History
Nati’s House DBA Neutral Ground has served the City of Santa Ana since 1992, established in 2007 as a 501 C-3 non-profit organization, and has built community trust and earned an impeccable reputation for targeted services in prevention, intervention, and mediation and conflict resolution for students and families residing in Santa Ana.
The health and wellbeing of the Santa Ana community has been an integral component of Neutral Ground’s mission since the beginning. In 1975, at the age of 15, our founder, Nati Alvarado, born and raised in the City of Santa Ana, had become a young father and struggled with involvement in the juvenile justice system. This later impassioned him to help others to avoid the mistakes and heartache that he and his family experienced throughout his youth, and to tackle systemic issues that continue to further marginalize our most vulnerable youth and communities. Neutral Ground is truly an agency that is homegrown and reflective of the heart and human capital of the City.
Nati’s House DBA Neutral Ground has served the City of Santa Ana since 1992, established in 2007 as a 501 C-3 non-profit organization, and has built community trust and earned an impeccable reputation for targeted services in prevention, intervention, and mediation and conflict resolution for students and families residing in Santa Ana.
The health and wellbeing of the Santa Ana community has been an integral component of Neutral Ground’s mission since the beginning. In 1975, at the age of 15, our founder, Nati Alvarado, born and raised in the City of Santa Ana, had become a young father and struggled with involvement in the juvenile justice system. This later impassioned him to help others to avoid the mistakes and heartache that he and his family experienced throughout his youth, and to tackle systemic issues that continue to further marginalize our most vulnerable youth and communities. Neutral Ground is truly an agency that is homegrown and reflective of the heart and human capital of the City.
Mission
Neutral Ground’s mission is to create a healthier, safer Orange County centered on its communities most impacted by gang violence; breaking the cycle of poverty, child abuse, academic failure, and teen pregnancy through restorative practice, youth development, academic support, and the strengthening of meaningful relationships.
Vision
Neutral Ground envisions an Orange County where children are free to grow, streets are safe, and investment in education and community well-being comes before incarceration. We believe in schools that meet youth with support, not punishment, and a community where every person has the chance to thrive.
Beyond our county, we imagine a world where no child is pushed into contact with the justice system or forced into premature resilience, a world where kids truly get to be kids.
We work every day to make this vision real: schools that prioritize mental health over metal detectors, safe public spaces for families, and a city that invests in its youth fully and unapologetically.