The Children’s Lifesaving Foundation was originally formed by Maria D’Angelo in 1993 to provide primary and preventative health care to homeless and at-risk children. These children were either chronically or terminally ill with cancer, pediatric AIDS, asthma or diabetes, or needed specialized or reconstructive surgery, skin grafts due to burns, along with subsequent medical & psychological attention.

In finding and working with these children, we realized that some needed much more than medical attention. Many of these children had never been out of their dangerous, inner-city environment; they had never been to the ocean, to Disneyland, certainly never to a camp setting.

We found that there are a large number of economically deprived children who suffer emotionally, psychologically and, quite often, physically - from the harsh urban environment in which they live and endure on a daily basis. As we began bringing children into the peaceful and naturally beautiful environment of the Santa Monica Mountains, we realized how quick, transforming and truly life-changing the results really were.

They are at great risk of perpetuating the cycle of poverty and despair in which they are growing up. This is the vital reason why Maria D’Angelo, Founder, President and CEO, founded the Spring and Summer Camp Enrichment Program. The main goal and focus of the CLF soon became to bring shelter bound, low-income and at-risk youth up into the Santa Monica Mountains to have the absolute summer of a lifetime!

At the Circle X Ranch in Malibu, over 35,000 children, teens and their parents have attended the Children's Lifesaving Foundation's camps to date. They have come throughout the year from shelters, missions, Boys and Girls Clubs, elementary and high schools, churches and other great organizations dealing with at-risk youth.

By creating two additional programs in 1994, the Adopt-A-Family Program and Project Angel’s Wings Program, and Kids Helping Kids, and most recently, the “Care through College” Educational Program in Venice, the CLF has found more positive, affirmative and permanent ways to further the great benefits and advantages realized for these at-risk and homeless children, teens and their families.