Feb 19, 2021
Lifeline Offers FREE Tax Preparation
Lifeline Offers FREE Tax Preparation for Community Members Lifeline Community Services is a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Tax Preparation site. We offer free tax preparation for many families making less than $57,000 in 2020. Click HERE to download the flyer! WHEN: Available Until 3/30/2021 Tuesday 9:00am-2:00pm Thursday 3:00pm-7:00pm Saturday 9:00am–2:00pm *By Appointment Only* WHERE:Online Location: Zoom WHO:Lifeline Clients and Residents of Carlsbad, Oceanside, Pendleton, San Dieguito, & Vista Contact a Lifeline Case Manager to schedule an appointment Call: 760-509-3430 orEmail: Taxes@nclifeline.org
Feb 02, 2021
Lifeline's COVID-19 Response Report
Click HERE to read the full report! We provided uninterrupted services during COVID-19 through virtual platforms and telehealth. Wepartnered for food distributions - Giving over 3,600 boxes of fresh food to families in need. We providedEmergency Assistance & Rental Assistance to our community members during this challenging time. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ A Letter from our Executive Director Dear Community Partners, The COVID-19 pandemic has required a transformation of Lifeline’s operations to meet the greatly increased needs of the youth, adults, and families that we serve. Low-income and disenfranchised families have been disproportionately hit hard by job loss in the retail, services, and hospitality sectors. Support from our community partners has made it possible for Lifeline to provide uninterrupted therapeutic services throughout the pandemic, and to offer emergency supports and financial assistance to families who need our help. During the pandemic the role of Lifeline’s team has greatly expanded. Staff continue to provide core behavioral health, counseling, and case management services while also placing a new urgency on intensive social services; helping clients to obtain food, shelter, and basic needs. Staff have also become technology specialists—assisting clients with telehealth, distance learning, and applications for pandemic relief. And we all have felt great hope! Support has come from the community, philanthropic organizations, and from the expansion of resources in our government grants and contracts. The County’s Child Welfare Services was concerned with the dramatic drop in child abuse reports and worried that children were isolated at home. CARES Act funding enhanced our work and helped us reach out to and solve problems for families in crisis. Additionally, the cities of Vista and San Marcos entrusted us to deliver rental assistance and emergency support through CARES Act resources. Existing supporters and new donors alike helped us build our COVID Emergency Fund and provide more than $300,000 to those most in need in our community. This included The San Diego Foundation, the United Way of San Diego County, the Rancho Santa Fe Foundation, Coastal Community Foundation, and the Leichtag Foundation—among other generous donors. 2020 required everyone engaged in serving our communities to be more flexible, more resilient, and more innovative—and Lifeline is more grateful than ever for your support as we continue to adapt to new challenges in the coming year. With our sincere thanks, Donald Stump Executive Director
Jan 11, 2021
Lifeline Community Services & REACH Coalition Launch Pledge to Help Combat Human Trafficking
Lifeline Community Services & REACH Coalition Launch Pledge to Help Combat Human Trafficking “Ending Trafficking is Within Reach” Pledge seeks to increase awareness & prevention by asking the community to commit to educate, empower & support the fight against human trafficking in San Diego County. Oceanside, Calif. (January 8, 2021) – Lifeline Community Services and REACH Coalition partners launch an “Ending Human Trafficking is Within Reach” Pledge in an effort to increase human trafficking awareness and prevention efforts for January’s Human Trafficking Awareness Month by providing the local community an opportunity to commit to educate, empower and support the fight to combat human trafficking in San Diego County. Each pledge participant will receive a Pledge decal sticker, and will be added to a database on North County Lifeline’s website as part of a coalition committed to combatting human trafficking in San Diego County. They will also receive an email with resource links and action items to educate, empower and support the fight to combat human trafficking. Human Trafficking is a crime that hides in plain sight and the best way to combat it is to bring it to the light, starting with awareness and prevention in our “own backyard.” 85% of Lifeline Community Services’s sex and labor trafficking victims are domestic clients. The REACH Coalition stands for Recover, Empower, Advocate, Collaborate, and Heal; a task force that works in a collaborative way to identify and fill gaps in service provision throughout the County and increase the competency of service providers in the fight to combat human trafficking in our community. Coalition and community members include: San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition (BSCC), Generate Hope, La Maestra, North County LGBTQ Resource Center, San Diego LGBTQ Community Center, San Diego Youth Services, STARS and iCARE, Survivor Leader Network of San Diego, Center for Community Solutions, SANDAG, Trish Martinez, Tribal Consultant, Casa Cornelia, Free To Thrive, Alabaster Jar, FBI, Homeland Security, Local Law Enforcement, and San Diego County Child Welfare Services. The core mission of Lifeline’s human trafficking prevention and intervention program, Project LIFE (Living In Freedom from Exploitation) is to support human trafficking victims on their path to recovery and self-reliance. For more information or to get involved, please visit www.nclifeline.org/human-trafficking.
Jan 04, 2021
Walkathon to Fight Human Trafficking
January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month! Join Soroptimist’s30/30Walk toStop Human TraffickingFitness Challenge and Support ProjectLIFE In lieu of Soroptimist club’s annualHuman Trafficking Awareness Walk and Event, this January 2021, Soroptimist International of Vista and North County Inland launched a “30 Miles in 30 Days” virtual fitness challenge Walkathon to fight against human trafficking. The challenge ends on January 30, 2021. All funds raised through pledges and donations will go to Lifeline Community Services’sProject LIFE ProgramandAlabaster Jar‘sGrace House. Lifeline Community ServicesProject LIFEstands for Living In Freedom from Exploitation. Project LIFE is an advocacy program that provides critical intervention services to individuals who have experienced sex or labor trafficking, domestic servitude, or commercial sexual exploitation. Project LIFE also provides trafficking prevention services for at-risk youth and trafficking awareness training for community members and professionals who may encounter victims. Whether you choose to walk or run outside, on a treadmill, or ride a real or stationary bike…we only challenge you to cover 30 miles in 30 days in January. This challenge is excellent motivation for you toget in shapewhileraising money for a good cause. Click on Calendar at right (or below if you’re viewing this on your mobile device) to download your own personal walkathon log sheet/calendar. Saturday, January 30, 2021Soroptimist is also hosting a freeonline webinarfeaturing guest speakers engaged in the fight against sex trafficking. Click here to register and learn more!
Nov 30, 2020
Giving Tuesday - 5 Ways to Give Online
5 Ways to Give Online For #GivingTuesday this year,on our wishlist are 5 special ways for you to give a gift to change a life all from the comfort of your home! Tribute Gifts Give a gift that keeps on giving this holiday! Your tribute gift to Lifeline Community Services will be made in honorof your gift recipient andhe/she will receive a photo tribute card to commemorate the gift! It is one less gift to worry about and a gift that has a lasting impact for your friends and family to be a part of a mission bigger than themselves! Give a gift that gives back. Support the Mission Lifeline Community Services uses each dollar efficiently to achieve our mission.YOUcan change a life today! Lifeline Community Services mission is to build self-reliance among youth, adults, and families through high-quality, community-based services. By supporting us you are supporting this mission! Donate to a Program At Lifeline Community Services we use a Services Tree Canopy to share the ways we accomplish our mission through services in Youth Development, Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Prevention & Intervention, Behavioral Health, Housing & Self Sufficiency, and Human Trafficking Prevention & Intervention. We address these services through our programs including:Club Crown Heights,Communities in Action,HERE Now,LifeSpring,Project LIFEand others. Holiday Hope Kits Adopt a LifeSpring youth or young adult experiencing homelessness by giving a Holiday Hope Kit.Holiday Hope Kits have essentialand therapeuticitems for youthand young adults experiencing various levels of homelessness. You can shop directly from ourAmazon Wishlist. Gift Card Drive In light of COVID-19, we have determined that gift cards will play an even bigger role in helping our families during this time. Gift cards ofany amount can be mailed to our office at 200 Michigan Avenue or purchased on our website atnclifeline.org/Adopt. When you complete the online donation form, in the field that says, "Leave a Comment," please type"Gift Card Drive." For more information, please contact 760-842-6257 orgive@nclifeline.org Thank You!
Nov 10, 2020
Gift Card Drive
Lifeline is committed to keeping our families, staff, volunteers and our community safe. In light of the recent shutdowns, we have determined that gift cards will play an even bigger role in helping our families during this uncertain and difficult time. Gift cards for grocery, gas, and takeout are the most needed. Gift cards of any amount can be mailed to our office at200 Michigan Ave, Vista CA 92084.If you do not feel comfortable with traveling at this time, we would be happy to purchase the gift cards for you. Simply fill out the donation form on our website. As we receive gift card donations, we will work with our case managers and social workers for disbursement to our families.Thank you for supporting the community! Gift cards to the following businesses are greatly appreciated: Walmart andTarget Grocery Stores (Albertsons,Stater Bros,Food 4 Less, Trader Joe's) Gas Stations (Shell,Arco, Chevron) Apple Store andGoogle Play Store Amazon Restaurants and Fast Food (Starbucks, Subway,McDonald's,Burger King,In-N-Out,Chipotle,Panera) Petco and Petsmart Uber andLyft Sephora,Ulta, andMAC
Nov 04, 2020
Holiday Hope Kits
Adopt LifeSpring youth and young adults experiencing homelesness by giving a Holiday Hope Kit. Holiday Hope Kits have essentialand therapeuticitems for youthand young adults experiencing various levels of homelessness.These items include but are not limited to: Wal-Mart & assorted fast food gift cards such as Starbucks, McDonald's, Wendy's, etc. Beanie, fleece blanket, socks, & gloves Outdoor cooking gear, portable heater, & lamp Sleeping bag, blow up cot, & tent Coloring books, color pencils & pencil sharpener Chapstick & other skin care items Headphones Prepackaged, non-perishable snacks You can collect gift cards and drop them off at our Vista campus and shop directly from our Amazon Wish Listfor the other items.For more information please contact give@nclifeline.org or 760-842-6273.
Oct 14, 2020
Adopt-a-Family 2020!
Adopt-a-FamilyFrequently Asked Questions Learn More about Lifeline's Annual Holiday Giving Campaign What is Adopt-a-Family? Adopt-a-Family is a holiday giving program designed to help low-income families who are Lifeline clients celebrate the holiday season by connecting them with local businesses, organizations, and individuals who “adopt” them. How are families selected for Adopt-a-Family? All families who are adopted are Lifeline clients and are nominated by Lifeline staff for their hard work and dedication to becoming self-sufficient. This includes families who have experienced homelessness, youth who have aged out of foster care, youth participating in juvenile diversion programs, survivors of human trafficking, and others. These families are low income or face economic challenges on a daily basis. Will I get a chance to meet my family? Due to the nature of services Lifeline provides and in order to best respect this confidentiality, we do not allow donors to meet the family(ies) and will not provide donors with more than first names of family members. Lifeline strives to give our clients the dignity and confidentiality they deserve. Thank you for your support and respecting the privacy of our clients. How does it work? Complete the Adopt-a-Family interest form to get started. Then, Lifeline will match you with a Lifeline family and provide you with a personalized list of the things they need most, as well as wish items for the holidays. Then, you deliver the gifts no later than December 14th, 2020 to Lifeline’s Vista Campus. Lifeline staff arranges the delivery of gifts, and can include a personal message from you and your own household or group if you wish. Donors will receive a thank you note from their recipient family. This year, because of COVID-19 and in an effort to maintain as little physical contact as possible, we are encouraging donors to use our online donation option, if they wish, so that families can purchase their own gifts. We will also be taking extra precautions for those who wish to continue to purchase gifts and deliver them to Lifeline. How much does it cost to adopt a family? Over the years, we have determined that donors on average spend between $75-100 per individual. If you want to make your gift go as far as possible, please contact us. We can match you with a larger or smaller family to meet your budget. You can also adopt a family as a group of two or more donors who give together to sponsor a family. Or, you can donate gift cards which are helpful in providing basic needs for families. Can I donate used items? We do not accept donations of used goods for the holiday season. All gifts and donations must be new. Can I adopt multiple families? Yes, you can adopt as many families as you wish as long as you can provide the same level of commitment to each family. Can my group adopt a family? Yes! The Adopt-a-Family program is a great opportunity for schools, faith groups, businesses, and other organizations. Groups are often able to adopt multiple families or larger families, which are typically more difficult to match. When and where should I deliver gifts? Due to COVID-19, this year we will not be hosting our annual Drop-off Party. Instead, we will be accepting gifts November 30-December 14 during designated drop off times at our Vista Campus. More information and details to come. How should the items be delivered? Should we wrap the gifts? This year we ask that ALL gifts be unwrapped. We encourage donors to include gift-wrapping with the donation so that families can wrap presents themselves. We ask that you deliver your gifts in large bins, boxes, or bags so we can ensure your items stay together. It is helpful, but not required, to separate gifts for each family member into their own box/bin/ bag. Most importantly: make sure the recipient’s name and family code are clearly labeled on all gifts. Once all of your gifts are labeled and placed in boxes/bins/ bags, please label the container with the family code and list how many boxes you have for the family. For example if there are 3 total boxes: Box 1 of 3, Box 2 of 3, Box 3 of 3, etc. If you have more than one family, please use separate boxes for each family. *if you include Gift Cards, please make sure they are activated at time of drop off. To ensure they do not get lost, please put them in one envelope, clearly labeled with the intended recipient, and write the family code on the envelope.* What if I can’t follow through with my adoption? If you are unable to follow through with your adoption, please contact us immediately. We will need to make other arrangements for the family. I can’t adopt a family, but I still want to donate and/or volunteer my time. How can I help? We always appreciate any donation to Lifeline! Please visit this page to learn about the various ways you can help. Gift cards of any denomination and stores are used to support a family who either hasn’t been adopted, or who needs a little extra support. We also have an Amazon wish list with items needed specifically for Adopt a Family such as wrapping paper and supplies, gift bags, Christmas trees and decorations, etc. Throughout the first 2 weeks of December, we need dozens of volunteers! Contact us if you would like to volunteer—bring family, friends, co-workers, the more the merrier! We will of course be following safety recommendations and protocols to prevent the spread COVID-19. Is my donation tax deductible? Adopt-a-Family gifts and donations can be tax-deductible. You will receive a thank you letter in January describing your participation in the program; only gift cards or cash donations will be given their corresponding dollar value in the letter. Keep your receipts as backup for in-kind donations so you can attach those to the letter for tax purposes. Our tax ID Number is 95-2794253. Have a question that wasn’t answered here? Email give@nclifeline.org or contact 760-842-6254.
Aug 13, 2020
2020 Lifeline Awards
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our virtual 2020 Lifeline Awards. If you missed itor would like to watch again, click the link below to watch the recording. Watch the Recording!