Many youth faced significant obstacles, including trauma, vulnerability, instability and limited resources. But with boundless support from our agency, they overcome these challenges to achieve remarkable success and make a positive and inspiring stories to share to the world.
Here is our inspiring stories of Ari and Yesenia, highlighting their resilience, independence, and empowerment.
Ari's Story: Rising Through Empowerment
- Amari
"I don't know where would I be if I didn't have these mental health services."
Ari is an 11 year-old African American girl who became a client two years ago after relocating from Los Angeles County to Moreno Valley. She had been bouncing between the homes of family members and friends before finally moving in with her maternal aunt and uncle. At the time, Ari was struggling deeply with her mental health. She felt invisible, undervalued, and burdened by a life of instability.
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In our early sessions, Ari was understandably guarded. But slowly step-by-step she began to open up. Over time, she became an active participant individual and family therapy. Her transformation was nothing short of inspiring.
Yesenia's Story: Journey of Resilience and Healing with Creative Solutions Therapeutic Foster Care Program
Jesenia and her siblings grew up in the Coachella Valley. As a child, she believed she had a “pretty good” life. Her mother, a single parent dealing with substance abuse, seemed to be doing what she could to care for her children. But looking back, Jesenia now understands that what they were living through was not normal and it certainly wasn’t safe.
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At just 10 years old, a visit to the school nurse changed everything. Her feet hurt, and when the nurse removed her shoes, her toes were raw and bleeding. That moment triggered a call to Child Protective Services. At the time, Jesenia’s siblings were 14, 6, and 2 years old.
Creative Solutions For Kids and Families'
Leadership was one of the Case Studies in this book published in 2021.
Featuring CSKFs withstanding uncertainty and challenges and came back with even greater success.
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In his recently published book from "Small to Large Growing Social Impact Organizations" by, Zoot Velasco (Director of the Gianneschi Center for Nonprofit Research in California State University at the Mihaylo College of Business in Fullerton, CA) included Dr. Ryan Cargando as one of the case studies in his book. Mr. Velasco in his research covered extensively 6,450 Non-profits in Riverside, San Bernardino and Orange Counties. “Of the 6,450 Non-Profits only 3.2 percent (207) in total grew by double or more in 2012. The study explored each of these organization’s closely. Of these 207 organizations, 14 percent were defunct by 2018. Another 51 percent shrunk back down to their former size in 2008 or froze at 2012 numbers. Fourteen percent of these heroes were tiny organizations that made it from small to growing. They grew significantly every year from 2008 to 2018, but never were able to get that 1million a year budget. And then there are the Recession Stars, 29 organizations that started small in 2008 grew by more than 200 percent during the recession and continued to grow.”
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Mr. Velasco, with an MBA in Non-profit Management at Hope International University and author of the book: The First Hundred Days: Leading Non-Profits Out of the Wilderness, lists the common organizational characteristics found among these Recession Stars. In speaking with the leaders of these thriving non-profits, Dr. Cargando being one of them, Mr. Velasco identified these five essential common attributes:
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Dynamic Leadership - Mr. Velasco accounts for how Dr. Cargando has built CSKF from a startup in 2005 to a financially and operationally sound organization and grew significantly until 2018.
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Mission-Driven Mentality – Recession stars are mission driven businesses.
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Strategic Partnership - Recession stars achieved best results by establishing relationships and collaborations with stake holders, staff and clients.
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Innovation and Quality - Quoting Mr. Velasco on Dr. Cargando: "His service became a movement of families entwined in his mission. His reputation for excellent care and service snowballed".
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Earned Revenue - Recession stars grow from earned revenue and does not rely on grants and donations.
Mr. Velasco shared his thoughts on how consequential it is to stay relevant and therefore valuable which can be summed up in this quote by Albert Einstein: "Strive not to be a success but to be of value" .
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