Lake Avenue Church

Please help reunify a biological family. The father has maintained regular and consistent weekly contact with his daughter by visiting and calling. The father visits 3 to 4 times a week and can utilize public transportation when the visits are local. However, father was recently awarded unmonitored visitation time which has increased his visitation hours as well as the number of visits he attends. father is required to travel to a location close to his daughter's placement in orange county for these extra visits. It currently takes father a total of three hours of bus rides and walking to travel from Los Angeles County to Orange County, for the visits. Over the last year, father experienced the loss of his job and housing and is unable to purchase a bicycle without financial assistance. Purchasing a bicycle for father will shorten his travel time, allow him to engage in the extra visits and ensure that he can maintain his strong bond with young daughter Walmart sells a 21 Speed Mountain Bike for $189.99 plus tax.

A mother in an inpatient treatment center with a two month old baby son is caring for him while participating in an inpatient treatment facility. Mother appears to be committed to maintianing sobriety after many years of substance abuse and past removal of her older children. Mother has limited support and the father is not involved. Mother notified DCFS the need for new baby bottles and nipples for her baby. The request is for new bottles for baby to help resolve the current medical diagnosis of thrush. Mother is in need of new bottles, nipples and a bottle brush so she can prevent the baby’s exposure to thrush. Mother has limited funds and desparately needs these items. Since the baby is eating more often, mother needs more bottles and is unable to fully sanitize the bottles timely in her current treatment residence. Having an additional supply will allow mother to thoroughly clean and sanitize the bottles in groups so she can give baby clean milk and supplies when needed. The bottles needed are special bottles as the baby will only take to this particular nipple, along with a bottle brush. Your donation would support the newborn baby’s medical needs while in the care of his mother and prevent additional stress for mother while recovering during her postpartum period. Link via Amazon is attched below.... Go To Link

A resource family needs urgent assistance with purchasing a new car seat for a baby who is 10 months old and has been in care since October 2024, when she was removed from an unsafe environment. She has been placed with her paternal aunt, who is now her sole caregiver in a household of five. The young child is rapidly growing and has outgrown her current car seat, creating a safety concern for transportation to essential appointments and family needs. As a dedicated resource family household, her aunt is doing everything she can to provide for her niece, but the financial strain is making it difficult to afford a new, properly sized car seat that meets safety standards. Any assistance you can provide to support this family in ensuring the child's safety and well-being would be deeply appreciated.

The family is composed of a mother and child (11mo). The mother was living with the father but due to a recent domestic violence incident, the mother relocated to the maternal grandfather’s home. The mother is currently unemployed and relying on government assistance as a source of income.

The 11-month-old child is currently co-sleeping in the same bed as the mother. The mother requested assistance in obtaining a crib and a mattress for the baby since at this time the mother cannot afford to buy one. If the crib and the mattress are provided to the family, it would ensure a safe sleep environment for the child and it would reduce the risk of SIDS.

The family came to the attention of DCFS due to mother giving birth and as she arrived at Hospital the baby hit his head on the concrete and was unresponsive. Baby has made progress but parents have 4 other children who were also removed due to substance concerns. They are all placed with grandparents. The parents live in Pomona and are trying to reunify with the children. However, they have a 2011 Chevy Tahoe that needs repairs. The car needs - engine mount $211, Radiator $313.99, and Transmission Flywheel $155.99. (AutoZone prices) Father reported that he and his father are able to do the repairs but are unable to buy the parts. Only mother is employed , as father reports being undocumented/ and having an accident 2 years ago, is not able to work. Mother has completed 52 weeks parenting and DV program. Father is enrolled in his programs substance abuse, anger mgmt, therapy and parenting. They visit the children consistently in Norwalk but having reliable transportation would support them in their reunification process with visits and attending testing's and court ordered programs. This family would greatly appreciated any financial assistance given for their car repair needs even if it is some of the expenses for the car parts.

I am working with a young mother who is in need of some support. She is currently enrolled in a continuation program and is on track to graduate next year. At this time, she is in need of a crib mattress and crib sheets for her baby. DCFS has not yet begun providing financial assistance, and the client remains on maternity leave without current employment. Meeting this need would help ease her stress and provide one less thing for her to worry about during this transitional period.

I have provided the link below with the items the client needs: DaVinci Complete Slumber Mini Crib Mattress, Greenguard Gold Certified Go To Link

The Peanutshell Mini Crib, Playard Sheets, 3 Pack, Pink Roses/Ditsy Floral | White, Pink, Grey Go To Link

KINSHIP. The kin caregiver has been the primary caregiver for her 15-year-old nephew since 2023, when he was no longer able to remain with his parents. She has provided him with a safe, stable, and loving home during this time. The caregiver is a nurse and was employed full-time until the Palisades fire destroyed her workplace. Since then, she has been working on an on-call basis at various nearby facilities. Unfortunately, her hours have been significantly reduced, leading to a loss of income and financial strain. As a result, she has fallen behind on her rent payments. She is respectfully requesting rental assistance in the amount of $1500.00 to help her remain in her home. This support would provide much needed financial relief and help reduce the stress she is experiencing. Most importantly, it would allow her to continue offering a secure and nurturing environment for her nephew. With the support of her mother, who has a steady income, and her continued efforts to find stable employment, she is confident she will be able to recover financially. This assistance would be a crucial step in helping her get back on track. Thank you for your time and consideration of this request.

KINSHIP. The kin caregiver currently works full time and needs financial assistance for rent. His rent has doubled due to a decrease in his housing assistance benefits, which significantly increased his portion of the monthly rent. Despite maintaining full-time employment, the sudden increase has created a financial burden. CG is currently seeking a second job to help cover the additional costs and continue to support his family, including his nephew for whom he is the legal guardian. Providing this support will help maintain the current kinship placement and prevent the risk of the children being removed from a stable and loving home. Without the assistance the family may face housing instability, which could jeopardize the placement and overall safety. Ensuring the family remains housed supports the children’s emotional and physical well-being and preserves their connection to a familiar caregiver in a stable environment. Currently, the caregiver has income from a full-time job and receives a monthly child support payment for his nephew whom he has legal guardianship over. However, these sources of income are not sufficient to cover the increased rent and other essential living expenses. He is actively searching for a second job to help close the gap. Once this immediate financial need is addressed, the caregiver will be in a stronger position to maintain stability. The support will allow him time to secure additional employment and adjust his budget.

KINSHIP. Caregiver is caring for his 18 year old sister and 13 year old younger brother. He was informed that their previous apartment was too small to meet foster care standards unless they moved into a more suitable home, he risked losing placement. The caregiver urgently found a larger apartment that meets the requirements. However, he is unable to afford the move-in costs and security deposit due to limited income and lack of financial assistance. This support will maintain the kin placement by securing a safe and adequate home that meets the requirements. Without this assistance, the caregiver may lose placement of his brother due to non-compliance with the social workers request. The support will prevent disruption and trauma for the child by ensuring he can remain safely with his sibling in a stable home environment. At present, the caregiver’s only income comes from his full-time work as a Spark delivery driver for Walmart. He does not yet receive any kinship or foster care funding to support his brother, which has made it difficult to cover the immediate and unexpected costs associated with the move. Once the move-in costs are covered, the caregiver will be able to sustain the household through his full-time job income. He is in the process of applying for kinship funding and other resources to support the long-term placement. The housing itself is affordable within his monthly income, and the one-time assistance will ensure the family's stability moving forward.

78-year old grandmother who is blind and has her significant health issues needs support taking care of her four grandchildren. They are currently utilizing an older, damaged and poorly working refrigerator. They could really use a new refrigerator and for that reason I am reaching out to our community to help support this family. Would you consider helping this grandmother?

I am writing to ask for help for this grandmother who is caring for her four grandchildren. They are in desperate need of beds for two of the children who are currently sleeping on an old mattress on the floor and one on a bed with a broken boxspring. They are also in need of a space to keep their clothes. I am suggesting that we purchase new beds with built in storage as well as a new wardrobe for additional clothing storage. We would appreciate your help in securing these items for the family.

Single mom of two who works full time fell behind on her Socal Gas bill. She needs assistance getting caught up and reentering the low income program she was in. She was on auto pay and enrolled in the low income program and was paying $80 a moth, but the bill was exceeding $80 so this let to her fall behind on payments and incurring late fees. Once she pays the full bill of approximately $1,400 she will be able to re enroll in the low income parent program.