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| Our Mission The mission of the Child Crisis Center is to prevent child abuse and/or neglect and to support parents in the El Paso community. The Child Crisis Center is a nonprofit, nonsectarian agency, which provides an emergency home for infants and children of parents who are temporarily unable to cope with their responsibilities and who need relief while they resolve their personal problems. The Center is the "family" or "friendly neighbor" that many parents need in time of stress. There is no charge for our services. Our History 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. 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 or long-term chronic health problems, families with substance abuse issues and families with incarcerated persons are all served on a daily basis. |
| 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 12, 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.
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 12, 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.
| Child Crisis Center of El Paso 2100 N. Stevens El Paso, TX 79930 (915) 562-7955 |
