Thanks to a partnership between Interface Children & Family Services and the Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon,ninth grade high school students in Health classes throughout Ventura County will have the opportunity to benefit from a teen dating violence prevention program that encourages teens to declare their personal relationships and spaces as violence-free zones.

According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, dating violence is a serious problem in the United States. Due to their lack of experience with romantic relationships, teens often view potentially violent and abusive behaviors as signs of love and devotion. Many teens do not report dating violence because they are afraid to tell friends and family. Approximately nine percent of high school students report being purposely hit, slapped, or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend in the 12 months before surveyed. In addition, among victims of rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner, 22.4 percent of women and 15.0 percent of men first experienced some form of partner violence between 11 and 17 years of age.

Interface Family Violence Intervention Services Director, Nicholle Gonzalez-Seitz shared that "with the support of organizations like the Verizon Foundation, Interface is able to continue educating teens in our county with information on how to identify abuse, the availability of resources and with tools for engaging in healthy relationships both present and future."

The Interface Teen Dating Violence Prevention program will use the $12,500 grant from the Verizon Foundation, to present teens this universal primary prevention program that combines educational workshops with a complimentary youth-led media campaign to increase awareness of, and prevent, dating violence among teens. "Verizon is proud to have Interface Children and Family Services as a partner in our efforts to educate Ventura County's youth on dating violence and abuse," said Jesus Torres, Director of Government and External Affairs for Verizon. "One of the best ways to prevent teen dating violence, bullying and ultimately domestic violence, is to educate our youth about what constitutes a healthy relationship and the resources that are available for any problems they may be having."

Interface has been successfully operating Teen Dating Violence Prevention Program since 2003. Since the program's inception, Interface has educated over 25,000 youth countywide by presenting the curriculum in schools and to youth service organizations. With the Verizon Foundation's support, Interface will continue its efforts, increasing its reach from 1,600 teens to 1,800 and increasing the number of schools served from eight to ten. Currently, Interface is the only organization that offers this type of programming to high schools throughout the entire County of Ventura.

If you would like to inquire about a presentation on Teen Dating Violence,

please call (805) 485-6114, Ext. 616

To Support the Teen Dating Violence Prevention Program, click here to GIVE NOW!

Interface Will Celebrate 40th Birthday in New Headquarters

Interface Children & Family Services has announced the relocation of its agency's headquarters to the newly purchased Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF) Non-Profit Center building. The new offices, located at 4001 Mission Oaks Boulevard, will accommodate Interface's current Del Norte Road staff and will enable further expansion for the agency's future growth. Approximately 13,000 square feet of space will be leased from VCCF and will house about 70 employees from Interface's Administration, Domestic Violence, Center for Community Development, and Mental Health staff, as well as the 2-1-1 call center. Interface expects to relocate in early 2013 which coincidentally will be the agency's 40th year of service.

"This decision culminates a careful due diligence process, after having considered five suitable facilities and carefully surveying many additional facilities in the general Camarillo-North Oxnard area," said Erik Sternad, Executive Director of Interface Children & Family Services. "The board and I believe that this agreement with VCCF will advance the Interface mission and maintain Interface's presence amongst the leading non-profits in our region working on tough, but important social and community issues."

Interface Staff & Board Member Kathy Hartley during recent tour of new office space: (left to right) Patti Yabu, Lynn Ruffino, Kim Mora, Melissa Perezchica-Ramirez, Nicholle Gonzalez-Seitz, Board Member Kathy Hartley, Jo Bowers, and Marti DeLaO.

Sternad, along with a small group of Interface board leaders, including the invaluable direction of Ron Polito, a partner at Don Carlton Realty, a property management company in Ventura and neighboring areas, started carefully planning and entering into discussions approximately nine months ago knowing that the current Del Norte location lease would be expiring in May of 2013.

"We are excited to be beginning a new chapter in our long history of service to our region and starting off our 40th year with this relocation," said Sternad. "It goes without saying that participating in and supporting VCCF's Non-profit Center is very exciting and Interface hopes to both benefit from and contribute to this unique Camarillo resource. We have always enjoyed a close relationship with VCCF, and look forward to our joint physical presence in this important new community endeavor."

Assembly Member Das Williams Takes a Tour of Interface's Santa Paula Family Resource Center

Interface was honored to have Assembly Member, Das Williams and Simi Valley City Manager, Mike Sedell as guests on Tuesday, October 2nd at the Santa Paula Family Resource Center (SPFRC)! We appreciate them taking time out of their busy schedules to join Interface's Board Member Martin Hernandez, Executive Director Erik Sternad, SPFRC Director, Virginia Tapanes and Site Coordinator, Jose Romero on a tour of the facility. Assembly Member Williams was very excited and supportive of the services and programs that occur at the Santa Paula Family Resource Center.

To Support the Santa Paula Family Resource Center, click here to GIVE NOW!

Photo (left to right):

Virginia Tapanes, Santa Paula Resource Center Director; Santa Paula Resource Site Coordinator, Jose Romero; Martin Hernandez, Interface Children & Family Services Board Member; Assembly Member Das Williams; Erik Sternad, Interface Children & Family Services Executive Director; and Mike Sedell, City Manager of Simi Valley.

Triple P Staff Moves to New Interface Service Site in Moorpark at Ruben Castro Human Services Center

Over two years ago, Interface Children & Family Services was approached by the City of Moorpark to be tenants in a future Ruben Castro Human Services Center (RCHSC). Fast forward to today and Interface is finishing unpacking their moving boxes in the newly finished center!

Interface' Positive Parenting Program (Triple P)staff from the Camarillo and Thousand Oaks sites have moved their offices to the recently opened Ruben Castro Human Services site. Community members will also be able to access our many other services through theses staff at this Moorpark site as well. Interface is very excited to be included in this unique "under one roof" service center and it expects that this center will be a tremendous accessible resource for residents in and around Moorpark. Additionally, this center will serve as an important back up site for Interface's 2-1-1 call center activities in the event that our primary call center is unexpectedly out of commission. The other tenants at the center will also include Moorpark Pantry Plus (formerly called Moorpark Food Pantry), a ministry of Catholic Charities of Moorpark; First 5 of Ventura County; and the Ventura County Health Services Agency. Part of Interface's strategic plan is to create a presence in multiple communities where we can deliver accessible, integrated services for the benefit of local residents. This center's opening is a great step in that direction for us and an important additional Interface service site in the East County.

What is the Triple P Program?

The Power of Positive Parenting

Parents: Are you interested in improving your parenting skills or your relationship with your child? The Triple P Program can help with challenging behaviors: Tantrums, Interrupting, Fighting, Whining, Bullying, Lying, Impulses, Fears and much more!

Upcoming Positive Parenting Seminars:

Raising Resilient Children

November 7, 2012 in Moorpark from 8:45-10:45 a.m.

For more information on attending this NO COST program, please call (805) 485-6114, Ext. 617 to reserve your space or to bring the program to your community.

To Support the Triple P Program, click here to GIVE NOW!

Help us Strengthen the Children, Families and Communities of Our Region!

Every day this year- and every day since 1973- Interface has responded to some of the most urgent individual and family needs in Ventura County: assuring safety, strengthening lives, rebuilding hope, and fostering health and healing. Generous donors have nourished these efforts. Interface has launched a campaign to raise $220,000 by June 30, 2013 to ensure that we are able to sustain and expand our programs in the face of extensive unmet needs. Will you join us in our work to protect, treat and empower the children and families of Ventura County?

Donate Now!

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