A BRAND-NEW “BLIND SIDE” STORY TAKES PLACE IN THE O.C., AS OLIVE CREST’S SAFE FAMILIES PROGRAM BRINGS TOGETHER
A FAMILY IN NEED WITH A FAMILY WHO CARES
The Sheffield Family of East Orange, Members of Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church, Take in 17-Year-Old “Kyle” During a Time of Temporary Crisis
SANTA ANA – It sounds like a re-creation of “The Blind Side,” the Oscar-nominated Sandra Bullock film about a wealthy Memphis family that takes in a homeless teen (and outstanding athlete) from the wrong side of town. But in this case, the story is unfolding right in Orange County, California—and the teen’s mom is not a drug addict, as in the film, but a devoted single parent who wants the best for her son, even if for the moment she can’t provide it herself.
In the West Coast “Blind Side” story, Chrissy and Peter Sheffield of East Orange fill the roles played by Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw in the film. Before this all began, the Sheffields already had a full life and a full house. They own and run Platinum Container, Inc. in La Habra. They’re busy raising three kids: 18-year-old Tony, who attends Santiago Community College; 11-year-old Mia; and six-year-old Nate. They attend Saddleback Church, and take to heart pastor Rick Warren’s mandate: “You want to see it, then be it.”
So when the Sheffields learned about the Safe Families program coordinated by Olive Crest of Santa Ana, they knew they wanted to “see it” at Saddleback Church—and that they would “be it” by becoming a Safe Family and opening their home to a family in crisis. Continue reading