The North Fillmore Police Storefront has accomplished a great deal since its beginnings over 16 years ago, from saving a child’s life to turning Christmas into a time of joy for many children; it has been a great asset to the residents of Fillmore.

Established September 10, 1995 through a COPS More Program Grant applied for by Lt. Dick Purnell along with an $18,000 Family Preservation Grant received in early 1996, the Storefront began with three positions: DARE office, Special Enforcement Deputy, Community Resource Officer.

The Storefront sits on property contracted by the City of Fillmore with a leased price of one dollar per month, which includes a child’s park. Today it is primarily run under the guidance of retired Sheriffs Officer Max Pina who serves as the Community Resource Officer.

Pina’s long carrier with law enforcement started in January 1965 as a Reservist with the Santa Paula Police Department and joined Fillmore Police in August of 1971. Later in 1986, when the City of Fillmore contracted with the VCSD, Pina signed on with the Sheriffs and retired in November of 1999 after 34 years of service.
The Storefront has been a dependable resource for many low income residents, serving the needs of citizens throughout Fillmore, the unincorporated community of Piru and occasionally Santa Paula, Oxnard and Ventura residents who travel to the Storefront for Legal Aid.

With a goal to educate the public and promote the importance of formal education thus benefiting society as a whole, the Storefront has its priorities heading in the right direction. While overseeing a wide breadth of programs throughout the years, it has provided the community with over 40 services; everything from emergency food, citizenship classes, child gun safety classes, computer classes, crisis intervention and CPR classes, to name a few. Yearly 14,585 people receive assistance with an average of 20 to 130 people helped on any given day. Since 1995 over 197,264 Fillmore and Piru residents have received help and services.

One of the most rewarding incidents the Storefront has to its credit happened in 1996, when a resident of North Fillmore arrived to the Storefront with her son who was choking and couldn’t breathe. Andrew Gonzalez who was at the Storefront, preformed the Heimlich maneuver which released a marble that was lodged in the boy’s throat. The FFD was called, but chances are they would not have arrived in time to save the child; who is now grown and still living in Fillmore.

Most notable to the community is the City of Fillmore Community Public Safety Toy Giveaway which is a joint effort with the Fillmore Fire Dept (FFD) and the Storefront. This event serves about 1,500 residents during the holidays, including 1,000 are children. Every year the FFD volunteers its services and provides a BBQ dinner in exchange for new toys. The toys along with toys donated by the Simi Valley Salvation Army are then donated to the Storefront. During the Christmas holidays Santa Claus arrives at the Storefront on a fire engine and sits in a special chair where each child’s picture is taken on Santa’s lap and then given a toy and candy cane. Private donations of Christmas trees have also been distributed along with groceries including a turkey and in past years Laura Bartels, of Scoles, Bartels and Taylor Law Offices, has secured donation to supply each child with a new winter coat.

The Storefront also serves as an alternative for delinquent youth to put in their community service hours by the probation department or local courts. The youth put in their time by maintaining the Storefront and neighborhood cleanup.

The Storefront is open Monday through Thursday and partners with Ventura Community College (VCC), the Fillmore Unified School District (FUSD), Santa Clara Valley Legal Aid (SCVLA), Oxnard Coalition to End Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse, Food Share and the Employment Development Department.

There are presently thirteen active programs available which include; Homework Center (one of the prides of the program), provided by FUSD, which allows children a safe environment to get help with their homework and is available Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 3:30-4:30 pm.

Brown Bag, providing food for low income people over 60 years of age and is available the first and third Wednesday of each month from 8:30-11:00am.

Commodities are available to anyone in the community need of food and is available the second Wednesday of each month from 8:30-11:00am.

Legal Aid provided by SCVLA available every Thursday from 6:00-8:00pm for low income people in need of legal services. Legal services are administered by four Civil Attorneys, one Family Law Attorney and a Social Security Specialist.

English Classes/Even Start is available and taught by Migrant Education teachers to non-English speaking members of the community. Parents are also able to bring their children to participate in the Even Start Program (similar to pre-school). This service is available Monday and Friday from 9:00-10:30 am.

One on One Anger Management Counseling with a licensed therapist is provided through the Oxnard Coalition to End Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse and is available every Wednesday from 4:30-6:00 pm.

Other services available by appointment or on going are; Neighborhood Watch which teaches citizens how to watch for criminal activity in their neighborhoods; Community Public Safety Academy (Citizens Academy) is a 12 week course teaching the different levels within the criminal justice system and taught by personnel who are experts in the field of criminal justice; North Fillmore Neighborhood Committee serves the North Fillmore property owners with information on new development in their area and makes recommendations to the City. The Storefront also aids in referrals to organizations that may assist residents with needs not directly provided on site.
With today’s economy and the local unemployment rate higher than the California State average, the Fillmore Storefront is a great resource providing many families and unemployed individuals the help they need. The services it provides may help some residents see a light at the end of the tunnel.