Timeline
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TALK Line
The TALK Line (Telephone Aid in Living with Kids) began service on December 1, 1974. Approximately 75 individuals expressed interest in volunteering, and nearly 65 completed the initial training in late November 1974. Since then, it has operated continuously every day. The service has received a positive reception from both professionals and the community. Many professionals have reported that their clients have found the TALK Line to be extremely helpful.
“The thing that appealed to me about the TALK Line’s child abuse program is the emphasis on prevention” says Gina. “It enables you to do something before taking it out on a child or someone else.”
Gina Lubeck, Volunteer for TALK Line
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Single Parent Network (SPN)
Started in March 1980, the network typically included nine to fifteen people. Still operating today, the network provides a place where single parents can share their experiences and build their network of support.
“Just having to come to terms with being alone takes a lot,” says Werner. “They come in with child concern issues. They feel they have total responsibility, no time for themselves, discipline problems, and they’re also dealing with their own grief and loss as well as their children’s. The group helps them deal with ways for them to take care of themselves, so they can be individuals as well as parents,” adds Bettencourt. “The Single Parent Network is part of child abuse prevention program. Any family in stress can lead to child abuse.”
Lynn Werner and Vonnel Bettencourt are co-founders of SPN
Historic Victorian Firehouse Transformed: Child Abuse Prevention Center Opens in Haight-Ashbury
The historic, Victorian firehouse in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood was purchased by the Child Abuse Prevention Society in 1987 and inaugrated the opening of Child Abuse Prevention Center at Waller Street in 1988, a year later.
Child Safety Awareness (CSA) Program
Formerly known as Safety Whys, in 1988 staffer Rhonda Hontalas adapted the program from a pilot course that was developed and distributed nationally by the Committee for Children.
The goal of the CSA Program is to help children protect and empower themselves when faced with dangerous situations. Through the program, Safe & Sound helps thousands of children across San Francisco gain confidence and become their own decision-makers and advocates in keeping themselves safe.
“We believe that one of the most effective tools against abuse is knowledge. Our program is aimed at giving children the information, self-confidence and assertiveness skills they need to recognise danger.”
Karen Smillie, Director of the Center’s Child Safety Awareness Program
Kids’ Turn Program
Founded in 1988 to support the growing number of San Francisco children experiencing parental separation before the age of eighteen, Kids’ Turn is a co-parenting workshop that helps families navigate these challenges. Our psychoeducational program, based on Emotional Intelligence skill-building, helps children understand and express difficult emotions while teaching family members new ways to manage their circumstances and support affected children. Safe & Sound aims to demystify the separation process and foster a healthy perspective for diverse families at all stages of their journey.
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Parents and Children Drop-In Center
Provides parents with a place to meet with counselors, use the phone, take a brief break from their busy life, and build community with other parents.
“I needed support after leaving Rebecca’s father,” said Sue Beardsley, a single mother who has spent a lot of time the last three years at the agency’s Parents and Children Drop-In Center. “Sure, I was shy. I didn’t know what to expect when I came here, but my daughter, who is not very trusting after what she’d been through, took an instant liking to these people. I trusted her instincts and I’ve learned to like them too. I got a lot of support. I’m standing on my own now.”
Sue Beardsley, mother and client
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Holiday Toy Store Program
While the holiday season is a favorite time for many, for families in vulnerable situations, it can be a time of stress and anxiety. Our Holiday Toy Store makes every holiday season brighter and more memorable for our families and children by providing free toys, books, and clothing to children and warm and nourishing meals to help families enjoy the festivities of the season.
“I wish I could thank personally the person who put my daughter’s package together…Everything a two-and-a-half-year-old girl was interested in! We thank you all from the bottom of our hearts-you truly saved our holidays.”
Parent
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Community Night Dinner
Our Community Night Dinner Program has been a cornerstone of support for more than 40 families every week for the past two decades. Our dedicated volunteers make warm, nutritious meals, and help alleviate the stress of meal preparation for parents at least once a week. This enables them to focus on their children and provide the critical support they need. The longevity and continued success of this program highlights its importance in our community.
2011
Russian River Ride
“A ride may be 200 miles long and 15,000 feet high.
A reckoning may take 50 years.
But that is how winning happens.
One inch at a time.
One pedal at a time.
One heart at a time.”
Chris Keane, Co-Founder of Russian River Ride and Former Board Chair of Safe & Sound
In 2011, Chris Keane and Daniel Morillo launched a new fundraising idea for the organization. Starting with their inner circle, they gathered a group of twenty friends who shared the belief that no child should suffer abuse or neglect. Over the past 12 years, these dedicated riders have devoted their summers to supporting Safe & Sound's mission and raising awareness about child abuse prevention. The annual Russian River Ride, covering nearly 200 miles and climbing 16,000 feet, has raised over $706,818 to date. We extend our heartfelt thanks to these heroes for their ongoing support.
2013
Integrated Family Services (IFS) Pilot Program Launched
Integrated Family Services (IFS) is for families requiring more structure and comprehensive support. This program is designed to provide families with the necessary resources to strengthen their protective factors. Strong protective factors enable families to practice positive parenting skills, address their needs, and tackle life's challenges. IFS is going strong today, and once parents enroll in the program they work closely with the Safe & Sound Care Coordination team to achieve their family goals.
2017
A New Era Begins
San Francisco Child Abuse Prevention Center changes its name to Safe & Sound.
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2021
Safe & Sound and the Center for Youth Wellness (CYW) join together
The two organizations come together to broaden community reach, advance policy work and deepen support to families and children in San Francisco.
2023
Leadership Transition: Katie Albright Steps Down as CEO, and Dr. Pegah Faed Assumes Role as New CEO
Katie Albright stepped down as our President and Chief Executive Officer on February 1, 2023, after sixteen years of dedicated service to children and families. Under her leadership, Safe & Sound has evolved into a nationally recognized children's advocacy organization, lauded as one of the nine best primary abuse prevention practices in the country.
April 2023
Safe & Sound welcomes Dr. Pegah Faed as the new CEO of Safe & Sound. She brings significant programmatic and advocacy expertise in the area of child and family well-being, and a personal passion for systems change that will advance Safe & Sound’s current growth trajectory.
