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CHARITIES WE L OVE

behind them and make sure In 2009 the name was
Promises2Kids that they have the services officially changed from The
Child Abuse Prevention
they need while in foster care,
MAKING A GREAT IMPACT to really fill the gaps.” Foundation (CAPF) to Promis-
es2Kids but continued on the
The Child Abuse Pre-
vention Foundation (CAPF)
same path of helping abused
ON FOSTER YOUTH continued to grow, opening children in the foster care
new facilities and programs to system.
One of their incredible
better serve this underserved
population. In 2000 CAPF programs added to help
cility to house these children
in need.
In 1994 they achieved
their financial goal and built
what is now the Polinsky Chil-
dren’s Center(PCC). As Tonya
explains, “This new center
for children took us from as a
county having a facility that
was supposed to care for 16
to a facility with a capacity
of up to 200. Thankfully, we
don’t need to care for that
many children at PCC now,
thanks to the foster parents
who take in many of our
children, but there were times
throughout the years when
Over the years we Polinsky Children’s Center was
have come across so many at capacity.”
wonderful charities in The opening of this cen-
town. When I learned of ter began raising awareness
Promises2Kids, I knew that of the plight of children of
we needed to share it in our abuse, which was previously
pages. I had the opportunity considered to be a family
to spend some time with issue. It made people keenly
Tonya Torosian, MSW, CFRE, aware that if they suspect
and Chief Executive Officer of that a child is being abused,
Promises2Kids. they need to report it to the
The year was 1981 when proper authorities. enjoined the collaborative provide needed services to
the charity began as the Child "After the opening of the community campaign to raise foster youth is called Camp
Abuse Prevention Founda- center, our organization start- funds to build a residential Connect. This camp focusses
tion (CAPF). It was started by ed asking, 'what other impact high school for teens living in on bringing brothers and sis-
a concerned citizen, Norma could we have, on children foster care; San Pasqual Acad- ters together who have been
Hirsh who had been volun- that were victims of child emy opened its doors in 2001 separated through the foster
teering at the shelter. Re- abuse and now in foster care? to serve foster youth. care system. "Even though
alizing that this shelter was The majority of the chil- In 2001, CAPF, started the visitation between siblings is
really small, inadequate, and dren in the system who are first Guardian Scholars pro- mandated, it just wasn't hap-
run down, she believed that sent to foster care or to stay gram in San Diego County, a pening. So, 11 years ago, we
children who were in this at Polinsky Children’s Center scholarship program to fund came up with Camp Connect
kind of traumatic state really are victims of child abuse and college or vocational educa- based off of a model on the
should be cared for in a much severe neglect. The county tion for former foster youth in east coast. We currently have
better way, and in a much is the one who really deter- San Diego. Ten former foster a four-day summer camp in
better place. So, a fundraising mines who comes into care children received nearly the mountains of Julian. It
campaign began to build a and where they're placed. $43,000 in scholarship funds varies from year to year, but
new modern and updated fa- "What we do is we come in in the first year. we usually take about 150

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