The National Crittenton Foundation Celebrates 130 Years
April 19, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Crittenton Services for Children and Families
Martha Jasso, Director of Communications
(714) 680-6008
PORTLAND, Ore. – April 2013 marks The National Crittenton Foundation’s 130th Anniversary. No doubt an anniversary is a time to celebrate a legacy, but more importantly it presents an opportunity to look forward grounded in the lessons of a rich history.
Crittenton Family of Agencies in Washington, DC at a conference. Photo Courtesy: National Crittenton Foundation
More than a century ago Charles Crittenton, a self made millionaire invested his life in the rescue of “unfortunate lost girls.” He dedicated his energy and his finances toward the “betterment of this needy class.,” specifically girls and women being exploited for sex, escaping violent relationships, single mothers, homeless/abandoned girls, immigrant women who came to this country and found no one their to meet them. As a result of his dedication and that of co-founder Dr. Kate Waller Barrett, the Crittenton social welfare movement was founded on a social justice foundation that was grounded in the belief that women deserved the same opportunities men enjoyed to change their lives. In the late 1800’s upon returning from a trip around the world Mr. Crittenton noted:
During my tour around the world I had been deeply impressed with the fact that in every civilized country the cause of the unfortunate girl was a ‘lost cause.’ While I had occasionally found… men and women whose hearts had been touched by the call to this needy class, I found that no well-planned movement had ever been put on foot to reach them. Why this should have been so, I have never been able to find out…It had been accepted as a necessary evil… The immensity of the problem staggered me….
One hundred and thirty years later the model envisioned by Mr. Crittenton remains largely unchanged. While Mr. Crittenton and Dr. Barrett were successful in building the Crittenton social welfare movement it did not spur a lasting change in the way society views and values girls and women who find their way to Crittenton agencies. Today, while they are not referred to as “lost, wayward or depraved” they are still viewed as “bad girls” who live on the margin of the American dream, invisible even to the modern day systems charged with their care. We can no longer accept the exploitation, marginalization and objectification of girls who find themselves in destructive circumstances not of their making.
As a national organization that has been “doing the work” for 130 years we have a responsibility to answer the questions presented by the fact that we are still supporting the same population. We are challenged to be introspective, to work in partnership with young women and each other and to break down system silos across the country to “get it right” this time. The cost to girls, young women, their families, communities and our country is too great to ignore.
In the most powerful country in the world, how can we allow so many girls and young women to grow into womanhood without feeling and knowing that they are loved, valued and respected? Girls and young women at the margin are powerful, courageous, resilient and hopeful beyond measure. Their dedication to building a better life for themselves and their children; their desire to contribute to making this world a better place despite the trauma of their lives; and their relentless hopefulness is humbling and inspirational. We cannot allow their future to be determined by the conditions into which they were born. We owe them no less than social transformation, system change and the opportunity to become empowered thriving women.
In our 130th year, we re-dedicate the work of The National Crittenton Foundation and the Crittenton family of agencies to the girls and young women across the country with whom we are honored to work along side.
We at the Southern California Crittenton Agency are proud of our connection to such a rich history and legacy within the social services field. Crittenton Services for Children and Families strives to ensure that all children and families that come to us for direct care find themselves in a place that helps them build resiliency and supports them through their recovery process.
Crittenton Services for Children and Families of Southern California (CSCF) is a non-profit social services agency whose mission is to heal the wounds of abuse and neglect; strengthen families; and help troubled adolescents reach their full potential. Established and incorporated in 1966 Crittenton has a highly trained workforce operating 24 hours a day / 7 days a week providing comprehensive counseling, medical, and other support services to the clients in our care. We provide a full array of residential, in-home, community based, wraparound, mental health, foster care, and adoption services with a service planning area throughout Southern California that covers Orange, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego Counties. Visit www.crittentonsocal.org to learn more about our programs and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Google+, and Flickr.
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Topics: Civic Engagement, Advocacy, Public Policy, Social Services, Child Welfare
Geography: Portland, Ore., Orange County, Calif., Washington, DC.