The Salvation Army operates eight licensed Child Development Centers or Daycare Centers in Southern California.  The Centers in Pomona, Santa Barbara, Torrance and Tustin operate in conjunction with Salvation Army Centers for Worship & Service, and provide a safe and caring environment for children from infancy through five years of age. The child care centers help foster growth and development and allow children to gain a variety of skills and knowledge through age appropriate activities. The Alegria, Bessie Pregerson and Santa Fe Springs Child Development Centers are included as part of the residential programs they support.  Below are some Child Development Centers or Daycare Centers that may be located near you.

The Los Angeles Daycare Center is the one of the oldest and largest daycare facilities in Los Angeles.  The Center started as a Corps in 1922, and its focus shifted to daycare during World War II when women began joining the workforce in large numbers.  L.A. Daycare now serves up to 250 children each day of parents employed in the downtown L.A. garment and produce districts.  An after-school program is also operated on site for as many as 100 children per day. 213-623-9093

Known in its Pico-Union neighborhood as an “oasis for youth,” the Los Angeles Red Shield Youth & Community Center serves a membership of 2,800 children and their parents.  The primary focus at Red Shield is to encourage kids to stay in school and build skills for the future.  Children participate in soccer, tutoring, basketball, baseball, karate, ballet, swimming, scouting, computer learning and arts programs.  An all-day On Track program is also offered for students on a break from year-round school. 213-381-6994

The South Los Angeles Youth and Community Center  is a youth and community center developed to provide much needed services for children and families in South Los Angeles.  The Center builds upon and greatly enhances the academic, recreational and enrichment activities provided since 1997 through The Salvation Army South Central Youth Project – a collaboration between The Salvation Army, Weingart Foundation and the Los Angeles Unified School District.  The Center provides family services – emergency assistance for low-income families; child care center – care for infants to five-year-olds; and Center activities – academic, artistic and athletic programs for students of all ages.                   323-586-0288

The Hollywood Weingart Youth Center is designed to provide area youth with after-school sports, education and enrichment programs.  The primary focus of the Center is to guide and mentor young people and strengthen families by providing quality educational, recreational, and spiritual programs in a positive and safe environment that encourages personal growth that positively impacts family and community. 323-960-0493

In Orange County, three youth centers – Anaheim Red Shield, Henley Youth Center in Tustin and Santa Ana Temple Youth Center – provide area youth with recreational, educational and spiritual programs.  Services provided include arts and crafts and homework help.  Summer residential day camps give at-risk children outdoor and field trip experiences.  Children are also taught life skills, based on Biblical principles, to help build character.

Anaheim Red Shield  714-491-1450
Henley Youth Center 714-918-0659
Santa Ana Temple Youth Center 714-979-3482

The Way In Youth Shelter & Drop-In Center in Hollywood provides a refuge for homeless youth.  The residential program can house up to 20 male youth, many of whom are placed in the program by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). The Independent Living Program has four apartments for youth ages 18-22 who are emancipated from the foster care system or are of legal age with no family or other option available to help them become independent and self sufficient.  A Drop-In Center provides hot meals, showers, clean clothes and other support services. 323-469-2946

Camp Gilmore and Camp Mt. Crags are located in the beautiful Santa Monica Mountains.  Each summer, more than 2,000 kids between the ages of 7 and 16 spend up to six days at camp participating in arts and crafts, music, sports, drama and nature study at three camp programs – Camp Mt. Crags, Camp Gilmore and Outdoor Wilderness Camp.  The majority of the children who attend summer camp come from low-income families and their experience at camp is their first exposure to the great outdoors.  818-222-6327