DAVID AND MARGARET HOME INC
Mission Statement
Nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, David & Margaret Youth and Family Services is a comprehensive social services agency. Our mission is to help needy children, youth, and families through a broad range of programs and services. Located in the city of La Verne, about 30 miles east of Los Angeles, we are one of the oldest agencies of its kind in California. Our beautiful campus covers 17.5 acres.
About This Cause
Mission David & Margaret empowers children, youth, and families through culturally diverse services that foster emotional, educational, spiritual, and identity development. History Back in the 1800s, when the city of La Verne was known as Lordsburg, there was no child welfare system, no safety net for the underserved. Children who were orphaned or abandoned found themselves roaming the streets, struggling for survival and entirely dependent on the generosity of strangers. In 1892, First National Bank president, Henry Kuns, purchased 18 acres of property and constructed the La Verne Hotel. In 1910, Mr. Kuns donated the hotel to the Women’s Home Missionary Society of the Methodist Church to establish the David & Margaret Home for Children as the area’s first orphanage, named after his parents. By 1925, the La Verne Hotel was in disrepair and Mr. Kuns donated more land and funds to build a safer facility to house the children, known today as the Whitney Building. For many years, much of the land was used as a farm to help feed the children and sustain the agency’s operations. The children began to transition out of the Whitney Building in 1964, when the first residential cottage was built to create a homelike environment, with the final cottage built in 1995. Since the early 90s, a store located in the Whitney Building has offered our community affordable food and household items whose proceeds support David & Margaret’s mission. Today and Tomorrow Today, David & Margaret serves more than 1,000 clients annually through a comprehensive range of services. In 2015, The Campaign for David & Margaret was launched to construct the Cedar Springs Village. It provides increased housing, a community center, and work force training center for youth transitioning out of foster care. Cedar Springs is one of the largest centers of its kind in Southern California. David & Margaret is committed to using its resources and deep experience to continue providing the highest quality programs.