Barstow, California (December 13, 2024) – To provide vital health and social services in rural communities, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians has awarded a $180,000 grant to A Greater Hope (also known as Greater Hope Foundation for Children, Inc.). The grant will support the Barstow Health and Resilience Project, providing direct mental/behavioral health care and therapeutic services to adult and child survivors of domestic violence, abuse and neglect. In addition, the grant will provide transportation for clients to services, as well as a greatly needed renovation to A Greater Hope’s Barstow office client welcome area.
The Barstow Health and Resilience Project impacts people of all ages, from senior citizens in A Greater Hope’s Kinship Program, to toddlers in their foster care Behavioral Health Program, to junior high school students in their Resiliency Program. With this grant, A Greater Hope will have a larger team ready to provide services, free of charge, to all in need. Inclusion is a core value of A Greater Hope, where all are welcomed.
“Access to care is just as crucial as the care itself," said Chairwoman Lynn Valbuena, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. "Through the Barstow Health and Resilience Project, A Greater Hope is expanding both capacity of the Foundation to provide essential mental and behavioral health services and enhance access to these services throughout the Barstow area. Our Tribe is honored to partner with such a compassionate and effective organization, ensuring that survivors receive the care they deserve—right here in the heart of Serrano ancestral lands."
The increased transportation services provided in the grant are crucial, as geography is a profound barrier to accessing life-saving services in the High Desert. At more than 20,000 square miles, San Bernardino County is the largest county in the contiguous United States. Greater Hope’s Chief Executive Officer Helena Lopez explained, “We need to serve families where they are, in the community they know. Care should not be inaccessible because of where you live. Our clients live in the far corners of San Bernardino County, down long dirt roads, with little resources.”
A new Program supported in the project is the Homecoming Program, which provides Kinship services. Though only two years old, the Homecoming Program has exploded in size, serving more than three times the clients anticipated. Kinship caregiving is an age-old practice that crosses cultures and geographic boundaries. As A Greater Hope’s Chief Program Officer Joe Lopez explained, “Our kinship caregivers are often grandparents raising grandchildren due to illness or death. Kinship caregiving is increasingly needed due to the opioid crisis. The benefits of placing children in the homes of relatives are well-researched, punctuated widely in data, and are seen regularly at A Greater Hope.”
A Greater Hope has partnered with the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians over the past five years to increase the number of quality resource/foster parents in the High Desert and the availability of counseling services. Their support of the Barstow Health and Resilience Project is the largest grant to A Greater Hope. “A Greater Hope has served the city of Barstow for more than 22 years. San Manuel’s commitment to serving this community is rare and unwavering. Their grant will be transformational, increasing access to quality, culturally responsive mental, behavioral and health care. We are deeply grateful to San Manuel for their leadership and philanthropy to address the urgent needs of our community.”
About the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians
The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians is a federally recognized Indian tribe located on the San Manuel Indian Reservation near Highland, California. San Manuel exercises its inherent sovereign right of self-governance and provides essential services for its citizens by building infrastructure, maintaining civil services, and promoting social, economic, and cultural development. As the Indigenous people of the San Bernardino highlands, passes, valleys, mountains, and high deserts, the Serrano people of San Manuel have called this area home since time immemorial and are committed to remaining a productive partner in the San Bernardino region. For more information, visit http://www.sanmanuel-nsn.gov.
