About Us
Learn about our history, mission, and commitment to empowering displaced teen mothers since 2006.
Our Background and History
Purposely Chosen, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) corporation, founded in 2006 by Dretona Maddox. Its services aim to offer help, hope and healing to displaced minor parents in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Our mission is to help displaced teen moms keep their babies. We accomplish this mission through our licensed STRTP (Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program) maternity home, providing specialized therapeutic care and a safe haven for displaced and at-risk youth; particularly homeless, runaways, and abandoned pregnant and/or parenting youth ages 13-21.
We unreservedly welcome them to have their basic needs met (i.e., shelter, food, water, love, and respect), and receive trauma-informed support, clinical education, advocacy and access to community resources to ensure a healthy pregnancy and delivery.
At Purposely Chosen, we hope that our services will enable these adolescents to discover their supreme purpose in life, overcome the obstacles of homelessness, and gain self-sufficiency.
Our Journey
Why We Exist
The Crisis
In Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, thousands of children and teens are involved in the child welfare system each year due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment. More than 4,000 children are currently in foster care in Riverside County, and over 5,000 in San Bernardino County.
At the same time, teen birth rates in the Inland Empire remain higher than the California average. Riverside County reports approximately 10 births per 1,000 teens ages 15–19, while San Bernardino County reports over 12 births per 1,000 — exceeding statewide trends.
For youth in foster care, the risks are even greater. Research shows that more than 1 in 10 girls in foster care give birth before age 18, and nearly 3 in 10 have given birth before age 20.
Mission
To help displaced teen moms keep their babies by providing safe housing, education, and comprehensive support services that enable them to overcome homelessness and achieve self-sufficiency.
Vision
A world where every young mother has the support, resources, and opportunities to build a stable, healthy future for herself and her child—free from stigma and full of hope.
Values
Compassion, dignity, excellence, integrity, and empowerment guide everything we do. We believe every life is purposely chosen and deserves unwavering support.
CARF Accredited
Our programs are proudly accredited by CARF International, an independent, nonprofit accreditor that recognizes health and human service organizations for quality, transparency, and commitment to client satisfaction.
"Accredited with purpose. Trusted with care."
For verification: CARF International | (888) 281-6531
Ready to Make a Difference?
Every young mother deserves a chance to succeed.
Your support can change lives.
"Because every life was purposely chosen."
Featured Program
Where Your Support Goes
Every dollar you give helps a young mother keep her baby safe, fed, and loved.
Join us in empowering teen mothers to build brighter futures for themselves and their babies.
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