Julie Ells

The Alliance for Community Transformations is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building safe, healthy, and socially just communities throughout Mariposa and Merced Counties. Since its founding in 1990 as Mountain Crisis Services, the Alliance has expanded its mission to include a network of six programs that work collectively to support individuals and families through prevention, intervention, and empowerment. Their approach is rooted in compassion, collaboration, and social justice—addressing complex issues such as domestic violence, sexual assault, homelessness, addiction recovery, and youth development.

Through programs like Mountain Crisis Services and Valley Crisis Center, the Alliance offers crisis intervention, advocacy, and education to prevent and respond to domestic and sexual violence. CASA of Mariposa provides volunteer advocacy for children who have experienced abuse or neglect, ensuring that each child’s voice is heard in the court system. Ethos Youth Center fosters leadership, creativity, and belonging among young people, while Mariposa Heritage House offers recovery support and peer counseling to help individuals rebuild their lives with dignity and purpose. Connections, the organization’s emergency shelter, assists individuals and families facing housing instability, linking them to community resources to help end homelessness.

Together, these programs form a powerful network of support, helping community members overcome personal challenges, restore stability, and develop healthier ways of living and relating to others. Whether providing crisis support, recovery tools, or educational opportunities like anger management and relationship-focused programs, the Alliance for Community Transformations remains committed to empowering people to create positive, lasting change in their lives and communities.