Tell us a little bit about who you are!
Olive Crest is dedicated to preventing child abuse by strengthening, equipping, and restoring children and families in crisis one life at a time. We’re fervent in our commitment to seeing lives transformed through the healing power of God, family, and community. We want a strong family for every child.

How do you pursue God’s renewal of our city?
Kids and families in every community in LA are vulnerable, in crisis, and isolated. Los Angeles County has the largest foster care system in the country (approximately 20,000-30,000 children and youth). Each month, the child abuse report hotline receives roughly 10,000 calls reporting an incident to investigate (120,000 calls annually). 60% of youth aging out of foster care will experience homelessness or incarceration and 60% of sex-trafficked minors are from the foster care system.

We believe the foundation of an answer is found in mobilizing:
• Biblical hospitality — Welcoming strangers (Matthew 14:12-14)
• Gospel generosity – Giving without expecting return (Matthew 5:40-42)
• Strong families – Healthy relationships (Proverbs 19:4,7)

How can we support you and engage with your mission?
Reality LA can continue to feature us in partner highlights and financially support Olive Crest on a monthly basis and through other special events or seasons. A handful of Reality LA members are foster parents and volunteer hosts, and as we move forward, additional people at Reality LA could welcome children into their home or support those doing so, as well as serving in other practical and helpful ways.

We believe the most effective way your church can serve vulnerable kids and families is by developing space, resources, and support within your church family. Led by equipped volunteer leaders, such a church-driven Strong Families Ministry allows you to develop efforts that fit your specific community, both internally and externally. Within such a church-driven endeavor, the three main ways individuals, families, and groups can serve are by being a:
• Family – Welcoming a child or children into your home (fostering, volunteer hosting, adoption, etc.)
• Friend – Supporting those welcoming into their home children or serving in related ways. (care community volunteer, mentor, RFKC, etc.)
• Champion – Engaging with resources and prayer

How do you hope this partnership will shape our church?
As Olive Crest and Reality LA each have distinct and yet aligned missions and strengths, we want to help you best activate people to serve kids and families and help break the cycle of child abuse and empower children and families in crisis to become healthy and productive.

We love helping church leaders plan how they want to coordinate this area of ministry. Because we’ve seen how impactful it is, we want to connect individuals at churches with meaningful opportunities to serve as foster parents, volunteer hosts, care community volunteers, etc. and equip them as they do so.

How can we pray for you?
Please pray for Olive Crest families and kids. For parents to have the resources and community needed to have a strong family. That children being cared for by Olive Crest families will experience the welcome of God through the hospitality and generosity of their caregivers.

Pray for our new housing expansion for young adults. We are expanding our services to young adults by providingten new two-bedroom units. In addition to stable housing, these young adults will be offered customized life-skills support to ensure college success, break down barriers to employment, and address emotional wounds that would otherwise be carried into adulthood. Please pray God will provide the funds to fully match a generous $3 million matching gift.

Please also pray for our new drop-in centers serving sex-trafficking survivors. Tragically, 100% of the children we serve are at high-risk for being targeted for trafficking. Olive Crest is developing drop-in centers in some of the most high-traffic counties in California, including Los Angeles, with the goal of providing a safe space form relationship with every youth and teen that comes through our doors. Once that trust is built, we can secure a safe home for them, either with their own family, in an Olive Crest apartment, or with a specially-trained Olive Crest family.

How can we contact you?
To learn more about Olive Crest or how to be engaged you can reach out to Director of Community Engagement, David Kleinknecht, at david-kleinknecht@olivecrest.org.