In 1988 two educators saw that there was an overwhelming need to reach out and shelter troubled youth in Riverside County. They were visionaries, and in 1990 had rallied enough community support to help them open the doors of a 24-hour emergency shelter for youth in the City of Riverside. Since that time Operation SafeHouse has been providing emergency shelter to runaway, homeless and at-risk youth throughout Riverside County.
At the urging of the late Riverside County Supervisor Roy Wilson, SafeHouse opened a secondary emergency shelter in 2008 to assist youth in crisis in the Coachella Valley. SafeHouse of the Desert located in Thousand Palms provides youth with a safe alternative to life on the streets.
SafeHouse of the Desert provides a unique campus for youth in crisis that includes; a youth emergency shelter for youth 11-17, a transitional living program for older homeless youth ages 18-21 and an onsite school that were designed to assist youth and young adults in their journey from homelessness into safe and stable environments and permanent housing.
Other intervention and prevention programs provided by SafeHouse that are key to supporting and educating youth before they make the decision to leave home; SafeHouse is the co-founder of the Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department and provides shelter and case management for victims under the age of 17, our Street Outreach Program works to build trust, provide services and referrals for entrenched street youth ages 11-21 so that they will eventually come off the streets and our What's Up, SafeHouse Crisis Text Line was the first to be introduced to youth in the Coachella Valley and offers anonymous texting with Licensed Marriage and Family Counselors from 7:00am to 11:00 pm year-round.
This year, SafeHouse is celebrating its 35th Anniversary serving Riverside County youth and families; including those in the Coachella Valley. We are so proud to have been a small part in the success of seeing young people develop into thriving adults.
