California Utah Women is an organization comprised of California women who share a Utah heritage. The mission of CUW is to unite sisters in friendship and give of their time and talents to strengthen home, community, nation and world. Each year CUW holds two large luncheons. Each luncheon features a highly rated crafts boutique with items from over 100 vendors.
Our Philanthropy ~ Ettie Lee Youth & Family Services
Net proceeds from both the luncheon and the boutique are donated to Ettie Lee Youth & Family Services, a multifaceted, non-profit agency, addressing the problems of at-risk youth on probation and children who have been abused, neglected or abandoned.
The agency, founded in 1950 by Miss Ettie Lee, a Los Angeles school teacher who pioneered the group home concept, has provided family-style group care for thousands of boys during the last 56 years. There are currently nine group homes in Southern California for boys ages 8-18 who are on probation. Last year Ettie Lee served 287 boys in one of the nine homes located in the Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside and Orange counties.
Ettie Lee's Foster Family Agency has more than 35 licensed foster homes that served more than 115 boys and girls ages infancy through 18 last year. Children are placed throughout the San Gabriel and Pomona valleys.
Ettie Lee emphasizes family-like settings and creative problem solving. Two years ago Ettie Lee implemented the innovative Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) model. Results now show that this evidence-based practices program with its emphasis on specific ways to deal with anger and emotions is remarkably successful with the boys in our group homes.
Through a comprehensive continuum of services, Ettie Lee has worked to strengthen countless families and reached out to thousands of troubled youth, providing them with the tools needed to become productive members of their communities.
Since 1973, CUW members have contributed over $600,000 in cash and in-kind donations to Ettie Lee Youth & Family Services. This is used to cover extra books, clothing, sporting equipment and musical instruments that the state and county governments do not provide. It is also used to take the boys on field trips and other excursions. Along with annual monetary contributions, CUW gives additional support by sponsoring each of the nine homes. CUW volunteers donate Christmas, birthday and other holiday gifts, back to school necessities and other items such as the quilts. Our tradition has been to help provide enough quilts so that each boy receives a quilt to keep as his own.
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