About Florence Crittenton :: Fact Sheet

fact sheet


history
Devastated by the death of his daughter Florence from scarlet fever in the late 1800s, Charles N. Crittenton, an affluent New York businessman, turned his grief into a life-long commitment to provide safe havens for young women in need. Ultimately Mr. Crittenton established 67 rescue homes across the United States to provide refuge and aid for these women and his legacy lives on today.

Founded in 1896, Florence Crittenton of Arizona is the oldest social service agency in the state, with a long and dramatic history. At a site near the railroad tracks in Central
Phoenix, the Florence Crittenton facility was originally a refuge for sick and destitute women, as well as an early provider of day care for working women.

Soon after, the rescue home evolved into a home for unwed mothers serving primarily upper and middle-income girls and women who put their babies up for adoption. Throughout our history, the needs of young women have consistently changed and so has our organization.

Historically, Florence Crittenton has answered the need of mainly girls in crisis by offering comprehensive social services. Today, Florence Crittenton extends its services and programs beyond the girls to include young boys and families.

florence crittenton, answering the need today


For more than 111 years, Florence Crittenton has been helping girls who suffer from abuse, neglect, teen pregnancy or mental health problems. Today, the agency provides shelter, education, counseling, and social support for girls ages 12-21 and enjoys a reputation for innovative programs that focus on the individual needs of each girl.

These programs have been extended to boys through our Independent Living and Life Skills programs and Crittenton Youth Academy.

On-site Medical Services – Professional medical, health and wellness services for girls in residence; includes an adolescent health center provided by St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center and full-time nursing staff.

Transitional Living – Program for girls who are aging out of the State’s foster care system and are in need of transitional living support and skills training.

Independent Living & Life Skills – Home-based training and support prepares girls and boys to live healthy, successful, independent lives.

Crittenton Youth Academy – Individualized instruction focusing on the whole student academically, socially and emotionally. The charter school serves boys and girls in our community as well as Florence Crittenton clients.

Girls Ranch – A supporting foundation of Florence Crittenton since 2005. The relationship has allowed Florence Crittenton to add a new program for pregnant and/or parenting girls in need of independent living, parenting and/or childcare skills training.

Healthy Families – Provided in collaboration with Southwest Human Development, Healthy Families offers support services to expectant families and families who have babies under three months old.

LIFE – Living Independently for Everyone (LIFE) is provided in collaboration with Casey Family Programs to deliver enhanced independent living skills services.

WINGS – Women Involved in Nurturing Girls’ Self-esteem (WINGS) is a highly structured mentoring program pairing Florence Crittenton girls with women from the local community.

how florence crittenton is answering the needs of tomorrow

• The needs of girls in crisis are critical and growing. For this reason the staff, board and key volunteers have developed and implemented a strategic plan that will ensure a strong network of support for girls and their families.
• The population of at-risk children served by Florence Crittenton are the most likely youth to end up as homeless adults, school drop outs, pregnant or with substance abuse problems.
• According to the most recent report compiled by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Arizona ranks near the bottom when compared to other states for teen deaths, teen birth rates and high school dropouts.
• Florence Crittenton is currently providing services to nearly 1,500 girls, boys and families with residential care, school programs, community-based services and collaborative programs.
  

how is florence crittenton different from other organizations that help young girls?

• State-of-the-art campus including four therapeutic cottages and a two-story, NCA accredited charter school serving an average enrollment of 200 students.
• Florence Crittenton is the State’s oldest non-profit and the only organization with a comprehensive level of wrap-around gender-specific services for girls and a record of success with girls in crisis. Florence Crittenton serves girls throughout the state of Arizona. No other local agency has this range and depth of specialized programming.
• Florence Crittenton is considered the gender-specific services expert for girls with acute emotional, educational, family crisis and adjustment needs.