orphanage, Hillsides now works to end the cycle of child abuse that destroys children and tears families apart. Loving care, therapeutic healing, special education, family crisis intervention and children's rights advocacy are at the heart of the agency's mission. These priorities At Hillsides, children suffering from abuse and mental illness can still find a "safe place" to call home. Today, the children's charity located in Pasadena serves families in crisis throughout Los Angeles County.

After aging-out of the foster care system, many
foster youth find themselves homeless, under-educated,
and unemployed. For more than 35 years, Journey House has been a
place where former foster youth find hope and
opportunities for academic, professional and
personal success. 

Options for Learning provides high-quality family services, educational child care, preschool, and after-school programs. "It connects parents and children to resources and teaches them how to best use them." Families grow and change, and new information and technologies are always emerging.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJxDrpNcVb4

The Pasadena Ronald McDonald House provides a “home away from home” with housing, comfort, care and support to families with children who have serious or life threatening illnesses. Since opening in 2004, we have helped more than 18,500 children and their families.  For more information, please visit our website at www.rmhcsc.org/Pasadena.

Professional Child Development Associates was established in 1997 by Dr. Diane Cullinane, Developmental Pediatrician, and Mimi Winer, R.N., M.S, Clinical Nurse Specialist, with the vision of providing innovative and comprehensive interdisciplinary services for children with developmental challenges or disabilities and their families. Using the DIR' - Flootime approach, PCDA provides quality, family-centered services for children and training and consultation to staff, parents and professionals about the best child development practices. PCDA became a nonprofit corporation in March 2008.

Sycamores, formerly known as Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services, is a highly respected mental health and welfare agency with 10 locations throughout Southern California. For 120 years, Sycamores has been investing in people. Today the agency provides innovative and effective programs and services for children, youth, young adults, and families facing serious life challenges. Services include residential treatment; transitional shelter care; foster care and adoption; transitional living assistance for young adults currently or at risk of experiencing homelessness; outpatient and school-based mental health services; wraparound/in-home services; psychiatric services; psychological testing; and educational support services. 

Villa Esperanza Services is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the care and education of children, adults, and seniors with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Villa Esperanza Services is one of the few organizations offering programs that support individuals with disabilities at every stage of life. The need for services is growing. Today, autism affects 1 in 54 children in the United States. Villa continues to be a leader in providing education for children who are on the moderate to severe end of the spectrum. Villa school includes speech and language, occupational, and behavior therapy for students ranging from elementary to high school. Also available is the Community Integration Program for young adults transitioning into adulthood. For adults and seniors, Villa offers residential and employment services, independent living skills training as well as three adult day programs. For further information call 626-449-2919, ext. 168 or visit the website at www.VillaEsperanzaServices.org.