DONATE TO A LOCAL CHARITY >>>

There's no better way to support your community than supporting your neighbors in need, especially during the holiday season. We'll feature local charities on Spew throughout this holiday season with links to donate your money, supplies and time.

Give the karmic wheel a spin for today's charity focus:

Olive Crest

902 Market St., Ste. 202, Tacoma
800.743.6783

According to the WA Department of Social and Health Services, more than 10,411 children are in foster care in Washington state. Childwelfare.gov reported that 91,100 calls were made in Washington to Child Protective Services (CPS) in 2008 alone. Those numbers indicate that help is needed and one local foundation is striving to make a difference.

Since 1973, the Olive Crest organization has worked with more than 50,000 children suffering from neglect and abuse, and helped families struggling to survive. Today they are preventing child abuse, healing at-risk children and restoring children to permanency.

"We're different because we advocate for both the children and the biological parents," explained Cara Rudd, a development associate. "Our belief is that the best way to heal the children is to help the entire family."

Though the organization does work throughout California, Nevada and the Pacific Northwest, there are is a program unique to Olive Crest's work in this area.

The Safe Families program, which began this past April, is targeting Pierce County in an effort to prevent children from ever entering foster care. Through Safe Families, parents can self select themselves as being in need of assistance.  Olive Crest partners with local churches and community resources to train families within the church to take children in for a period of time while the biological parent(s) are able to receive the support they need in order to provide a safe and stable environment for their family.

While Olive Crest seeks to first reunify the foster child with the biological family, in the event that reunification is not in the best interest of the child, Olive Crest partners with Antioch Adoptions to secure an adoption that will provide a "forever family" as soon as possible.

"We see every child as a unique individual and we pride ourselves on that," said Rudd. True to that sentiment, Olive Crest is known for maintaining a lifelong commitment to the youth and families they've served even after they are no longer enrolled in the programs.

"Please consider your involvement with Olive Crest. As a partner, you help break the cycle of child abuse and enable at-risk children and families to become healthy, productive citizens in our community," said Rudd.

LINK: Donate to Olive Crest

Previous Mistledole charities

• Tacoma Community House
• Lindquist Dental Clinic for Children