In the News

Local couple help give wings to Casa Pacifica’s annual Angels Ball

Feb. 16, 2012

As she dashed through the lobby to a board of directors meeting at Casa Pacifica in Camarillo, Keets Cassar encountered a 14-year-old boy who, unprompted, wished her a nice day. “I stopped in my tracks,” Cassar said. The 73 children who live at Casa Pacifica, a provider of children’s mental health services in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, have suffered extreme trauma at home. “Most of the time these children . . . are so wounded that it’s hard to get them to look you in the eye, much less say anything to you,” Cassar said. “You kind of learn not to expect to get any feedback. . . . It’s beyond comprehension what some of these kids have been through.”

Thousand Oaks resident Cassar and her husband of 30 years, Hugh Cassar, have supported Casa Pacifica for the past five years. In addition to giving thousand of dollars in financial support, Keets Cassar also serves on the organization’s board of directors and assists as a volunteer in various capacities. The mother of six has helped organize the annual Angels Ball - one of Casa Pacifica’s largest fundraisers - makes decorations for different events and works on fundraising committees.“It is such a great organization,” Cassar said. “In their field, they’re very highly thought of and very respected. It’s also a model in some cases on how to run such an organization.”

Casa Pacifica spokesperson Carrie Hughes credits Hugh Cassar with referring Casa Pacifica for a November 2011 $25,000 grant awarded by UCLA Foundation’s Dream Fund. “We’re very grateful and fortunate to have such compassionate, dedicated, loving and generous partners and friends,” Hughes said of the Cassars. “They’re really wonderful people.”

Angels Ball is Feb. 25th

Feb. 16, 2012

Casa Pacifica Angels will hold its 23rd annual Angels Ball at 6 p.m. Sat., Feb. 25 at the Sherwood Country Club, 320 W. Stafford Road, Thousand Oaks. Hosts of the 23rd annual Angels Ball for the fifth year in a row, the Cassar family will present a cocktail hour, gourmet dining, dancing to a live orchestra and a live auction. The ball will raise funds to support Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families and its therapeutic programs and services. The ball will raise funds to support Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families and its therapeutic programs and services.

David Wood, president of Casa Pacifica’s board of directors and a parent of a son with mental health challenges, will be the guest presenter. The recipient of the 2011 Guardian Angel Award, which honors a Casa Pacifica supporter, will be presented by the 2010 recipient, Keets Cassar. Live auction items will include a trip to Chicago with tickets to a Cubs game in Wrigley Field’s rooftop seats, and a Napa Valley wine tasting trip. A landscape portrait of Casa Pacifica created by photographer Mark Brandes and his wife, April, of Brandes Portraiture will also be auctioned. The winning bidder’s name will be displayed on the portrait, which will hang at Casa Pacifica. For more information, call the development department at (805) 445-7800 or visit www.casapacifica.org.

Charity work helps create ties that bind

Jan. 28, 2012

On Saturday, Jan. 28th, more than 200 girls and about 75 of their mothers filled an assembly hall at Casa Pacifica to make more than 400 fleece blankets for the facility’s residents. It was the third annual blanket-making event at Casa Pacifica, and the girls, collectively known as the Ticktockers, had come to help those in need while meeting counterparts from throughout the National Charity League’s District 3, which stretches from Santa Monica to Santa Ynez. “These blankets are like gold,” Ingrid Cleffi, recreational therapy supervisor at Casa Pacifica, told a group of girls as they toured the facility’s small store, where residents can buy modest items like toys, toiletries or snacks as a reward for good behavior. “We use them all through the year.” Photo: Juan Carlo, VC Star

Noozhawk Talks: As a Champion for Foster Youth, Meredith Scott Is More Than a Match

Jan. 22, 2012

Meredith Scott is currently working on behalf of foster youth with The Children’s Project Academy. “It was a population that I really had no experience with,” she says. “It was heartbreaking because they hadn’t done anything to be in this awful situation.” Scott also serves on the advisory board of Casa Pacifica Centers for Children & Families in Camarillo and Mock City is modeled after one of its programs called “The Road to Independence.” Photo: Garrett Geyer / Noozhawk photo

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Second Annual Winter Wonderland WLV Charity Event

Sat. Jan. 21, 2012

Lydia Gable of Prudential Realty and Rick Winters of Winters Financial Group hosted the the second annual Winter Wonderland charity event on Saturday. About 600 coats were collected this year for Casa Pacifica in Camarillo, which provides an array of services to families in need. “We picked Casa Pacifica because it is a wonderful organization,” Gable said. “We brought the snow, we have the coffee and smoothie truck, glitter tattoos, prizes, and people have come from all over to support us. We got lucky that the weather cooperated and it’s cool, so the snow won’t melt.”

“Based on how the community responded last year, it was motivation to do it again,” Winters said. “It’s a nice way for the community to support a local organization like Casa Pacifica, and this time the City allowed us to bring in the snow. Obviously, as you can see, the kids are enjoying themselves.” Pictured: Abby Carter of Westlake Village throws a snowball at her mother, Patty, during the Winter Wonderland charity event Saturday in Westlake Village. Photo: Joe Lumaya, Special to The Star

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Consumer’s Title plays Santa Claus to Casa Pacifica children

Jan. 15, 2012

For the children and families served by Casa Pacifica, the holidays are vivid reminders of the difficulties they face. The children often spend Christmas separated from family and friends and there is very little money for presents.

Consumer’s Title & Escrow employees eased the pain a little bit this year when they descended on Casa Pacifica on Dec. 21 with Santa bags filled with toys. Every employee of Consumer’s donated money and gifts to fulfill the wish-lists of eight children.

“This is our third year supporting the kids of Casa Pacifica and as always we really enjoy coming together as a company to give the children a little brighter holiday season,” said Scott Mazza, company sales manager.

Casa Pacifica meets kids and families at the most challenging times of their lives and helps them overcome some of life’s most difficult circumstances — abuse and neglect, complex emotional and behavioral issues, family crises. It restores hope, helps children find joy in daily living and improves families’ chances at making a better life and at finding a place in their community where they can be successful. Pictured: Consumer’s Title & Escrow employees from left, are Josh Dodson, Scott Mazza, Roxanne Danielsen, Dee Johnson and Darlene King with Casa Pacifica’s Archie the Therapy Dog.

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Toothbrushes for Toddlers

Jan. 12, 2012

Cristy Molter delivers a box of toothbrushes to Casa Pacifica Centers for Children & Families in Camarillo Tuesday. Molter started the charity Toothbrushes for Toddlers and has sent donated toothbrushes throughout the world.

Photo: VC Star, Troy Harvey

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Worth a Thousand Words

Jan. 5. 2012

Sure, it was a big deal for a local photographer to achieve international acclaim for his work in 2011. But for Kevin Charbonneau, his work has only just begun… “The purpose of these pictures (for Casa Pacifica) is that it is for the kids to have,” said Charbonneau. “When we grew up, parents took pictures of us to have, but these kids don’t have that.”

Along with the Casa Pacifica Amigos, a group that sponsors events and activities for the children at the center, Charbonneau is also zooming in on setting up a Casa Pacifica camera club. It would be the same concept as Ventura County Camera Club, with professional photographers making monthly appearances, teaching technique while offering critiques of participants’ work and sharing photography excursions.

“We did something like this before with disposable cameras, but not with digital,” said Dennis Murphy, founder of the Casa Pacifica Amigos. Murphy said the results were striking because it opened a new form of expression for the children. “They are getting a chance to see the world differently, and now we can see the world through their eyes. With digital, they can take that even further.” But in order for the Amigos and Charbonneau to introduce the camera club, they will, of course, need some cameras. They are asking the public to donate compact digital cameras to Casa Pacifica Amigos, 1722 S. Lewis Road, Camarillo 93012.

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Moms bake holiday treats for foster kids

Dec. 22, 2011

‘TIS THE SEASON - Mothers from Oak Park, Agoura Hills and other nearby neighborhoods baked up a storm to brighten the lives of foster children living in residential homes. Baking cookies, cakes and other homemade goodies during the holidays has always been a sure-fire way for Oak Park residents Sandy Phillips and Bev Futterman to show their love to families and friends.

Phillips contacted three foster care facilities - Casa Pacifica in Ventura, Five Acres in Alta Dena and Maryvale in Rosemead - to determine whether children would enjoy receiving their own plate of homemade holiday desserts. “Each one was really excited about it,” Phillips said. The idea, though simple and endearing, was novel. The children had never received dessert packages before. The ladies figured that nothing says “‘tis the season” as well as a plate of homemade treats, especially if they could bake enough goodies for each child to have his or her own, special package… At first she assumed that each child would receive five or six cookies, but the response from volunteer bakers was so overwhelming, there were enough treats to fill each box to the brim… This week, another hundred boxes will be delivered to Casa Pacifica.

Pictured: Front row from left: Sandy Phillips, who cooked up the idea with Bev Futterman, with Lena Tucker, Nina Larkins, Tanya Tong, Cherie Nelson and Donna Lamm. Back row: Futterman, Susan Kane, Cheryl Green, Brenda Pestano, Kim Garfinkel and Sandy Pedefluous. Left, helpers Elisha and Alina Tong have fun helping with baking and packaging the cookies. Photo: Acorn Newspapers / By Stephanie Bertholdo

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Local families and community donate for a good cause

Dec. 20, 2011

In conjunction with their 10 year anniversary, AlmaVia of Camarillo generated a drive to collect brand new toys to benefit disadvantaged youth at Casa Pacifica. Residents, staff, and visitors collectively donated over $2,000 worth of toys. Several kids assisted with the effort.

About Casa Pacifica
Casa Pacifica’s mission is to provide hope and help abused, neglected or at-risk children and their families. Casa Pacifica helps provide youth with the best chance at life by safeguarding and nurturing the most vulnerable youth and fostering the development and healing by providing shelter, evaluation, education and treatment programs through public and private collaboration.

Pictured: From left to right, back row are: Luke Masyr, Wyatt Larson, Lorelei Larson and Faith Masyr. Noah Masyr is shown in front. Photo: AlmaVia of Camarillo

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Redwood middle schoolers look to make a difference

Dec. 19, 2011

Redwood Middle School Seventh-graders Madelyn Paley, 12, and Hayley Minassian, 13, are working with two others on Helping Hats, making about 50 to 60 hats for children at Casa Pacifica. “Our original idea was to help orphanages, but there aren’t a lot of orphanages in the area,” Minassian said. “Then I found Casa Pacifica online, and it seemed perfect for what we were doing.” She called Casa Pacifica to explain the idea and got the green light.

“Helping these children makes me feel really good because I know they probably haven’t had the best life, so it’s good that somebody is out there thinking about them,” Minassian said. Madelyn said: “We’re learning to help about giving and not getting in return. These kids really need us.”

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Conejo Girl Scouts make teddy bears for Casa Pacifica kids

Dec. 13, 2011

Girl Scouts from the Conejo Valley spent a recent afternoon at Build-A-Bear in Thousand Oaks making teddy bears to give to children living at Casa Pacifica in Camarillo. Members of Girl Scout Cadette Troop 619 from Agoura Hills hosted the event Sunday at The Oaks mall and were joined by members of other troops from the area, including Daisies and Brownies.

The Girl Scouts last year made 136 bears for children at the facility. With help from shoppers’ donations, they made 156 this year. They also were (able) to buy outfits for 30 bears, and people donated an additional 30 outfits.

Pictured: A teddy bear is sewn together by a Build-A-Bear employee during the Girl Scouts event for Casa Pacifica at The Oaks mall. Photo by David Yamamoto, Special to The Star

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Casa Pacifica helps county’s loneliest youth

Dec. 12, 2011

For most of Natasha Borelis’ life, the holiday season was spent with strangers. “I wanted to spend it with family, but I spent it in group homes,” she said. “I was there by myself during Christmas. They gave me more medication then because my anxiety was horrible.” Borelis, of Ventura, is among the foster youth at Casa Pacifica who have been helped by a program called Kindle Family Connections. Casa Pacifica in Camarillo serves abused and neglected children. The program is designed to help young adults in Ventura County find relatives.

The woman who runs Kindle Family Connections out of an office at Casa Pacifica is social worker Jill Borgeson, who ran another family-finding organization, Kids & Families Together, for about five years. “It’s important because we know that children who emancipate from foster care at age 18 without lasting emotional connections are at great risk of a variety of really destructive outcomes such as incarceration and homelessness,” Borgeson said. “Many of them don’t graduate from high school or college. Many deal with substance abuse. ... They need role models, someone with whom they have a sense of connection and belonging.”

Since launching Kindle Family Connections in 2010, Borgeson has helped about 140 young people who have aged out of foster care or are still at Casa Pacifica. Kindle Family Connections is funded through a private donor to Casa Pacifica and gets some funding from the county, but is always in need of donations. To donate or learn more about Kindle Family Connections, click on http://www.kindlefamily.org or call (805) 914-1221.

Pictured: Kindle Family Connections’ Jill Borgeson poses with Natasha Borelis in her office at the Casa Pacifica offices on Flynn Road in Camarillo. Borgeson has a “family tree” with each Casa Pacifica child’s name that she has connected with their family this past year written on the leaves. Photo: Rob Varela/The Star

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Casa Pacifica Announces New Website

Dec. 7, 2011

Casa Pacifica is happy to announce that it has launched its newly revamped, redesigned website, still found at www.casapacifica.org.

With its updated, fresh look, the website is an excellent way to learn about Casa Pacifica and its myriad programs and services, Angels & Amigos auxiliaries, volunteer opportunities, special events, important emergency numbers, and of course all the ways you can make online contributions for our children’s and agency’s needs.

You will also find special links to the Casa Pacifica’s kids’ holiday wish lists, to Archie’s website (yes, Archie has his own website!), and the Angels Wine & Food Festival’s website as well as many other interesting and helpful pages of information.

Check out our new website and spread the word to your friends and family that everything you could ever want to know about Casa Pacifica is there!

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Bill and Elise Kearney of Ventura named Ventura County Philanthropists of the Year

November 30, 2011

In 1989, the couple began their involvement with Casa Pacifica, on whose board Bill Kearney served for 10 years. For his support, specifically in times of struggles with funding, he received a frame with a plaque with the years of his time on the board, a drawing from a child at Casa Pacifica and a poem the child wrote.

Last December, Bill and Elise Kearney picked out a Christmas tree at Green Thumb Nursery in Ventura. A young man working there helped secure it to the top of their car. They thought he was very kind. Bill Kearney asked him about his background. He said he had been removed from his home when he was young, gone through several foster home placements and moved to Casa Pacifica, whose mission is to help families and individuals with crisis support and offer aid to those who have experienced abuse and neglect. The man told the Ventura couple how grateful he was to the Casa Pacifica staff for helping him get the job at Green Thumb. The Kearneys were amazed at how far he seemed to have come but were familiar with the story.

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Casa Pacifica Has Been Reaccredited by the Council on Accreditation

November 22, 2011

The Council on Accreditation (COA) is delighted to inform you that Casa Pacifica has been reaccredited. COA’s commitment to maintaining the highest level of standards and quality improvement is designed to identify providers that have set high performance standards for themselves and have made a commitment to their constituents to deliver the highest quality services.  COA is proud to recognize Casa Pacifica as one of these outstanding providers.

COA reaccreditation is an objective and reliable verification that provides confidence and support to an organization’s service recipients, board members, staff and community partners.  The COA reaccreditation process involves a detailed review and analysis of both an organization’s administrative operations and its service delivery practices. These standards emphasize services that are accessible, appropriate, culturally responsive, evidence based, and outcomes-oriented, In addition, they confirm that the services are provided by a skilled and supported workforce and that all individuals are treated with dignity and respect.  COA congratulates Casa Pacifica for their hard work and wonderful achievement and is proud to have it as part of COA’s Community of Excellence.

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Investing in the road to independence

November 1, 2011

Casa Pacifica is an amazing place, not only because of what they do to impact the life of children and youth, but because of who they are. The board, its staff and volunteers are deeply committed to helping their youth succeed in school and in life.

Pictured: Young Leaders Society (YLS) Chair David Perez presented a check to Raymond Franco in support of the Road to Independence, an organization that provides foster youth ages 14-18 the opportunity to experience real life through workshops topics such as Dress for Success, Buying a Car, Housing and Responsibilities, Financial Literacy and Interview Tips.

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Skateboarders compete at Camarillo contest

October 15, 2011

Last year Joe Kennelty and his wife, Sarah, opened Human Clothing Company. The skateboard competition was a fundraiser for Casa Pacifica as well as a chance to get his company’s name out in public. A total of 10 percent of proceeds from Human Clothing Company sales at the competition were slated for Casa Pacifica, a Camarillo shelter for abused, neglected or emotionally troubled children. Some 30 Casa Pacifica residents were on hand to watch and to skate. 

“I love coming out to events like this,” said professional skateboarder Neal Mims of San Diego, who served as a judge for the competition. “I like giving back to communities, and Casa Pacifica is such a great cause. People everywhere can use a little love and extra help and I wanted to do that,” he said.

Pictured: Skateboarder Feeney competes in the 18 and older division at the For the Humans skateboard competition on Saturday at Camarillo skate park. Photo by Rob Varela, Ventura County Star.

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Foster youth to get new digs in former state hospital buildings

August 10, 2011

Teenagers leaving the foster care system will soon get homes to call their own in an expansion at the Casa Pacifica shelter and treatment center near Camarillo. Under a deal approved this week, the nonprofit agency will renovate a trio of buildings that have stood vacant for at least 15 years on a lot adjoining the center, officials said.

Pictured: Vicki Murphy, chief advancement officer and director of alumni services at Casa Pacifica, takes a tour with Raquel Montes, 26, on the site where three buildings will be turned into transitional housing for emancipated foster children.

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Health records neglected, lost for some foster children

July 28, 2011

Foster children in San Diego County have Rady Children’s Hospital to help keep track of their health records and maintain quality medical care, but many others elsewhere in California are not as fortunate. Foster youths are frequently moved from home to home. That usually involves a change in physicians and dentists that can increase the chances of their records, called “health passports,” being left incomplete especially when a child is moved from one county to another, according to child welfare advocates.

For example, at Ventura County’s Casa Pacifica, a center for abused, neglected and severely disturbed youths, pediatrician Catherine M. Sever and resident nurse practitioner Maryellen Dyer-Parziale recite a litany of examples in which they say spotty record-keeping contributed to foster children not receiving proper medical treatment before and after being admitted to their facility.

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Agoura High student collects used instruments for Casa Pacifica

June 28, 2011

There will be many more young people at Camarillo’s Casa Pacifica with the opportunity to play music, thanks to Agoura High School student James Bedford’s brainchild, the Let’s Share the Music program. The idea for the program struck Bedford, 17, when he came across an old drum set to donate. He decided to collect used musical instruments and financial contributions to benefit the abused or abandoned children of Casa Pacifica so they may play music, just as he does.

“The goals of the project are to provide Casa Pacifica with at least one of every wind instrument and as many other instruments as possible, to get corporate sponsorships to provide funding for the program, and to build awareness in the community of the kids at Casa Pacifica,” Bedford said.

The Casa Pacifica music program serves students in Casa Pacifica’s nonpublic school, some who live in Casa Pacifica’s residential program, and some who live in the community. The school serves on the average of 45 to 50 students, and all have the option of participating in the music program. Music classes are offered for all grade levels, including an elementary music program, as well as music electives for the middle and high school students, including music instrument classes, choir and musical theater.

Pictured: Tom Ball raises the hand of James Bedford in celebration of his work in bringing donated, musical instruments to Casa Pacifica. The donation is part of Bedford’s program called Let’s Share the Music, which benefits the children of Casa Pacifica. Photo by David Yamamoto.

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Federal head of foster care visits Casa Pacifica

May 28, 2011

Bryan Samuels, President Obama’s appointee as commissioner of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, visited the Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families in February.

Samuels was invited to the agency by the Casa Pacifica director of development and operations, Vicki Murphy who met Samuels when she was part of a panel last October and visited him in Washington, D.C., to discuss national policy on the issue of foster care. Samuels met with representatives of Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties during his visit, discussing trends in foster care at the federal level and answering questions in an open dialogue. Obama’s 2012 budget increases funding for child welfare, but Samuels has the task of convincing Congress to pass that increase.

Pictured: Bryan Samuels, second from left, federal commissioner of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Health and Human Services, recently toured Casa Pacifica, a Camarillo-based shelter for physically and emotionally abused children. Joining Samuels are Casa Pacifica youth advocates, from left, Cristina Miranda, Raquel Montes and Tyrone Blackman.

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Casa Pacifica helps county’s troubled youth

May 27, 2011

Casa Pacifica is a nonprofit started in 1994 that helps abused, neglected and emotionally disturbed children and adolescents. The agency offers residential treatment, emergency shelter and educational services at its 23-acre Camarillo campus. It also provides therapeutic treatment and family support services in communities in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. 

Foster-care teens and young adults are benefiting from a new program at Casa Pacifica - the transitional youth program is preparing them for adulthood by teaching life skills, such as how to write a resume, balance a checkbook and find housing. The free service is available to foster youth age 16 through 25.  Also available to all families on MediCal having parenting issues is Casa Pacifica’s Parent-Child Interaction program. The parent, wearing an earpiece, is given advice from a therapist who observes through a oneway window the parent play with their child. MediCal is the state’s healthcare program for low-income residents. Kyra Requiestas, 22, who graduated this month from CLU with a degree in criminal justice, said the victimization workshop was motivating. “It helped open my eyes to the realities at-risk youth face before they get help and after they get help,” said Requiestas, who plans to volunteer at Casa Pacifica and pursue a career helping troubled youth.

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Angel Ball attracts pageant winners

March 3, 2010

Miss California Nicole Johnson of Westlake Village, left, Casa Pacifica director of operations Vicki Murphy, Casa Pacifica CEO Steve Elson and Miss Teen California International Dedria Brunett, a former Casa Pacifica resident and the evening’s featured speaker, attend last Saturday’s Casa Pacifica Angels Ball at Lake Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks. Johnson will compete in the Miss USA pageant later this spring.

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