U-Turns Allowed (Focus Forward Magazine, 1st Edition)

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Magazine Committee Susan B. Anderson - Magazine Chair County of Fresno Fresno County Supervisor, District 2

Christy Bourbon - Coordinator County of Fresno Executive Assistant to Supervisor Anderson

Nancy Pressley - Committee Member Focus Forward Chief Executive Officer

Karin Chao-Bushoven - Committee Member University High School Director of Development

Keri Bennitt - Committee Member Fresno County Federal Credit Union VP Marketing & Membership

Kathy Eide - Editorial Director/Writer Public Relations & Public Affairs Joachim Schirmacher - Photographer Arts House Sole Proprietor, Photography

Catherine Curry - Designer C. Curry Design Sole Proprietor, Graphic Design Firm

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U Turns Allowed The stories in this magazine demonstrate how one program or one individual can change the lives of troubled youth and benefit our community with individuals who become good neighbors, community leaders, and healthy, whole beings.

When we embarked on this project, we were struggling with the appropriate name for this magazine. We interviewed the youth, describing the magazine. There were several creative suggestions, but one young man suggested “U Turns Allowed”. It was, without a doubt, the right name, and is indicative of the youth’s understanding that the support he has received will allow him to make that U-Turn.

About this Magazine

By Fresno County Supervisor Susan Anderson

The stories in this magazine are about people who were children in our community. Today, more than 10,000 children are in the Fresno County systems – juvenile hall, probation, foster care and phasing in or out of these systems. For various reasons, these children suffer because they do not have the support they need to be successful.

The stories in this magazine demonstrate that a little help can make a big difference.

As a community, we must step up and provide support for children who, for whatever reason, have lost their way. When you are a child and you are going down the wrong path or your circumstances are dire, adults need to help. Everyone deserves a fair chance to succeed.

The stories in this magazine are true.

Everyone makes mistakes – no one of us is perfect. Some do not get a fair chance in the beginning. Some make bad decisions. Some do not have the advantage of good parenting and family support. Some get caught up in the negative influence of others. All were children when things went wrong.

The stories in this magazine inspire us.

U-Turns are allowed and must be encouraged! Focus Forward believes that everyone must be held accountable for their actions – both individuals who find themselves in the system and our community. We believe that for every young person on the wrong path, who can become a productive citizen, tax dollars are saved, victimization is spared and hearts are healed.

The stories in this magazine are told for the benefit of those children who are locked up in the juvenile hall today. We thank the amazing individuals who were willing to share their stories with us. We hope that many more stories will be told in the future.

Thanks to Kathy Eide who wrote and edited these stories. Thanks to Catherine Curry who designed this book and to Joachim Schirmacher, our photographer. A very special thanks to our story sponsors and especially our project sponsor, Fresno County Federal Credit Union, who made this magazine possible.

focus forward publication ‘u-turns allowed’

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Services for Juvenile Justice Youth Arts and Culture:

Volunteers lead art and creative writing workshops for the youth. The workshops provide youth with opportunities to view themselves as having self-worth and give them the opportunity for positive self-expression. Art has been proven to assist the youth in developing critical thinking skills and providing an avenue for dissipating anger. Some of the art produced by the youth is auctioned at our annual art show, generating funds for our services.

Mentoring and Case Management: We are in our sixth year of providing mentoring and case management to incarcerated youth. We utilize interns during the academic year along with community volunteers year around. Mentors meet with the youth at least weekly and develop trust by listening, tutoring, reading to them, and by helping the youth set goals and develop self-efficacy. Mentoring and case management consist not only of providing the youth with services while they are in custody, but also connecting them to services when they transition to the community.

Meditation:

Youth participate in weekly meditation sessions in which they develop self awareness, critical thinking, and redirect their anger and frustration; building resiliency.

Teen Pregnancy Prevention:

Reproductive Health Education Classes are provided to incarcerated youth. Focus Forward volunteers are provided Adult Ally training so they can address youth concerns regarding HIV, sexually transmitted diseases, and family planning.

Peacemaking Circles:

Volunteers lead the youth in a participatory process that allows the youth to share their truth, stories and experiences in a safe and supportive environment and allows them to hear others stories leading to self awareness and self responsibility in their relationships with others.

Bright Futures Program: This pregnant and parenting teen program began in January of 2008 funded by First 5 Fresno County. The goal of this program is to strengthen families by providing supportive services to pregnant and parenting teens involved in the juvenile justice system. The intended outcome of Bright Futures is to give the teens the tools they need to make better decisions for themselves and provide their children with healthy homes, ultimately interrupting patterns of family criminality.

Employment Soft-Skills Workshops:

Older youth are provided the skills they need to gain employment. They are taught how to complete job applications, present themselves for job interviews, and retain employment.

Services for Foster Youth: Access to Higher Education: Focus Forward fundraises for this annual event for foster youth which is provided by our County partners. The youth spend a day at California State University, Fresno learning about opportunities available to them in higher education. The youth who participate develop a sense of community and belonging and are linked to education and other resources that support them in self-sufficiency.

Best Dressed Kids/Teens: This program provides

Focus Forward interns who mentor and provide supportive services to the youth.

new and gently used clothing to foster kids. Focus Forward supports the program by offering an avenue for donations.

Youth Scholarships: Each year, Focus Forward provides five scholarships to foster youth who have graduated from high school and have been accepted into college. These scholarships are for books or school supplies.

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Table of Contents

Cynthia Toepfert

Dan Casas

Janie Her

Steve Geil

Tony Hoffman

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10

12

14

16

Carissa Phelps

Darryl Du’Chene

Leslie Davis

Anthony Rispoli

Adriana Guillen

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20

22

24

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The new

Juvenile Justice Campus

Focus Forward was created in 2006 through the merger of two small community based organizations serving at-risk youth and with the collaboration of those at the Probation Department, the Department of Social Services and dedicated community members. At that time, the Probation Department was transitioning from the old juvenile facility, dubbed the ‘Hall of Shame’, to the new state-ofthe-art full service facility, aptly named the ‘Hall of Hope’.

The new Juvenile Justice Campus, including the Hall of Hope, was built to address a wide range of youth and family needs well into the 21st century. However, with limited staffing and dwindling funds, Focus Forward was called upon to fund and facilitate services for the incarcerated youth, including mentoring and case management and in partnership with California State University, Fresno.

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‘Hall of Hope’ creating positive change

and promoting successful outcomes

for youth in the Fresno County

Juvenile Justice and Foster Care Systems.

In 2006, Focus Forward was pleased to host the grand opening of the Juvenile Justice Campus with a gala that showcased the campus. An elegant dinner was served and an auction of art, created by incarcerated youth, gave guests the opportunity to admire and bid on many creative pieces. The funds raised at that event, in conjunction with grant funding, allowed Focus Forward to take root at the new Juvenile Justice Campus.

The stories in this magazine demonstrate how one program or one individual can change the lives of troubled youth and benefit our community with individuals who become good neighbors, community leaders, and healthy, whole beings. When we embarked on this project, we were struggling with the appropriate name for this magazine. We interviewed the youth, describing the magazine. There were several creative suggestions, but one young man suggested “U Turns Allowed”. It was, without a doubt, the right name, and is indicative of the youth’s understanding that the support he has received will allow him to make that U-Turn.

Fast forward to 2012 and you’ll find that Focus Forward continues to work closely with the Probation Department. This unique public/private partnership allows services to the youth to continue to expand and meet their identified needs. Flexibility and perseverance on the part of both Focus Forward and Probation have led to positive outcomes for the youth as well as for community members of the County of Fresno and we look forward to continuing to serve the youth in the Fresno County Systems.

A heartfelt thank you to our sponsors for recognizing the value of these stories to the community! You gave us the freedom to choose which story you would sponsor, knowing that all of them have a positive message.

Please visit our website to learn about additional services and for more information: www.focusforward.org focus forward publication ‘u-turns allowed’

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Cynthia Toepfert, missing from Fresno, CA, has been recovered. Please discontinue dissemination of this poster. Your participation in this program has made a valuable contribution to this recovery.

September 22, 2001…

Missing Child Poster Partner Recovery

issing by choice, not by abduction, Cindy Toepfert had no idea of the nightmare that awaited her when she ran off to be with her “prince charming”. What 16 year-old girl doesn’t think she knows best when her parents tell her she can’t see her boyfriend?

A “normal” kid from a “normal” home, things like this only happen to other people.

Cynthia Toepfert Not so.

Her parents knew this 21 year-old man was no good for their daughter. The more they told Cindy she couldn’t see him, the more determined she was to do just the opposite. Smart cute bright 16-year old Cindy made a very bad decision. This drug using, drug-selling older man soon took total control of her.

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No one was more surprised than her family and friends when Cindy left the comfort and security of her home to be with someone who was so obviously wrong for her.

In the time it took to sing, ‘Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen’, Cindy had gone from a Clovis Unified student to a meth addict living on the streets.

Her man drifted in and out of her life, leaving her on her own most of the time, but by then it no longer mattered. Cindy roamed from place to place and spent her time just hanging out and being high. In the blink of an eye, she had turned from honor student to drop-out.

School had become a thing of the past and though she had always earned straight-A’s, the only grade that mattered now was what grade the meth was.

Another year came and went and when she was 17, Cindy and her boyfriend had a major fight; bigger than most. Fed up with her life with him, she headed for home. But Cindy wasn’t the only one who was fed up.

Cindy’s mom, though relieved to see her daughter, was in no mood for this behavior. Having called the cops on her daughter more than once, she was told they couldn’t do anything unless Cindy had committed a crime. Mom took the opportunity with Cindy flopped on the couch asleep to go through her daughter’s purse.

What she found made it easy for her to get the police involved. Credit cards and ID’s that clearly did not belong to Cindy. Mom called the police and they arrested Cindy for receiving stolen property.

She was taken to Juvenile Hall, where she was booked and locked up. Her mom had the option to come down and get her daughter but she made a tough decision; one that that would ultimately save her life.

She left her daughter there.

Cindy’s new home was the girls unit at the hall where she stayed for the next month. She went to court, pled no contest and the judge sentenced her to the Substance Abuse Unit with no time credited for good behavior.

But, Cindy had what most kids don’t and that’s a family who stayed connected with her. Her mom drove across town several times a week to be with her. Her brother and stepfather lent their emotional support and by this time, she had finally gathered enough common sense to accept that support. Mr. Lowen, her teacher in the hall, recognized the levels that Cynthia was capable of reaching and invested time and energy to ensure that she had the math and trigonometry books that her young mind craved. Cynthia was allowed to tutor other kids and share her keen knowledge and analytical thinking with them. While Mr. Lowen mentored Cynthia, she mentored others; her way to pay it forward. On her 18th birthday, Toepfert received the greatest gift of all…her release back to her family and freedom. Though only 18, a different Toepfert emerged. This Cynthia Toepfert had focus and a new direction.

Since that time, Cynthia Toepfert has continued to move forward at lightning speed. She graduated from high school and earned her AA degree in the Honors program, with the highest honors field of study. She transferred to CSUFresno and received her Bachelors Degree in Social Work. She has since completed an internship with child welfare, earned her Masters in Social Work from Boise State and now works for the San Mateo Behavioral Health Department.

As painful as her past experience and behaviors have been, it’s those very actions that provide the impetus for her to be so effective in her outreach to others. Though it’s been ten years since her arrest, she realizes the importance of making good choices, finding people who will support you in those choices, and valuing yourself, knowing somewhere within the depths of your heart that you’re worth far more than you know.

In just a few short months, Toepfert will turn the pages to another chapter of her life. She and her husband will become parents of a baby boy.

Cynthia Toepfert has been found.

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Dan Casas he Sugar Shack, not so affectionately dubbed, was where Dan Casas spent a lot of father-son time with his dad, but there was nothing sweet about it. The Sugar Shack was a backyard living quarters behind the family house, in the heart of southwest Fresno.

That’s where Casas’ father would take him for his regular beatings across his legs, back and arms with his father’s industrial belt.

It didn’t matter if young Dan had done anything wrong, if his siblings had pulled some shenanigans he wasn’t involved in, or if the dad had a bad day at work at the railroad yard, the result was always the same.

Casas, the oldest of the three children, bore the brunt of his dad’s mood swings and steel toe boot, in and on the way to the Sugar Shack.

Growing up, the only re-enforcement Casas received from his dad was that he was stupid, lazy, good for nothing, and would wind up in jail some day. He was just another kid, destined to be in trouble. His mother was too busy roaming from place to place to place to give any thought to her kids. The raising of the kids was left to the elderly grandparents and to each other.

Fighting soldiers from the sky

Men who fight by night and day

Fearless men who jump and die

Courage peak from the Green Berets

Men who mean just what they say

Silver wings upon their chest These are men, America’s

The brave men of the Green Beret

best One hundred men will test today But only three

Silver wings upon their chest

win the Green Beret

These are men, America’s best

Back at home a young wife waits Her Green Beret has

One hundred men will test today

met his fate He has died for those oppressed

But only three win the Green Beret

Leaving her his last request

Trained to live off nature’s land

Put silver wings on my son’s chest Make him one of

Trained in combat, hand-to-hand

America’s best He’ll be a man they’ll test one day Have him win the Green Beret.

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Grateful, Intelligent, Determined Casas spent his childhood in the heart of southwest Fresno, in the area known as Bigby Villa, where life was and still is, a struggle. Casas’ closest friends were those in the hood; the only ones who offered him care and shelter. Despite their best intentions, Casas was expelled from school after school, and naturally gravitated to the wrong crowd.

The Wrong Crowd

It was the older boys in the neighborhood who talked Casas into joining them one day when they were out and up to no good. That ‘no good’ outing translated into charges of armed robbery, kidnapping and car theft. Caught up in the excitement, Casas did his part and landed in the old Fresno County Hall of Shame. In his cell, the only words he heard echoed in his head were from his dad, “You’ve never been any good, you’re lazy, stupid and now you’re in jail.” Not exactly a model for a teenager’s selfesteem.

Make or Break Time The older kids were veterans of the California Youth Authority and were charged and sent back to CYA. Because of his age and lack of criminal history, Dan was charged with lesser counts and given the opportunity for probation. In spite of his dad’s constant discouragement, Casas was smart enough to realize this was a make or break opportunity in his life. He took the probation, left his house, stayed on the floor of a friend’s home and made it back to high school, determined to graduate. As soon as he could, he enlisted in the U. S. Army where his determination and desire to prove himself led him to be selected by the military for a shot at the Green Beret School, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He finished first in his class, proving for a time that his dad’s words were empty.

Serving our Country Dan went on to serve our country in several regions, and ultimately finished his term with the Green Berets as an Underwater Operation Instructor, with Operational Detachment “ODA-15” with the 7th Special Group out of Panama, Central America.

Although Dan found a home with the Green Berets, his dad’s prediction that he would never amount to anything continued to echo in his head. Casas decided to leave the service to finally prove to himself and to all those who did not believe in him, that he could and would amount to something other than a fighter.

Mission Accomplished Upon completion of his service, Dan Casas came back to Fresno where he was hired by the Fresno Police Department. Still full of grit and fire, he worked fulltime as an officer while he earned his undergraduate degree at Fresno State and then went on to apply to law school.

His scores were so high, he had to choose between several top schools but ultimately decided on UCLA. He passed the bar exam on his first attempt and has been successfully practicing law for thirty years.

Casas will never forget those days or the sense that he could’ve become what his father predicted.

Story Sponsored By:

Dan Martin

He is grateful for the opportunity that he was given and to those few individuals who knew he could accomplish whatever he set his mind to as long as he believed in himself and never gave up, despite the obstacles in his path. focus forward publication ‘u-turns allowed’

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See Jane Play See Jane Smile See Jane Cry See Jane Run Run Jane Run

nd run she did, as fast as she could from that event when she was twelve. The event when her childhood was taken from her; a childhood that had now become as distant as a fading landscape. Childhood now belonged to the time before the rape, when she played and laughed and smiled. After the rape was the here-and-now and so she ran.

See Janie run.

She ran down the path of least resistance, which led her to gangs and drugs. They got a strangle hold on her and squeezed tight. Crystal meth had become her solace; taking her to a place where she could stop her mind from running. Yet, in reality, she ran for days at a time, leaving her parents worried and at home.

She would go, returning home only occasionally for a shower, a quick change of clothes or to sleep for days on end. Her parents couldn’t tell her anything anymore – she came and went as she pleased.

Her mom called the cops time and again to report her as a runaway. She’d get picked up, taken home and in a minute, she’d be gone again.

Janie Her 12

You see, Janie wasn’t a bad kid, she was just lost, confused, victimized and had now learned how to maneuver others for her meth-induced marathons. It’s startling what you can do when you need that high.

play, smile, cry, run, manipulate, steal, hit bottom, relapse, turn around, help others, triumph See Janie manipulate.

Janie knew she wasn’t going to change but she repeatedly begged her dad, in earnest, for forgiveness. Chance after chance came and went, and each time her addiction got the best of her. Dad stubbornly refused to give up on her, but it became harder and harder.

See Janie steal.

In December 2000, she stole her dad’s car and was gone for two weeks. She was staying at the crack house but had to earn her keep so she stole to get drugs for herself and her friends. She got caught and once again, dad picked her up and took her home. Mom cried, but by this time, she had given up on Janie. “Useless…it’s useless,” her mom would say as she cried. Janie cried too, especially when her dad tried to talk to her, but the drugs continued to pull her down. She just couldn’t do it.

See Janie hit bottom.

The next year, she stole her dad’s car again. She told herself she’d bring it back in time for her dad to take her siblings to school. The darkness turned to dawn and she and her boyfriend were cruising down Belmont with the windows down, brisk air streaming through the car, high as kites, her eyes closed. When they opened, it was to see the face of the arresting officer. Underage, stolen car, runaway. Dad had enough; he pressed charges.

Welcome to Juvenile Hall Janie.

The Substance Abuse Unit had a new inmate. The counselors knew she had a problem. They believed in her. Janie finally started to believe in herself. She worked hard and completed the program—she wanted to succeed.

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See Janie relapse.

She got out. She was doing well, going to aftercare and groups, seeing her counselors. Why did she gravitate toward her old friends? She justified it by saying she could hang around them and not use drugs, but she was wrong. She started using again.

See Janie turn around!

Back to court, her counselors pushed her hard. The judge gave her another chance. She felt ashamed because others were new to the program and she was back again. She wanted out.

Halfway through the after care program, just like the last time, she started skipping school, but she wasn’t using. She walked a tightrope, as she tried to balance herself. She knew below her was the crystal meth pit that tried to reach up and grab her ankles. It was at that moment that she met her future husband. She liked him….a lot.

See Janie Run…to help others!

He didn’t like people who used drugs; he and his friends looked down on drug users. She was embarrassed about her past. It helped her stay clean and sober. She told him everything and he supported her! They married and just shy of her 18th birthday, she went to court with the support of her husband and counselors and the judge released her.

She became pregnant with their first daughter. She stopped smoking. She went back to school. She graduated. Clean and sober for over eight years, Janie and her husband are now the parents of four beautiful daughters, and, thanks to her counselor Susan Murdock, who always believed in her, Janie is on her way to becoming a counselor for those in need. Janie’s mom is her biggest fan.

See Janie triumph! focus forward publication ‘u-turns allowed’

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Steve Geil Successful, confident, innovative

Steve Geil… a Fresno CEO super-star.

Yet, in the summer of ’65, a very different description of Steve would have been written. A “good-kid” at heart, even good kids take the wrong path.

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A “good-kid” at heart, even good kids take the wrong path.

Childhood

As a child, Geil’s dad had come and gone and gone again, fancying himself to be more of a wannabe Frank Sinatra than a dad. As he tried to further his career as a traveling piano player, it was clear his music came first and his wife and kids a distant priority and then just simply an annoyance. On the last occasion when the dad was home, his exit wasn’t simply stage right, it was violent and damaging. Geil’s mom knew then she had to load up the kids and get out.

Geil’s Luck

As he grew into a young teen, Geil had several brushes with the law for shoplifting and vandalism. His grandmother told him, “Boredom is the devil’s playground.” On a steaming hot summer night in Merced, 15-year old Geil and his buddies proved his grandma’s words to be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Hanging out with ‘nothing to do’, they made their own fun and took a few cars out for a joyride. But, Geil’s luck wasn’t with him that night; one of the 15 cars he and his buddies took belonged to his probation officer. That last joy ride wasn’t so joyful and Geil’s life took a drastic turn. Instead of being scolded and taken home, Geil was cuffed and taken to jail. Sharing a holding cell with real-life ‘bad guys’, their jailhouse neighbors were sloppy prisoners locked in the overcrowded drunk tank. Young Geil was fingerprinted, photographed and locked in a cell where the last thing he heard was the sound of the door slamming shut and the jingling of the keys carried by the officer as he walked farther and farther down the hallway; carrying away Steve’s freedom.

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Rush of Emotion

Scared, embarrassed and ashamed, young Geil experienced a rush of emotions new to him. When his mom came to pick him up, her face registered all the disappointment and anguish she was feeling. Now a single mom working several jobs to make ends meet for Steve and his three siblings, his behavior was an additional kick in the gut. Feeling humiliated, Geil went home and thought about what he’d done but he didn’t have much time for reflection. His first court appearance came quickly where he was faced with looking his former scoutmaster, who was the sitting judge, squarely in the eye. Another person whose opinion mattered and another disappointment from Geil. He was sentenced by a man whom he had looked up to and from whom he now was receiving his sentence. The first step of the sentence was to take a tour of the jail. The town “bully” who was serving time, had taken an immediate dislike to Steve the night of his arrest and he remembered Steve right away. During the tour, this prisoner was mopping the floor, pausing just long enough to threaten to make Steve’s house his first stop when he got out so he could kill him. Steve knew then enough was enough and he made the decision to never cross the line again.

True to his word, even though at times tempted to fall backward, Geil reversed course and moved forward. He completed his probation and made a vow to help others who were on the wrong road; to provide them with strength and opportunities he didn’t have.

U-Turns Happen

Steve Geil, now 63, is grateful he was able to use the experiences he had to give him the fortitude to make a U Turn. He believes in his family and his community and hopes that by telling his story, someone may be given a second chance.

Emphasized Geil, “If I could just influence one person in a positive way,

I could make an impact and leave our world just a little bit better.”

focus forward publication ‘u-turns allowed’

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Tony Hoffman “Keep pedaling…Keep pedaling…

Faster, faster, faster…You’re doin’ it!”

elping kids navigate on and off the course through the Freewheel Project is Hoffman’s commitment to himself and his God, made while he was sitting in his cell at the Tehachapi prison.

Take a step back in time. Do you remember when you first learned to ride a bike? The training wheels offered security from falling; they made it safe for you to learn. Soon it was time to take them off, leaving you vulnerable to all sorts of risks.

You have to keep your balance or you’ll fall.

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At 10, it was already clear that Tony Hoffman was a gifted athlete. Baseball, basketball, rollerblading, biking, Hoffman had a natural talent. Academically advanced as well, he tossed that aside for athletics, the only outlet in his life that took him to a “happy place”.

It was the following year that Hoffman lost his balance and fell.

Needing to fit in, as all kids do, he fell straight into the wrong crowd. He met a girl in the seventh grade he wanted to impress. She asked for weed and he obliged. He bought it. He was caught, expelled, and put on probation. With that expulsion came his ousting from sports. He was only 11 years old.

It was Hoffman’s brother, a BMX racer, who helped him regain his balance. He picked himself up, got back in school and became consumed with BMX racing. His focus and drive kept him on track for the next several years.

Happy ending? No. All through high school, he raced BMX and by his junior year, he had reached the nationals, complete with corporate sponsors. At 18, he was tops for the 19-27 category; way ahead of his time. He was coasting to success, on the bike and in school; learning everything he could about his other passion--computers. An exceptionally quick learner, he was on track to fulfill his dream to become a computer network administrator. He easily exceeded even the highest test scores.

Cocky and confident, he was enticed by a successful business owner who was everything Tony aspired to be. This man saw the potential in Tony and took full advantage. His mentor was named Entrepreneur of the Year and surrounded himself with powerful people, lavish wealth, fast cars, the works.

He had it all. He offered Tony a job, his own company, a chance of a lifetime to fulfill his career dreams. Sometimes when things appear to be too good to be true---they are.

Soon this Entrepreneur was discovered for the scam artist he was; stealing all of Tony’s hopes and dreams as well. This was Tony’s big opportunity but when it was time to hit a home run, he struck out. Strike One: his mentor turned out to be a fake and a criminal. Strike Two: his best friend died in an accident. Strike Three: his girlfriend broke his heart.

The next few years, Hoffman continued to disintegrate. His family tried to help, but he just couldn’t keep his balance.

Tony Hoffman lost his balance.

He enrolled in school but experimented with drugs; and quickly fell in love. His new love took away the feelings of failure, made him feel good in an instant, his new love’s name was Oxycontin. The need for the drug led Hoffman to sell other drugs to get money to feed his drug habit. He didn’t just sell, he used. Tony Hoffman was no longer a confident athletic winner, he was now a junkie. There were no limits in his efforts to get drugs. His life was in a downward freefall. He was a desperate addict, doing desperate crimes.

He believed he was destined to die soon.

Life had no training wheels.

A series of events then began to unfold that would eventually point Hoffman in the right direction; although it didn’t seem so at the time. In the blink of an eye, he was pulled over by the police three times in four days but released each time. Though still using drugs, he was invited to church, ironically by a drug dealer. The dealer’s wife insisted that Tony answer an altar call, where the pastor laid his hands on him and assured him that God would relieve him from his addiction.

24 hours later, he was arrested – 30 days later he was on the bus to Wasco. God works in mysterious ways.

It was during his prison stay, he realized he had spent his life going against a grain that the universe, that God had created. He knew he had to turn around and go the other way and he did.

99% of his prison time was spent working out and training, studying and reading the Bible. He knew he was destined to return to racing BMX – to be on the bike and showcase his abilities for youth.

Indeed, when the doors opened on the day of his release, he felt the air on his face and knew he would stay on the straight path. He got back on the bike and never looked back.

Now, the BMX pro is leading the life he believes God has designed for him. He remains dedicated to ensuring that other kids keep their balance and is using his Freewheel Project to help kids stay on the straight, smooth path, even when the training wheels come off.

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Carissa Phelps Poised, Intelligent, Charismatic When you first meet attorney Carissa Phelps, the “Wow Factor” is obvious. Poised, intelligent and charismatic, she is passionate about her work as a mentor and advocate for homeless and transitional age youth.

Yet, this self-assured professional transcended a bleak and unsettling darkness.

Carissa Phelps was 12 years old when the chaos, abuse, and neglect in her home of 11 children became too much for her. She started to break out in hives daily and began acting-out until her mother finally took her in to see her brother’s probation officer.

The solution: informal probation. Instead of receiving support and treatment, Carissa became a 601 offender, a delinquent. The labels continued as she found other ways to escape, including alcohol, drugs, and trying to navigate a world that shifted between shunning her, punishing her or exploiting her.

When her mother abandoned her in the lobby of Fresno County Juvenile Hall, Carissa was on her own. The streets of Fresno became her home.

Recently named as a member of the prestigious 100 Inspirational Alumni from the UCLA Anderson School of Management, Carissa is a founding member of the Central Valley Freedom Coalition, a former spokesperson for Virgin Mobile’s RE*Generation Campaign, and a world renowned public spokesperson for the rights of children. She is currently working with a group of survivor friends and supporters to create the National Alliance to Improve Outcomes for CSEC (Commercially Sexually Exploited Children). Carissa’s hope is that the NAIOC will push the movement forward and offer opportunities for adult CSEC survivors to contribute to the efforts being made worldwide to rescue sexually exploited children – literally giving former victims a seat at the table.

Carissa currently lectures across the country at universities, and remains at the forefront of advocating and supporting survivors of human trafficking. She resides on the Central Coast in California where she completed writing her first book, RUNAWAY GIRL: Escaping Life on the Streets, One Helping Hand at a Time, to be published by Viking Press in summer 2012.

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Within a short time, Carissa was forced by a pimp-trafficker to go on dates with him. She had nowhere to go, no one to turn to, and no one with whom she could share this horrible secret. The pimp-trafficker took her to drug houses and allowed the drug dealers to rape her at gunpoint in exchange for drugs that he would force her to try. By the time she was rescued there were only two paths she could imagine for herself: an early death or a life in prison.

Hopeless, she became an easy target for pedophiles and other violent sexual predators.

More and more people turned away, leaving her with fewer choices. She ended up getting involved in other crimes.

At 13, she rode with a friend who stole a car. Though she had been through brief stints in the hall and multiple group homes, this time she was sentenced to serve six months and placed as one of four girls in CK Wakefield School for Boys – an experiment that only happened once in all of the hall’s history.

The school, unlike the general population units in juvenile hall, had programs that included group therapy.

Closed up and wary in the hall, Carissa held herself close until she met one counselor who asked her the ultimate question: “How did you get here?”

She answered. She told how she had unknowingly fallen into the same trap as so many young girls. Having left her abusive home, she had naively traded one abuse for another; to be comforted by men who had befriended her, forced her to have sex, do drugs, and violently raped her.

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As she spoke, she realized someone was actually listening.

That someone was Ron Jenkins, a former Fresno State stand out wide receiver turned counselor at CK Wakefield. Ron himself had overcome his share of adversity and challenges. He credits football and a father figure mentor as his combined ticket out of a rough life in South Central Los Angeles in the mid-1980s. Ron related to Carissa and immediately recognized her intelligence and gift for academics. He told her that education would be the key to changing her life and she listened still. He told her she had potential and she chose to believe him.

Though Carissa was still confined to the hall, Ron challenged her with more responsibility and more reward.

He asked her to keep a journal, and he read it daily. He spoke to her teachers, and discovered she was doing well in math. He arranged with her teacher Mrs. Roganne Wegerman, “Mrs. W,” to provide her an opportunity to learn algebra. With the increasingly difficult math problems Carissa found something to focus on besides her past. It was the first time that she felt adults really cared about her. They trusted her and she trusted them back. Ron and Mrs. W encouraged her to go back to school.

Carissa left the hall, still a challenged little girl, who had not yet turned 14, but she took these positive experiences with her. She went on to continuation high school where she became a student body leader and took extra classes to graduate early. From there she earned a bachelor’s degree summa cum laude in mathematics from Fresno State, Ron’s alma mater. After teaching high school math in Hanford, Carissa went on to pursue her dream of becoming an attorney and youth advocate.

In 2007, she simultaneously earned an MBA from UCLA Anderson and a juris doctorate from the UCLA School of Law. In 2008 an MBA classmate, David Sauvage, told her amazing ‘juvy-to-justice’ story in an award winning 23-minute documentary entitled, “Carissa.” The film continues to inspire troubled youth and their advocates to look for the potential in themselves and others. Carissa’s passion, both in the film, and in life, brings hope to survivors of all sorts. The Carissa Project began as a platform to share one inspiring story and has grown into a movement toward embracing an often invisible group in society — runaway, homeless and exploited youth.

focus forward publication ‘u-turns allowed’

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Darryl Du’Chene started out as a straight-A kid.

His teachers believed he would go far. Du’Chene did go far, but far down the path to destruction.

Growing up in west Fresno in his single parent home was rough. Somewhere within, Darryl felt like he just didn’t fit in. It’s that very feeling of aimlessness that causes kids to do things they shouldn’t. The other neighborhood kids were in similar situations so it was only natural that the group would hang out and cause trouble together. One for all and all for one in this neighborhood may have been their rallying cry, but they weren’t exactly the Three Musketeers.

Boredom and an innocent dare from his two buddies to take some ice cream from a neighborhood store was all it took for Darryl to start stealing. He got caught, but for Darryl, something clicked. Was it the attention? The thrill? The dare? It was a dangerous feeling for an aimless young man.

Soon the Three Musketeers took their challenges to a new level; to see who could steal the most, the fastest and without getting caught. Once the trio mastered that, they took it from their neighborhood to the streets. First stop was the corner store but the next stop was the then-thriving Fulton Mall.

Darryl Du’Chene “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 20

Taking Greater Risks

Word got around and Darryl became sort of ‘infamous’ for his newfound skills. Darryl’s cousins, members of the just formed “Crips” gang, looked at him in a new way and though he wasn’t one of them, they became very protective of him. After school, they’d go through cars in Chinatown and steal bits and pieces on their way home.

As expected, soon that wasn’t enough. Each time, the risks got greater. One day while hanging out with one of his cousins, they ended up on the Fulton Mall and decided to go down to the underground parking and look for cars that were open. They found a few and raided them for money. Their next stop was a jewelry store where they were going to try and steal some jewelry but instead ended up snatching the owner’s mother’s purse; a decision that landed them in Juvenile Hall. Yet, instead of being a deterrent, Darryl’s stay in the hall actually empowered him. He was gaining steam and had found something he was good at…stealing!

As Darryl grew into a teen, his skills grew as well. Likening himself to a sort of Robin Hood, he routinely stole food for his family, but that wasn’t all. Sometimes they would break into buildings just to take whatever was around.

Self Destruction

Though proud of what he could do, that nagging feeling that this wasn’t right stayed with him. Soon the high he got from stealing wasn’t high enough for him. His group was going in different directions and when the others went on to plan an armed robbery, he decided he wanted out. But instead of making a u turn, he went yet another direction. His next step on the road to destruction was drugs. He bought and sold and used.

The Transition Begins

This was a whole different world. By this time, he’d graduated from juvenile hall to more serious time for other offenses. Somewhere inside his soul, he was feeling like he still wanted out, but how? Adrift with his old friends, surrounded by cocaine on his kitchen table, a new friend saw the potential in Du’Chene. Initially annoyed by his relentless new friend, it was on Christmas day in the late 80s, when Du’Chene, with no rational explanation or reason, could actually hear, with clarity, the words of his newfound friend who had made the transition from a life of crime to a life of God.

His Turning Point

Du’Chene describes that day so long ago where he believes he was saved, as a real life epiphany, “It was like the drugs were just coming out of my chest. The rap music was on but I had heard enough. The rain was pouring but it suddenly got bright.”

He could hear the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in his mind…words that have followed him from that day in the 80s to today…”Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” And so he took that first step to his life altering transformation.

Since that time, three decades have passed. Du’Chene has encountered speed bumps, but has steamrolled right over them.

U-Turn Complete

Darryl Du’Chene has completed his education and become an accomplished instructor. He has conducted over 1,000 workshops with adults and high school students and has taught Job Preparation classes that include Resume Writing, Dressing for Success, Interviewing Techniques, Networking Strategies, the Application Process and How to Find and Keep a Job. He has traveled extensively as an instructor/facilitator for the IRS. From the streets of west Fresno and the inside of his cell to receiving an award on behalf of the IRS from former Vice President Al Gore, Du’Chene believes he has much more to give. He has never strayed from the commitment he made to himself and later to his family during those dark days.

His latest venture is especially meaningful; he will reenter Fresno County Juvenile Hall, this time as a teacher!

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Helping People. Changing Lives.

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Our vision for our agency...

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Leslie Davis

The Voice of Justice For years, the velvety voice of radio celebrity Leslie Davis carried the soothing sounds of smooth jazz to dedicated listeners. Yet locked behind those soulful sounds was the powerful story of a woman who had conquered tremendous odds.

Rebellious and forthright from birth, those traits would carry this baby girl on the rough road that lay ahead.

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The second oldest of five girls, Davis’ life took an unexpected plunge down an Alice in Wonderland rabbit hole at an early age. Her world was suddenly topsy-turvy and all signs of normalcy, balance and security vanished. Up was down, left was right and there was no grinning Cheshire cat to show her the way out.

Up was down, left was right and there was no grinning Cheshire cat to show her the way out.

Left Behind

The journey down the hole began when, after delivering five babies in just over seven years, Leslie’s mom was diagnosed with terminal cancer at 34. Dad, renowned as the “Law Man” pinned his badge on his chest, packed his bags and headed to parts unknown, leaving behind his dying wife and five young daughters for reasons no one will ever really know or understand.

Mom died and the girls were sent to a foster home.

The rabbit hole got dark and twisty.

Initially housed together, but soon thereafter, the foster mother started coloring the girls’ hair bright red and they were taken away and split up. Savvy and an emerging ringleader even at age seven, Leslie fought to keep her sisters together. But, to no avail.

Leslie’s only real comfort became her music. No mom, no dad and sisters scattered, music took her to places where the world was better. Foster homes and caseworkers revolved as fast as Leslie could run. Always running, always searching, always fighting for justice for her family.

On the increasingly rare occasions when she saw her sisters; her message to them was steadfastly the same: their dad was coming back and they would be together. But, the months turned to years and though Leslie remained tenacious in her efforts, that reunion never happened.

Devising a Plan

More than once, she was picked up for runaway and sent to juvenile hall, but quickly released. Bright, tenacious, rebellious, she swam upstream every day. Her teenage life was a dichotomy of efforts and events. Other teens had family, security, comfort and love; Leslie had her music and her unquenchable thirst for answers.

Through high school, she followed the drumbeat of perseverance to find her dad. She would simply never believe he had left them. She devised a plan. She would make some fast money, collect her sisters, and locate their dad. But, while fairytales always have happy endings, this plan was no fairytale; in fact, it had a serious flaw. It’s illegal to sell marijuana, no matter how fast the money.

Booked

In her senior year, she was greeted at school by narcotics officers, handcuffed, arrested and charged with narcotics sales; a felony. Mistakenly overconfident of another quick release, she was instead booked with other felons. Alone and convinced she was going to die inside the hall, she used her one phone call to find her oldest sister who was living with an aunt. For once, fate intervened on Leslie’s behalf. The aunt stepped forward, talked frankly with the judge and rather than being sent to CYA until she was 25, Davis served time, was put on a lengthy probation and released to a lifesaving cousin, Marilyn Hamilton. Hamilton mentored Davis and for the first time ever, she had someone in her corner. With Marilyn believing in her, she picked herself up and moved forward, emerging from the depths of the rabbit hole.

Though continuing her search for her dad, her life now had a sense of rhythm. Still her comfort, music had become an outlet for her talents. She was on her way to a career of which she never could’ve predicted the magnitude. It was in the midst of this rise that her endless searching finally paid off. In a dramatic Los Angeles confrontation, surrounded by her sisters, she found The Lawman, her dad, John Justice.

As fate sometimes does, it has a twisted way of turning the tide. John Justice was dying and it was Leslie who opened her heart and her home to him in his final days.

True Voice

Since that time, the true voice of Leslie Justice, her given birth name, has emerged, carrying her over the airwaves and into renown production accomplishments. Her career has now spanned being the award winning voice of KEZL Smooth Jazz and her unequivocal production skills combined with that forthright determination led to the creation of the Coombs Riverbend Ranch Jazz Festival and later the Chinatown Jazz Festival. Thanks to Leslie Davis, hundreds of thousands have enjoyed the rhythmic entertainment that only George Benson, Al Jarreau and a host of other music notables can bring to intimate settings. She continues her career at Valley PBS, entering her ninth year as a successful fundraising executive.

Never gone but now securely packaged, is the self-imposed stigma of always being the ‘red headed foster kid’ and the quest for answers replaced with success, peace and musical passion.

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Anthony Rispoli Good Morning Fresno, it’s a beautiful day in Central California!

The sun is shining, the air is clear, all appearances show that it’s a normal day but for Anthony Rispoli, it’s sentencing day.

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“Anthony Frank Rispoli, please step forward…”

Words no 14 year old should have to hear uttered sternly from the bench. This certainly wasn’t how life was supposed to be. Having lived all of his young life in Porterville with his parents and four sisters, Anthony Rispoli’s life took a drastic turn with the untimely death of his mother. Shortly afterward, his dad couldn’t cut it; he gave up custody of all the kids.

Anthony Frank Rispoli...

Welcome to the system.

Rispoli’s first placement was in a Visalia group home. Though unfortunate, it was predictable that trouble would find young Anthony. Over the course of his adolescence, Anthony Rispoli had many encounters with the law and spent some quality time, not on the right side but on the very wrong side of the law. With an ever-growing list of offenses, including two felonies and one federal charge, combined with nearly half a dozen stays at juvenile hall, another probation violation was all it took for the courts to step in and decide they knew best.

Rispoli was remanded to their care. He was moved to foster care, where he was placed in four different homes, all before he graduated from high school.

At age seventeen, Rispoli emancipated.

He graduated from high school but by that point, he had nowhere to call home. He packed his bags and headed out to Oklahoma to find and stay with his sister, picking up work where and when he could find it. Drifting from one low paying job to another, Rispoli knew this wasn’t the path he wanted to follow. He was unsettled and restless, yearning for something, but not really sure what that something was.

Head west young man.

Anthony decided to try and further his education by going to college. As is frequently the case, the ‘devil was in the details’.

With no real means of support and still nowhere for him to call home, he headed back to California. A former foster family offered Anthony a place to stay. Grateful to have a home foundation in place, he settled in and enrolled in community college where he attended for two years. Tenacious and determined to stay on the right track, he did everything he could to survive. He worked at a local casino from midnight to 8:00 a.m. and attended school during the day. Sleep became a thing of the past, yet he pressed onward, finished at community college and enrolled at CSU Fresno through the Renaissance Scholars Program.

After his first semester at Fresno State, he altered his course of studies from psychology to social work. Overtime work became his way to exist and he was hired at two different group homes as a child care worker, picked up the 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. shifts and balanced his homework and coursework.

Add to that his side jobs doing yard work, washing cars, driving limos and moving furniture and he was able to exist.

It was in the midst of this time that Rispoli had the opportunity to participate as a panelist at an “Independent Living Program - Access to Higher Education” presentation held at CSUF. He spoke to over four hundred foster youth about his experiences and it was during this presentation he felt he had come full circle. Here he was, urging others who had been in situations similar to his, some much much worse, to keep going, just as he was! It was the first time he was really able to exhale. He shared with those students his philosophy that had led to his survival, “Failure is better than never trying, my abilities are not beyond the capacity of other foster youth being successful in college and ultimately in life.”

“Anthony Frank Rispoli, please step forward…”

In 2010, those same words were spoken once again, but this time they came from the Dean of the School of Social Work when he presented Rispoli with his Bachelors of Arts Degree in Social Work.

Rispoli has interned with the Madera County Department of Social Services as a CPS worker and studied Social Work in Hong Kong. He is currently pursuing his master’s degree in social work and interning with the Transition’s Foster Family Agency while being employed as a Cultural Broker with Fresno County. He volunteers with Focus Forward, serving on the governing board and is an advisor for California Partners for Permanency (CAPP).

Anthony Rispoli is 24 years old.

focus forward publication ‘u-turns allowed’

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Adriana Guillen People might not get this, but, "needing" was my crime.

Adriana Guillen, from a poem written inside her cell at the Fresno County Juvenile Hall of Shame

ealous of the new love in her mom’s life, she rebelled. Though her future stepfather was a good guy, she chose to express herself through behavior---bad behavior.

She didn’t understand why she was acting the way she was, no one did. She went from bad to worse, never knowing it could be the result of sexual abuse by her next-door neighbor…how could she? She didn’t even understand what had happened to her.

What goes up, must come down –spinning wheel got to go round.

Isolated by choice, defiant to all, rejecting comfort or help, she didn’t care about consequences.

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Ride a painted pony, let the spinning wheel spin….

Adriana Guillen was 9 years old.

She was ten when she first ran away from home. After the first few runs, CPS got involved and she bounced from foster home to foster home. She was 12 when she stole her first car. That one landed her in juvenile hall. Using drugs at 12, she was caught in the spokes of a wheel of trouble that was spinning faster and faster. Drugs, trouble, the hall, substance abuse programs, releases, runaways--spinning so fast her life blurred.

You got no money, and you, you got no home.

Spinning wheel, spinning all alone.

She made her break – to LA where she lived on the Hollywood streets. Quickly in trouble there,

she was shipped back to Fresno where the judge was fed up with her. He sentenced her to the California Youth Authority (CYA) for three years. After a year, she paroled out and went to live with an aunt. The spinning slowed, she did alright for awhile then she met a boy, a bad boy, and got pregnant. At six weeks pregnant, she was in trouble with the baby’s daddy, arrested in LA, and sent back to CYA. She heard the door slam shut behind her.

She delivered her baby inside the walls of the California Youth Authority.

Adriana Guillen was 15 years old.

Adriana Guillen was 17 years old.

Talk about your troubles and you, you never learn. Ride a painted pony let the spinning wheel turn.

Did you find a directing sign on the straight and narrow highway? Would you mind a reflecting sign?

Her mom cared for the baby while Adriana served out her sentence. Battling post partum depression and fighting the unfamiliar emotions that come with being a mom, she attempted to bond with her baby, but it just didn’t work. She tried hard to be good, and she was…for awhile. She got a job at a restaurant but quickly slid back to her old ways.

Drugs were her first priority and her daughter a distant second. Drawn like the proverbial moth to the flame, she went back to an old boyfriend and right back to her old lifestyle; she “caught” a burglary case.

And so she did well…for two years. Adriana had a job, she was going to college, she was being responsible, she fell in love but he shattered her heart. She was depressed, complacent and stopped doing everything that was keeping her on the right track. The wheel started to turn again.

Adriana had hit the big time; the wheel began to spin out of control. The prosecutor wanted to give her five years in CYA because of her prior convictions, her baby was crying, she was sinking fast. It was too much. She came face to face with somber reality for the first time in her young life. If she was convicted now, there was no turning back.

She sought out Chaplain Charlene at the Hall for guidance. She was lucky enough to have a public defender who persuaded the judge to give her a second chance at the substance abuse program. The prosecutor later told her that in his 13 years, he’d never seen an ex CYA parolee get a second chance for that program. Could it be she was finally going to take the right road?

Adriana Guillen was 20 when she lost it all.

She rode to Mexico with friends who were crossing drugs over the border. She was sent to federal prison. When she got out, she entered another program to finally get it together…and this time it worked!

Someone is waiting just for you, spinning wheel is spinning true.

In 2010, she went clean and she’s been clean ever since. She met a man who is now her fiancée. They are their own best support system. She knows now she’s never really cured, she’s always at risk and she know the signs.

She has made peace with her mom and her stepfather and is grateful to them for their patience and support.

Adriana Guillen’s daughter is seven years old and has recently become a big sister to a new baby brother. As the wheel turns again, it is in balance with the cycle of life—to be lived, treasured, appreciated and enjoyed.

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Drop all your troubles by the river side, ride a painted pony let the spinning wheel fly. focus forward publication ‘u-turns allowed’

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Helping Each Other Grow and Thrive Fresno County Federal Credit Union was created in 1941, but it wasn’t until years later that it had an office location to call home. In the meantime, it existed in the briefcase of Fred E. Main, one of the Credit Union’s first members.

Together, Main and his fellow founding members formed the institution with a simple but powerful idea: that by pooling their funds together, members and their families would be able to help each other grow and thrive. From these humble beginnings, Fresno County Federal Credit Union has become one of the area’s leading credit unions with six full-service branches and more than $425 million in assets.

One thing that hasn’t changed is that simple idea that started it all.To see it in action, just look at the institution’s Board of Directors – seven ordinary Credit Union members who volunteer their services in helping to steer its progress. They work as a team to represent the interests of the membership, making the Credit Union’s assets more useful and helpful, not just more profitable.

The results of their efforts are all around us. It’s in 75 years’ worth of local families realizing dreams of home ownership. In thousands of our neighbors benefiting from big-bank services without all those big-bank strings attached. In generations of Central Valley residents, in good times and bad, who have achieved financial stability, reached their goals, and flourished (thanks to a little help from their friends).

Of course, we don’t serve clients here, or even customers; we serve members.

Members are owners of Fresno County Federal Credit Union, adding strength to a cooperative effort that benefits us all. Want to help increase profits for a group of stockholders? Try a traditional banking institution. But if you’re interested in lower loan rates, higher savings rates and no fees for the financial services you need, you’ve come to the right place.

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I’m better off with Fresno County Federal Credit Union.

I get free mobile banking, low loan rates, and there are ATMs everywhere I go.

The credit union is always on my side.

That really matters to me.

Get started at FresnoCU.com (559) 252-5000

Jessica, member

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Vibrant Communities.

Quality Housing.

Engaged Residents.

The Fresno Housing Authority is committed to providing local residents with quality, affordable housing and the opportunity to live in diverse, vibrant neighborhoods.

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Louis is working hard to achieve his goals and to

provide better opportunities for his family.

Louis moved to Fresno with his family in the early 90’s at the age of nine. As he grew older, he became aware of his parents’ increasing drug abuse. During high school, he moved frequently, living with friends and relatives. Louis became involved in drugs himself and lost custody of his three daughters.

But, Louis was motivated to get his children back. After successfully completing treatment for drug addiction, he turned to the Fresno Housing Authority for assistance in securing an apartment where he continued to focus on stabilizing his life. In a short time he was reunited with his children and began participating in the Housing Authority’s Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) program, which helped Louis plan for a better future by establishing a series of educational and financial goals.

Though he had dropped out as a teenager, Louis decided to return to school. He soon earned his GED and completed training to become an Emergency Medical Technician. Louis then began pursuing a career as a substance abuse counselor and received help from FSS to obtain scholarships and grants to enter college.

Today, Louis is continuing his studies, cares for his daughters, and has obtained a full-time position counseling adolescents. He’s working hard to achieve his goals and to provide better opportunities for his family. The Fresno Housing Authority is pleased to have helped Louis along the way.

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The Fresno Regional Workforce Investment Board’s (FRWIB) goal is to add to the economic vitality of Fresno County. To accomplish that end, we diligently work to create an environment through the following programs we offer to the community where a qualified workforce is in supply even before there is a demand.

One-Stop Resource Through the FRWIB’s progressive One-Stop Centers, employment and training services are provided to a diverse spectrum of job seekers through a unique combination of five (5) Workforce Connection One-Stop Centers located in Fresno (2), Coalinga, Firebaugh and Reedley, and a mobile employment center bus provides scheduled services in Parlier and Orange Cove. At our One-Stop locations job seekers have access to free workshops, information on high demand jobs, career exploration, referrals to community resources, and job board listings.

The FRWIB also has a program specifically to address the needs of the youth in our community – the All Youth One System (AYOS). AYOS provides services for two targeted groups of youth: older, ages 19-21 and younger, ages 1418. The focus for the older youth is to prepare them for employment by encouraging continuing education for diplomas, degrees and training certification. The major emphasis for younger youth is to assist them in academic improvements, encouragement to stay in school, and preparation for later employment.

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UTILIZING PEOPLE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR YOUR SECURITY

It’s What We Do! Fire & Burglar Alarm Systems Alarm Monitoring Access Control Systems 24/7 CCTV Mobile Patrol Security Officers Commercial & Industrial Security c i s s e c u r i t y. c o m

559.495.3000

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A Historical Perspective

Steve and Eileen Geil founded Geil Enterprises in 1986, building a company that has become renown for providing superior services and excellent jobs for dedicated and reliable people.

Through successful leadership, the business has grown into one of the largest Fresno-based companies serving Central California and specializing in security and janitorial services.

Counted among the Valley’s leading employers, Geil Enterprises currently employs approximately 500 individuals with meaningful, good-paying jobs. As an employee-owned business, Geil Enterprises continues the tradition of excellence through innovation, superior services and products, quality people, and by maintaining their commitment to setting the standards in the industrial services industry.

The Geil Enterprise business umbrella includes several well-known Valley companies, including Janitorial Inc., Valley Sanitary Supply, CIS Security, and Valley Security and Alarm.

Proudly recognized by the Institute for Family Business as the “Large Family Business of the Year for 2003”, Geil Enterprises was also nominated for the “Family Business of the Year for 2009”.

With the next generation positioned to lead the company into future growth and expansion, look to Geil Enterprises for even greater accomplishments and industry innovations.

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Bettering the lives of children "At First 5 Fresno County, we focus on the first 5 years of life. We fund programs and services that help better the lives of children in Fresno County. Research proves children who reach their full potential come from strong families.

Strong families are supported by vibrant communities. Investing in children equals a better community. At First 5 Fresno County, we are committed to partnering with and supporting parents because we understand that a parent is a child's first teacher. We also know in order to have sustainable, long-term positive impacts on children and families we must leverage resources and create strategic community partnerships. First 5 Fresno County is especially proud of our partnership with Focus Forward through the funding of the Bright Futures Program.

Pregnant and parenting teens are a high priority for First 5 Fresno County and the Bright Futures Program provides critical support to these teens, equipping them with the skills they need to be the best parents they can be."

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Bright Futures First 5 Fresno County began funding the Focus Forward Bright Futures program in January of 2008. This innovative program was designed to strengthen families by providing supportive services to pregnant and parenting teens involved in the juvenile justice system. Fresno County has a high rate of teen pregnancy and the youth in the juvenile justice system are frequently among those teen parents. Bright Futures provides the teens with the tools they need to make better decisions for themselves and the parenting skills they need to provide their children with a positive life.

Bright Futures provided services exclusively to incarcerated youth until 2010 when the services were expanded to include out of custody youth who are referred by the Courts or the Probation Department. The program is based on the wraparound model in which services are tailored to meet the needs of the teens, their family members and their 0 – 5 children. Each youth in the program is provided a mentor to provide support to them as they navigate through the program.

The investment of First 5 Fresno County in the Bright Futures program and the many other fine programs supported by First 5 funds are promoting a healthier community for all of Fresno County.

The services include the following: • A structured program which promotes positive interaction between the teen parent and the child, forging lifelong bonds

• A parenting education program which teaches limit setting and appropriate discipline • Access to job training and education • Developmental assessments and referrals for the children of the teens • Access to housing, clothing and food • On-going supportive case management 37

Steps You

Can Take Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Prescription drugs are abused by more Fresno County high school students than any illicit street drug.

Painkiller use among Fresno County ninth-graders is higher than the state average.

Among 12 and 13-year-olds, prescription drugs are now the drug of choice.

Prescription drugs are so highly abused because they are easy to find - right in your medicine cabinet.

Contact the Women’s Initiative of Fresno County to learn more about how you can be part of the solution. www.unitedwayfresno.org (559) 244-5710

* Source: CA Healthy Kids Survey 2008-09 & National Survey on Drug use and Health

Lock it up. Clean it out.

Drop it off.

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This project and products thereof were made possible by funds received from the County of Fresno

Lock it up, Clean it out, Drop it off A Program of the United Way of Fresno County

The Women’s Initiative’s mission is to organize influential circles of women in order to strengthen our community through a focused investment of their time, talent and treasure. The goal is to address urgent community issues of particular concern to women and girls, thus leaving a legacy of activism and accomplishment.

In Fresno County, the Women’s Initiative has taken on the challenge of tackling one of the region’s most pressing concerns: prescription drug abuse. This is a problem that cuts across all socio-economic categories and is a major issue right here in the Central Valley of California.

People who abuse prescription drugs admit the medications are readily available in their own homes, or homes of people they know. In fact, a study in Fresno County revealed that 70% of individuals 12 years and older who abuse prescription drugs get their drugs from the homes of family, relatives and friends.

We want you to be part of the solution. Contact the Women’s Initiative to learn how you can help us spread the word about this difficult community issue. Our education kits and video will show you how to “Lock it up. Clean it out. And Drop it off” - three steps you can take towards preventing prescription drug abuse.”

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Baker Manock & Jensen, PC, a Tradition of Giving Back

Baker Manock & Jensen attorneys and staff believe the time-honored traditions of civic, charitable, and pro bono service play a critical role in the modern day practice of law. As part of this commitment, Baker Manock & Jensen is pleased to support Focus Forward in its efforts to promote positive outcomes for youth in the Fresno County juvenile justice center and foster care systems.

Baker Manock & Jensen traces its roots to the turn of the 20th Century when William Sutherland formed a partnership with J.P. Bernard. Over the years, the firm has undergone several name changes as new partners have carried on the practice. Some histori­cal names are Sutherland and Barbour; Suther­land, Dearing and Jertberg; Dearing and Avery; Avery, Meux & Gallagher; and Gallagher, Baker & Manock. While the names have changed, our commitment to helping our community through public service has never wavered.

Since our very early days, Baker Manock & Jensen, has focused on helping businesses – representing its clients in business transactions and litigation. Today, the firm carries on that same tradition and has experts in many other related practice areas that impact businesses, nonprofit organizations, individuals, and governmental agencies, including land use, employment, intellectual property, professional negligence defense, water, tax, and trust and estates to name a few.

Even the best legal solutions don’t exist in a vacuum. For example, our clients must hire qualified and trustworthy employees who live in healthy and sustainable communities.

That is why Baker Manock & Jensen, and its attorneys and staff, have donated tens of thousands of hours and made substantial monetary contributions to nonprofit organizations throughout Central California like Focus Forward. We care about our community.

Baker Manock & Jensen is proud to support the efforts of Focus Forward and wish it much success as it turns lives around.

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Helping People. Changing Lives.

Our vision for our agency...

As an entrepreneurial agency, we bridge the gap to self-sufficiency by providing opportunities and resources, as we initiate and partner in shared community efforts to improve the quality of life.

Our vision for those we serve...

Empowered individuals who thrive as healthy, self-sufficient and contributing members of our communities.

Our vision for our community...

Healthy communities with equal access to social justice, jobs, education and resources.

Brian Angus Executive Director

Executive Office 1900 Mariposa Mall, Suite 300 Fresno, CA 93721 (559) 263-1000

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Health Services Clinic 1047 R Street Fresno, CA 93721 (559) 499-1690

Sanctuary and Youth Services 2336 Calaveras Street Fresno, CA 93721 (559) 498-8543

The goal of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 was to obtain equality of opportunity in education, employment, health, and living conditions for every American in our country. To realize this goal, nearly 900 locally-based Community Action Agencies were established throughout the nation.

We are one of those agencies…

Fresno County Economic Opportunities Commission, also known as EOC, is widely recognized as the largest nonprofit Community Action Agency in the United States. EOC impacts thousands of lives each day with over 40 essential programs aimed to help the low-income and disadvantaged.

Founded in 1965, EOC has spent over four decades investing in people, helping them become self-sufficient. The scope of services provided by our Agency consists of almost all facets of human services and economic development including:        

Early childhood education Emergency shelter and crisis intervention for youth Meal and transportation services for senior citizens Home energy assistance and crisis intervention Emergency assistance for rural areas Comprehensive reproductive health care services Supplemental food and nutritional services Vocational counseling and job placement services

EOC is a private, nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation, governed by a 24-member tripartite Board of Commissioners . EOC employs over 1,300 full- and part-time staff members, all dedicated to…

Helping People. Changing Lives.

Local Conservation Corps 1805 E. California Street Fresno, CA 93706 (559) 264-1048

Home Energy Assistance & Energy Crisis Intervention 1371 Stanislaus Street Fresno, CA 93706 (559) 263-1135

School of Unlimited Learning 2336 Calaveras Street Fresno, CA 93721 (559) 498-8543

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Welcome to Diamond Learning Center!

Where Learning is for Everyone Founded in 2005 by Jami Hamel De La Cerda, M.S., SpEd, Diamond Learning Center is the only center of its kind in California. Centered on De La Cerda’s premise of dignity, respect and total inclusion, each day brings another opportunity to educate their students, who range in age from 18-65.

Empowering Healthy Living for L.I.F.E.!

Find us on Facebook: DLC L.I.F.E. Diamond Learning Center

www.dlclife.org 44

1620 West Fairmont Avenue, Fresno, CA 93705-0323 • (559) 241-0580

From the moment you enter this custom campus, you’ll be inspired!

Music reverberates as the students’ award-winning concert band, Diamonds in the Rough, begin their daily jam session.

The pleasing aroma of the students’ freshly baked cinnamon rolls wafts through the air.

Outside, there’s a group of environmentally aware students tending their gardens.

Enjoy the display of art-covered walls showcasing the students’ original artwork.

Read and feel the students’ letters, handwritten to their military heroes, the Wounded Warriors.

In the fitness room, hear the clanging of weights and the punching bags whoosh as the student boxers practice their rounds.

Stationary bikes spin as the students work their way toward cardiovascular fitness, training for the Special Olympics.

Paid employment training skills are learned and practiced in preparation for student employment opportunities as yet another van full of students arrives. Staff and students greet each other by name and high fives as the next van heads to Poverello House where the students volunteer each week, bringing their special smiles and skills to those in need of a warm meal.

All this…and it’s only 10:00 a.m.!

De La Cerda has designed the curriculum around her unique program of L.I.F.E. - Learning Is For Everyone, no matter their abilities or disabilities.

The success is evident everywhere you look!

Inspiration abounds.

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is proud to support solutions that are critical to the San Joaquin Valley

including Focus Forward

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The Fund

We are honored to work closely with those who wish to help current and future generations here in the Central Valley.

This is the dawn of a new era in philanthropy in the Central Valley, and the Fresno Regional Foundation is your community foundation to lead the way.

Because of generous donors and the collaborative efforts of our Community Benefit Organizations, we have experienced tremendous growth and impact during the past few years.

Furthermore, we are confident that, with your continued support, our mission of improving the quality of life in the Central Valley through philanthropy can happen far beyond any previous expectations.

ABOUT THE FRESNO REGIONAL FOUNDATION

In 2011, the James Irvine Foundation granted $3 million to the Fresno Regional Foundation. This grant is the impetus for The Fund for the San Joaquin Valley.

For more information about the Fresno Regional Foundation, please visit www.fresnoregfoundation.org or call 559-226-5600.

Founded in 1966, FRF is a community foundation whose mission is to improve the quality of life in the Central San Joaquin Valley through philanthropy.

FRF is the trusted link between donors and organizations investing in permanent, high-impact solutions for the Central Valley.

Foundation assets exceed $50 million.

FRF awarded $3.5 million in grants in 2011.

Each year we will make significant grants from The Fund to bring about positive changes for the Valley’s most critical issues. More importantly, as a pipeline for local philanthropic support, The Fund will grow into a $20 million endowment. Such a fund will be large enough to sustain annual grantmaking of at least $1 million a year forever.

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PROVIDING A SAFE, STRUCTURED, AND NURTURING ENVIRONMENT FOR FOSTER CHILDREN FOSTER FAMILY AGENCY SERVICES

The Proteus, Inc. Foster Family Agency,

Foster parents of the Proteus Foster

a private, nonprofit, state-licensed foster

Family Agency must be 21 years of age

TRAINED PROFESSIONAL STAFF

family agency has provided stable,

or older, may be married or single, work

Certified social workers are assigned to each

temporary out-of-home care to children

full-time, or stay at home.

since 1997. The agency certifies foster

parents must meet state licensing

homes, matches children with foster

requirements to become certified.

families, and ensures that all necessary

Excellent tax-exempt monetary

24-hour support is available.

support is given to the children, its foster

compensation and medical coverage

FOSTER PARENT TRAINING

parents, and its families. The agency

are provided to meet the needs of the

Once certified, foster parents receive on-going

also provides extensive training to foster

child and family.

training and access to tools and resources to

parents to thoroughly equip caring

compassionate heart, and a willingness

individuals with the tools necessary to

to impact our community for the better.

family to promote unity and ensure quality

All foster

parent/child placement.

ON-CALL SUPPORT Along with regular calls and home visits, on-call

assist them in their foster parent journey.

MONTHLY REIMBURSEMENT A monthly stipend is provided for each child to cover expenses such as food, housing, clothing,

positively impact the lives of foster children.

etc.

WWW.PROTEUSINC.ORG

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265 N. VAN NESS AVE., FRESNO, CA 93701 TEL: 559.499.2535 FAX: 559.499.2540

All it takes is a

Vanessa Morales When you ask a child what they want most in the world, many reveal a toy they've always dreamed of or a special place they've longed to go. But for some, the need for security, love, and a stable home is what they wish most for.

In fact, over 400,000 children in the United States are currently in foster care because their families are unable to meet their most basic needs. This was the case for Vanessa Morales, now 20, when she was placed with the Proteus, Inc. Foster Family Agency in 2001. Vanessa was only 10 years old at the time and always dreamed of having “the perfect family”. Instead, her older brothers were in gangs and in and out of jail, her older sister got married and moved away, her mother was rarely home and selling drugs, and her dad- she never met him.

Proteus Advertorial

Vanessa, along with her three younger siblings, were placed together in two

foster homes during her time is foster care. She stayed in the second home for six years until she turned 18 in 2009. “I had a great experience with all

four of my foster parents. Each one was different, but they all had one thing in common- and that was the love they showed me,” shares Vanessa. “We were the family I dreamed of. We would have dinner together and talk, go to church twice a week, and take family trips to places like Disneyland and Universal Studios.”

Thanks to the support and guidance of her foster parents and social worker, Vanessa excelled during foster care. She became active in school and sailed through high school with a GPA of 3.3 or higher. Proteus staff continued to assist Vanessa by enrolling her in the Proteus Summer Youth Employment and Training program. Vanessa was able to gain valuable hands-on training that motivated her to enroll in Reedley College where she worked on her general education as well as a Vocational Certificate in Receptionist- Business Management. While attending college, she worked part-time in retail. Vanessa was well on her way to obtaining her goals, when she was struck, head-on, by a car on her way to work in March, 2011.

Vanessa was medically withdrawn from school and was unable to return to work due to her severe injuries.

WHEN I WAS SMALL, I DREAMED THAT A FAMILY WAS ONE WHO WOULD ALWAYS BE TOGETHER, REGARDLESS OF THE SITUATION. I DREAMED OF HAVING “THE PERFECT FAMILY”.

Vanessa has faced many challenges, but has never given up and continues to strive. Statistics aren't kind to those who “age” out of the system like Vanessa. Many end up homeless, in prison, or abusing alcohol and drugs.

Vanessa refuses to be another statistics. Instead, she looks to the future. “I now have my doctor's permission to work. My goal is to get a job and then

certificate.”

Foster Care wasn't Vanessa's childhood dream of the “perfect family”, but she credits it for giving her and her younger siblings security, love, and a stable home when they needed it most.

return to college and finish the four classes needed to get my vocational

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Magazine Sponsors

My Life II

Baker Manock & Jensen By: Adriana Marin-Guillen

Dan Martin Diamond Learning Center First Five Fresno County Fresno County Economic Opportunities Commission

Dedicated to all the boys and girls in the Juvenile System

I woke up this morning With a smile on my face.

Fresno County Federal Credit Union

Staring up at the ceiling

Fresno Regional Foundation

Watching memories trace.

Fresno Regional Workforce Investment Board

A few tears start falling

Geil Enterprises

As I think of the pain

Housing Authorities of City and County of Fresno

Of that little girl searching

Proteus Inc.

For more than a name; I reach out and hug her

Women’s Initiative

To let her know it’s okay

Other Magazine Contributors: Mental Health Systems, Inc ResCare Workforce Services (Arbor Older Youth Program)

Then I tell her the story Of how life is today...

Two beautiful children A place to call home, A wonderful husband

Special Thanks

No more streets to roam.

Fear has been replaced Thank You for your support of Focus Forward

With an ultimate bond And love has made right Everything that was wrong.

Peace found the mind And pain left the heart, Joy has replaced

Focus Forward believes that all stories in this magazine are truthful and accurate. However, Focus Forward does not guarantee the accuracy of the stories. These stories were provided and approved by the subject of each story.

What the drugs tore apart.

Today I stand tall Heading on the right path

Acknowledgments: Spinning Wheels by Blood Sweat & Tears Ballad of the Green Beret by Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler and Robin Moore, copyright 1966

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Everyday I thank God When I think of the past...

Adriana Marin-Guillen

focus forward publication ‘u-turns allowed’

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Fresno County Federal Credit Union will always be there for you. No strings, just personal service.

Members get a checking account with free 24/7 access online and mobile devices, plus unlimited bill pay, and a VISAÂŽ debit card, free. Joining is a breeze, and membership lasts a lifetime.

We Believe in Focus Forward!

Fresno County Federal Credit Union considers it an honor to support positive change and more successful outcomes for young people in the Fresno County juvenile justice and foster care systems.

(559) 252-5000 • FresnoCU.com 52