2023 Impact Report
As the year comes to a close, we can’t help but look back and reflect on all the ways we have experienced the grace and goodness of God in our community. Check out this letter that we have written highlighting the impact that your support has made.
2021-2022 IMPACT REPORT
This year, we partnered in the healing and prevention of trauma through restorative relationships & whole-person care.
THRIVE PROGRAM
Former-foster youth received affordable housing & a dedicated support system.
We are so proud of the young adults in our THRIVE Program. We believe that every young adult deserves a chance to be successful and known. Young adults exiting the foster care system often navigate school, work, and life completely on their own. We are continually proud of the work our young adults put into each area of their lives.
Less than 20% of former-foster youth are employed at the age of 21, less than 3% graduate higher education, and only 40% are safely housed. Our young adults maintained a 95% employment rate, 10 graduated, and 4 more are graduating from a university in 2021. Most importantly, they are healing and building relationships. Former-foster youth often come to us wondering if they are loveable, but our goal is that they will never have to question their worth again.
THRIVE Impact ’21-22
- 2 housing locations
- 18 young adults housed
- 5 residents launched
- 33 additional young adults served
RAF & TraumaWise
Equipping and supporting children from hard places, their families, and the communities around them for healing.
TraumaWise and RAF are the new names for the RESPITE Program! This year, we re-branded these programs as well as strategically split them up between (1) Resource Adoptive Families – continuing RESPITE’s resourcing and support for foster, adoptive, and kinship families, and (2) TraumaWise – our “new” initiative dedicated to trauma-informed education.
We saw and met the needs of 427 resource, foster, adoptive, and kinship families. We also provided trainings, tools, resources, and classroom interventions to the greater community in both Orange and Los Angeles Counties.
RAF & TW Impact ’21-22
- 11 workshop / training topics offered year-round
- 5 care communities
- 427 fost/adopt/kinship families served
www.ocunited.org/raf
www.ocunited.org/traumawise
Jobs for Life
Serving those experiencing homelessness in our local transitional shelters.
In 2021, our Jobs for Life team created a virtual hybrid model, allowing us to serve multiple transitional homeless shelters simultaneously. We worked at 4 sites this year and saw 24 men and women graduate from the program. 12 students secured employment during or following classes. We also established a 4-week online training program for JfL grads called “Next Steps” to continue the relationships built during class.
Jobs for Life + Workforce Development. We hope to equip program participants within our other initiatives to flourish in the workplace as well. We are creating multiple new training options to prepare them for greater success and fulfillment in their lives inspired by Jobs for Life.
JfL Impact ’21-22
- 4 shelter locations
- 50 students
- 24 graduates
- 12 employed graduates
United Kids & Teens
Safety, connection, and home for kids and teens in South Fullerton.
This year, we launched United Teens – a 3 days / week after-school program serving 40 teens monthly. This program is a continuation of relationship from those who have graduated from United Kids. It empowers the teens to refine and use their unique voices by integrating their input into the program’s planning and through participating in special community organizing events (like City Hall meetings).
United Kids refined its programming and our team grew. Every day, our kids are having meaningful conversations with our staff. For example, September was about safe people and places, October was about celebrating family narratives and culture, and November was about how to healthily express love.
United Kids & Teens Impact ’21-22
- 2 after-school programs (teens & kids)
- 5 staff who live in / are from the community
- 35 children in United Kids
- 40 teenagers served monthly
www.ocunited.org/unitedkidsteens
Voces Unidas / United Voices
Advocating, empowering, and implementing positive change for families and the community in South Fullerton.
This year, we saw incredible transformation within the Valencia Park, Gilbert, and Orangethorpe neighborhoods. We opened the doors to the Gilbert Community Center! Every week, families find connection through bilingual domestic abuse support groups, parenting classes, trauma-informed trainings, and community building events.
The adults in Voces Unidas are not only receiving care themselves but also giving care by serving their neighbors. Over 325 families received tangible relief such as food support, referrals to financial aid, and household goods. Behind this effort are 20 community leaders who meet weekly alongside city, law enforcement, and school personnel to bring about their vision for the community.
Voces Unidas Impact ’21-22
- 1 new community center
- 20 community leaders activated
- 5 bilingual workshops & trainings
- 325 families provided with tangible relief
Domestic Abuse
Hope, community, and vision for the future.
This year, the domestic abuse support groups grew as we continued to offer in-person and virtual support groups. On average, 30 women per week participated in-person and virtually in the English speaking domestic abuse support groups. In addition, because Donna Mroz’s book “Overcoming Domestic Violence: There is Hope!” was translated into Spanish, support groups were offered to around 20 Spanish speakers at the Gilbert Community Center every week.
We partnered with BIOLA’s Center for Marriage & Relationships by providing interpersonal relationships workshops and self-defense courses with their team including Dr. Tim Muelhoff and Dr. Chris Grace.
Domestic Abuse Impact ’21-22
- 50 weekly support group participants
- 3 support groups
- 15 women left abusive relationships