Padre reliever joins in launch of San Diego County center to help young sex abuse victims

Padre reliever Jason Adam at the news conference to announce Olive Crest s drop-in center Photo by JW August Reliever Jason Adam was an afterthought in the coverage of the Padres come-from-behind win It was slugger Fernando Tatis Jr who hit the dramatic home run but it was Adam who was the winning pitcher But the next day Wednesday Adam was part of an even bigger moment in San Diego s history the story behind the creation of a safe haven for young casualties of sex trafficking Adam was one of several speakers at the launch of a unique drop-in center a place where the primary targets of sex traffickers those aged to can get off the street and obtain help and counseling with no hassles The center will focus on those still experiencing abuse The launch is part of the effort by the nonprofit Olive Crest to provide options for youths who have been trafficked in San Diego Adam has four daughters a strong motivation for him to do what he can to help Olive Crest succeed in San Diego He recalled how he and his wife Kelsey felt wrecked when they began learning about the trafficking of children in San Diego and that there s tons of kids being exploited sexually at age It feels paralyzing to me to think about these kids out there he explained Adam communicated the assembled media and society officers at the Wednesday morning press conference that he longed to help to make a difference in the lives of the young people who the greater part often suffer abuse I feel like I get to benefit from the city of San Diego a lot the people the fans the weather everybody that just comes alongside us as Padres And I feel personally responsible to try to help Olive Crest has launched an initiative across Southern California with San Diego joining Anaheim Bellflower Coachella Valley and the Figueroa Corridor in Los Angeles considered a busy track of prostitute and pimping activity The nonprofit is joined by the San Diego District Attorney s Office as well as San Diego County Medical and Human Services in the effort which is being funded by a million grant from the state s Department of Social Services to create the drop-in centers Tracey Prior Chief Deputy District Attorney for the county commented that Olive Crest s work is critical in combating child sex abuse Child trafficking casualties cannot get safe if they are unwelcomed unhoused and unsupported This drop-in center is going to give the opportunity to casualties to be safe in a place where our justice system can then have the opportunity to come in and do its work combating what we call the ugly truth of human trafficking It s ugly because it s big Donald Verleur the CEO of Olive Crest who also attended the press conference talked with Times of San Diego about his parents who founded Olive Crest in His father Dr Don Verleur was a school mentor and counselor and was troubled because he would see these kids were being abused and neglected Verleur explained This would lead to his mother Lois and his father becoming working in fighting child abuse They jumped right in taking in four teenage girls to begin their effort he explained They opened their first home for abused and neglected children in Orange County Velour reported The effort grew over time reaching out to a wider and wider circle of families in need Then just five years ago they were inquired to run a residential home in Santa Barbara for sex- trafficked kids The nonprofit did a good job says Verleur and the state recognized it as an organization that knows how to work with these kids that are minors It was then that California declared would you do this as a comprehensive initiative And we decided to call it PROMISE for a plan aimed at preventing and restoring minors who have been trafficked Reported Adam I can t think of a better place to put time power and effort into than Olive Crest because all they do they give their lives to protecting these kids that need it so badly