The Crisis Center now has a twenty-five year history of providing crisis shelter care to young children.  The Center continues to
develop progressive and innovative approaches to working with families and children.  Other communities in Texas have called
upon the Center, requesting advice and assistance in establishing similar programs.

Services are provided to families throughout the El Paso community, regardless of residency, income, age, ethnicity or culture.  The
range of services runs from immediate crisis intervention when a family is facing an emergency to longer-term education.  Homeless
families, families facing medical emergencies, long-term chronic health problems, substance abuse issues and families with
incarcerated persons are all served on a daily basis.
Our Mission
Out of Sorrow, A Challenge.

"... I am so afraid. I want to
hurt myself
and my children. I don't have
anyone who wants
to help me..."


Whenever I am asked how the Child Crisis Center got started, my mind goes back to that day in 1973, when the world seemed to
come to an end for my family and me. On October 13th of that year, a two-year-old boy was taken to William Beaumont Army
Hospital. He was crying with pain, vomiting, emaciated, and unable to walk. His parents did not know what was wrong with him.
During surgery, he was found to have two blood clots in his duodenum, probably caused by a severe blow to the stomach. It was
discovered that this same child had had a fractured skull only one month before and the parents could not explain that either.

The child developed complications and lapsed into a coma for three and a half weeks. The doctors feared that if he did recover,
he would be completely impaired. After many prayers, his first reaction, a smile, came on Thanksgiving Day. He did recover but
had lost his sight and is blind to this day. An official investigation was conducted, but a definite conclusion on whether or not the
child had been abused, was not reached. That child was my grandson.

In 1978, my husband and I became aware of a crisis nursery for the prevention of child abuse and neglect in Tucson, Arizona. We
visited the nursery to see it in operation and were convinced that it was a potent answer to the question, "How can we prevent
child abuse?" With the support of Msgr. Roland Vonder Haar of Blessed Sacrament Church, we sought and obtained permission
from the El Paso Catholic Diocese to use a vacant building for the Crisis Nursery. It was made available for $1.00 a year. The
repairs made to meet licensing standards were made primarily by volunteers using materials donated by various individuals and
local businesses.

In March of 1979, after much prayerful consideration, a Board of Trustees was formed and the Articles of Incorporation were
drafted. On July 13, 1980, our dream became a reality and the first Crisis Nursery in the state of Texas opened its doors. It was
originally called The Spirit of Love Crisis Nursery. A year later it was changed to The Child Crisis Center of El Paso.

Although our grandson is legally blind, he has graduated from college and is pursuing a Masters Degree in French. Back in 1973,
when I saw him lying in that hospital crib, thinking the world had come to an end for me and my family, I had never realized that it
was actually the beginning of a new and different life for ourselves and thousands of others (MLR).

An Answer

The Child Crisis Center of El Paso was established to prevent child abuse and/or neglect. In 1980, it became the first crisis
nursery in the state of Texas. The Center is a crisis nursery and emergency shelter for children, newborn through age 13, who
are victims of abuse and/or neglect, or who are at high risk for such abuse and/or neglect. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days
a week to families in the El Paso community and surrounding area. The Crisis Center is a not-for-profit corporation, duly
chartered under Texas law, and exempt from federal income taxes under section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code. A Board
of Directors composed of 21 volunteers residing in El Paso governs it. The Center's programs are licensed under Texas laws and
regulations governing child care facilities and emergency shelters.
The Child Crisis Center of El Paso was established in 1980 as the first crisis nursery in the state of
Texas.  George and Mary Russell, an El Paso couple, started the Center in response to the
physical abuse of their grandson.  He was permanently blinded as a result of child abuse. (Their
story is below.)  The Russell's were determined that this should not happen to any child.  They
pulled together a group of friends, leased a small house from a parish and started the Center with
many volunteers, little money and great determination.
It is the mission of the Child Crisis Center of El Paso (CCCEP) to protect
children from birth through age 13 from abuse and neglect by providing
emergency shelter, family support services and family education and
prevention services.  
2100 N. Stevens  El Paso, TX  79930  (915) 562-7955
Our History
Mary Russell's Story