COAST CITIES — Interfaith Community Services (ICS) and Community Resource Center (CRC) have decided to merge with the vision of becoming a primary social service organization serving the North County region of San Diego.On June 14, the membership of Interfaith voted to approve a merger plan previously approved by the boards of ICS and CRC. ICS and CRC will come together beginning July 1, 2013 and the merger will be completed Dec. 31, 2013.
Christine Carrick, chairwoman of the ICS board, and Duane Nelles, chair of the CRC board, issued a joint statement saying: “We are both strong, successful organizations. We are merging because together we can better serve those in need throughout North County.”
Carrick will chair the new board and Silas Harrington will be vice chairman. Duane Nelles will chair the Board Transition Committee and will be an officer of the board and member of the executive committee.
Richard Batt, chief executive officer of ICS, will become the chief executive officer of the combined organization. Batt said: “Together we will improve and expand services and save overhead costs. Individually we are strong and combined we will be extraordinary. Our merger will help us assist more people and families in need throughout the region to become self sufficient.”
Laurin Pause, the chief executive officer of CRC, announced her retirement effective July 1.
“The problems and conditions of poverty, homelessness and domestic violence are broad issues,” she said. This merger will create solutions that are effective both locally and regionally, and it deepens the partnership we have already had with ICS.”
All programs of CRC and ICS will continue and some will expand, particularly those services designed to help families in need become self-sufficient. The identity and names of both ICS and CRC programs will continue. All service sites will continue and new sites will be added to increase accessibility.
Community Resource Center is a nonprofit organization that has been the primary provider of comprehensive social services to the North County Coastal region of San Diego County since 1979. The mission of CRC is to provide families in need and victims of domestic violence with safety, stability, and a path to self-sufficiency. Solutions include critical services in the areas of domestic violence shelter and recovery, food programs, job assistance, transitional housing and homelessness prevention. The agency has an estimated annual budget of $4.2 million and employs 50 persons.
Interfaith Community Services is a nonprofit organization that provides a wide range of programs to help hungry, homeless, and low-income people in North San Diego County. Programs include food and basic needs, shelters and housing, employment services, family and social services, children and youth programs, senior services, veterans programs, and addiction recovery. Each program is designed to “help people help themselves,” by empowering individuals to regain self-sufficiency. The agency has an annual budget of $10.4 million and employs 160 persons.
