Ball to Raise Funds for Casa Pacifica

Ventura County’s only emergency shelter and residential treatment program for abused and neglected children is holding its largest annual fund-raiser Saturday.

The Casa Pacifica Angels, a group of about 400 volunteers, will transform the Sherwood Country Club into a festive Roman holiday for the ninth annual Angels Ball to benefit children at Casa Pacifica’s Crisis Care and Treatment Center.

“The kids who come to Casa Pacifica are in the middle of some sort of trauma or crisis in their lives and need a safe and secure place at least on a temporary basis,” said Steve Elson, executive director of the Camarillo facility.

Last year, 325 children up to the age of 17 were removed under court order from their homes due to physical or sexual abuse, neglect, abandonment or parent imprisonment and were placed in the shelter program. This program has room for 50 children, and the average stay is 28 days.

Casa Pacifica’s other program, a 28-bed residential treatment program, serves children from 9 to 18 who have exhausted the resources of Ventura County foster care and group home settings and require a more restrictive environment. Last year, 39 were placed in the residential program.

About 5% of the facility’s annual $6-million budget comes from fund-raisers and another 5% from private donations and grants from foundations. An additional 25% is received from the county and 65% from state and federal agencies.

Last year’s ball raised about $100,000 for the facility.

Reservations are $300 per person. Call 445-7804 for information.