Casa Nuestra
Community Comes Together to Help Youth in Need!
For the past 37 years, thousands of youth have turned to SBCS's Casa Nuestra for shelter, crisis counseling, and when possible family reunification. Located in Chula Vista, Casa Nuestra is South San Diego County's only safe house for runaway and homeless youth. Because of their highly transient nature, it is difficult to estimate the exact number of runaway and homeless youth in San Diego County, but the Regional Task Force on Homelessness estimates there are between 359 to 395 homeless youth on the streets at any given time.
The youth who come to Casa Nuestra are between 12 to 17 years of age. Many of these youth are escaping danger, have been thrown out of the home, or need a time out from parents in order to better resolve their issues. Some probably should have been in foster care long ago, but now are too old for a place in the system. A team of specialized staff are available on site every day, 24 hours a day, to help youth work toward family reunification when possible or to help them locate a long-term living situation. Youth continue to go to school.
There is no constant for these youth, so having a place that they know is safe and welcoming is essential for their healing process and future success. Like many homes, Casa Nuestra needed an update. There was often a mishmash of gently used donated items including sofas, a pool table and monstrous television. Even the unique color of green that adorned the walls was donated at some point. And the carpets often buckled before new funding was available.
Hundreds of volunteers lent their time and skills and many local businesses provided in kind donations and funding to create an updated living area that not only helps youth to focus on healing but allows them to just be youth. The end product included a complete redesign of the home with new matching furnishings, games, a cozy, quiet area for studying, reading and computers, and new dining area for the youth to eat together and bond. The power of community was never more evident as in this project. What would have taken years to accomplish on our own was finished in mere months.
The renewed environment has lent itself to a new hope for the youth staying at Casa Nuestra. Even the relationship with each other has improved. As one 15 year old resident stated, "It's amazing and ever since the change, we are even getting along better and are more patient with each other." In Spring, the re-beautification will continue with a youth involved drought tolerant gardening project.
Thank you to all our Business and Community Partners
- Comfort Furniture for Less
- Cox Communications
- Cox Kids Foundation
- BIA Cares
- Bright Horizons Family Solutions
- Bright Horizons Foundation for Children
- DynegyFieldstone Foundation
- HomeAid San Diego
- Hilltop Baptist Church
- JELD-WEN Foundation
- Jerome's Furniture
- Mail Boxes, Etc.
- Martin Electric
- New Hope Church
- Style on a Shoestring
- Winfield Flooring