About the Shelter

The Mary Graham Children’s Shelter . . .

Confused, hurt, afraid, alone—these words describe the vulnerable children who are brought to the Children’s Shelter any time of the day or night. They are innocent victims of abuse, neglect, or abandonment by their families. At the Children’s Shelter they find protection, warmth, and comfort, and take the first steps on a path to stability and healing.

Each year, over 1,000 children are served by the Children’s Shelter, which is under the direction of the San Joaquin County Human Services Agency. Children from newborns to teenagers are brought to the Shelter by law enforcement officers or Child Protective Services Social Workers. At the center of a network of emergency services, the Shelter assures that each child is given a safe and nurturing environment. Children under the age of 6 are placed with our emergency foster families, while those from 6 to 18 years old stay at the Shelter. At any one time, there may be nearly 200 young children in emergency foster care and 40 older children staying at the Shelter facilities.

Some children wait for several months before a suitable permanent placement can be found or they can be returned to their own home. However long the stay, the Children’s Shelter provides comprehensive services, including:

• Food and clothes
• Medical and dental care
• Developmental assessment and counseling
• Education—onsite school operated by the San Joaquin Office of Education
• Recreation and social activities
• Child sexual abuse evaluations and necessary treatment by doctors and other professional staff
• Court-ordered, supervised family visits
• Highly trained staff as well as volunteer groups who assist with enrichment and educational programs

The Children’s Shelter includes two residential buildings, four classrooms in the Dorothy Biddick School, a multi-purpose room, an arts and crafts building, a small playground, and the Walter Britten Visitation Center for supervision of court-ordered family visits.

The Child Advocacy Center, which opened in 2003, is also located on the Shelter complex. Providing medical and dental care and specialized child sexual abuse evaluations, the Center is a vital part of the Shelter operations.

The Mary Graham Children’s Shelter Foundation raised nearly one million dollars to build the new Center, which was previously located in a modular trailer. The Foundation, founded in 2001, provides educational and enrichment programs not otherwise funded by government sources. These may include birthday parties, holiday celebrations, art, music and sports programs, trips, etc. . . . affording them the same opportunities all children deserve.