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Kids come to us with sad stories; that’s for sure. But, stories can be changed—with some care, attention, love, ambition, with support from friends. This is, after all, the place where hope lives and grows. And, many days, it grows mighty tall. It grows right through the roof into a real education, a real future and a real life full of possibilities.

Where hope
lives and grows

Success Stories > Milestones

Milestones

Since our beginning in 1965, Youth Homes has undergone periods of rapid growth and contraction, and weathered many ups and downs. Beginning in 1992, Youth Homes has grown in a phased and planned way to assure that each stage of development was fully integrated and operational before new and expanded programs are initiated.

• 1965: Youth Homes, Inc. is founded and incorporated by a group from the Contra Costa County Council of Churches to provide a place to live for young teen mothers. Before a single mom could be placed, the county asked that the program house foster children.
• Between 1992 and 1996: Youth Homes purchased all the residential properties where they operate; assuring program stability and creating a large capital reserve for emergencies.
• 1998: Youth Homes is awarded a contract to provide two six-bed shelters homes in Contra Costa County; Pryor Center and the East Bay Shelter. They remain the only emergency shelter and assessment programs in the Contra Costa County foster care system.
• 2001: Youth Homes began the Mentoring Program in response to the clear need for support for children as they age out of the foster care system. This program was operated on a purely volunteer basis, with no dedicated staff support.
• 2003: Youth Homes is awarded a Therapeutic Behavioral Services (TBS) contract to help children and adolescents who are at eminent risk of returning to higher and more expensive levels of mental health treatment. Our contract is now the largest in Contra Costa County and one of the largest TBS contracts in the state.
• 2007: Youth Homes, as part of a consortium of four mental health agencies and the county, was awarded a significant contract to provide “unbundled mental health services” to the residents of our homes and to children in our after care program. Known as the C-5 group, our contract continues to enjoy strong support by County mental health services.
• 2007: Fund Development Program became fully operational and private individual, corporate and foundation funds have steadily increased.
• 2008: The East Bay Shelter is forced to relocate due to the county’s plan to create a transit village in Bay Point. The county assisted Youth Homes in securing an ideal leased property in Pleasant Hill as an alternate location. This support ensured the shelter remained in operation without interruption.
• 2009: the Board of Directors began a planning process to create a three-year strategic plan.