The Voice, Winter 2015

Volume No. 26 | Issue 1

WINTER 2015

Voices for Children

in this issue:

3

4

6

VFC Named Service Enterprise

Early Assignment Reaches Milestone

Serving Transitional-Age Youth

Thanks to a generous donor, all operational costs are now covered for this fiscal year. That

“Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality.”

—Jonas Salk

Our Mission

Voices for Children transforms the lives of abused children in San Diego County by providing them with volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs).

Our Vision

Voices for Children believes that every child deserves a safe and permanent home and, to that end, will provide a CASA to every child in the foster care system who needs one, monitor every court file in the system, and advocate to improve the lives of San Diego County’s foster children.

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Message From the Board Chair and CEO

means that all gifts contributed by June 30, 2015, will go 100% toward program costs.

Dear friends, As the New Year begins, we look back on 2014 with tremendous pride in the accomplishments of Voices for Children. Our CASA volunteers (all 1,500 of them!) are truly heroic—bringing hope and light into the lives of children who are suffering from abuse or neglect. We are well on track to achieve our Serve Every Child strategic vision of providing a CASA to every San Diego child who needs one. And each day, our volunteers and staff work to provide what every foster child wants and needs: a “forever family.”

The end of December 2014 brought a record number of contributions to VFC, both large and small. Most significantly, one donor who believes passionately in this mission made a very significant gift. Thanks to him, we have now completely covered the operational and indirect costs of VFC’s $5.4 million budget and thus, between now and June 30, 2015, all donor gifts we receive will go 100% toward program costs. Voices for Children is proud of its high ratio (77%-to-23%) of program-to-operational costs. And now, because of a single generous benefactor, we can ensure that 100% of every gift that arrives will be used to recruit, train, and manage our large corps of CASA volunteers who serve foster children.

50-100 foster children between January and September 2015. We are now assessing the program and protocols of the former Riverside CASA program, and will be rescreening and retraining CASAs to use the highlysuccessful model developed by Voices for Children. We will have an office in Riverside County and are reaching out to previous Riverside donors for support.

It was very important to our Board that this initiative not in any way negatively impact the work we are doing in San Diego. We will only spend funds that were raised from Riverside donors or provided by the Judicial Council specifically for this purpose. We will keep separate accounting and maintain full transparency, and the Riverside program team will operate under the direction of the President/CEO but separately from the San Diego program team. The Board has established a Riverside Program Oversight Committee that will work with VFC’s management team to monitor activities, and will assess the initiative in September 2015 before VFC continues its contractual arrangement with the Judicial Council to manage the Riverside CASA program.

The year 2015 brings us a new opportunity and a new chance for our organization to serve foster children in need. Voices for Children is in the Top 5 of all CASA programs in the United States; we are the largest in the West and manage 20% of all CASA volunteers in our state. Because of this prominence, the Judicial Council of California asked us to take on a very special challenge. The CASA Program in neighboring Riverside County, which had operated since 1990, closed completely in August 2014, leaving that county’s foster children without CASA representation. Just as in San Diego, thousands of children in Riverside have been abused, neglected, or abandoned by their parents and are living in the chaos and confusion of group homes, foster homes, and emergency shelters. They desperately need CASAs to advocate for them, and the Judicial Council asked VFC to step in and help the Riverside program get back on its feet. The Board of Directors of VFC deliberated for several months on this request, and in November 2014, voted to accept the challenge.

Ultimately, the deciding factor for the VFC Board was that there are children who desperately need what we can provide—to recruit, train, and manage CASAs to advocate on their behalf in court and in the community. Moreover, the Judicial Council, which oversees the state’s CASA programs, asked us to step into a very difficult situation because they had such confidence in us.

Our goal now is to get the Riverside CASA program back into operation for the benefit of that county’s foster children.

We have thus begun to operate a satellite program in Riverside County, with several Riverside-based staff. The goals are modest to begin: to serve

David Bialis Chair of the Board of Directors

On behalf of everyone at Voices for Children, we thank you for your compassionate concern for all foster children who are suffering. Together, we can make a difference in their lives.

With warm regards,

Sharon M. Lawrence, Esq. President/CEO

Pat and Clair Cunningham have been non-CASA volunteers with Voices for Children for decades. For the last several years, the Cunninghams have provided the snacks and treats at each Advocate University graduation ceremony.

Voices for Children Receives Service Enterprise Designation Voices for Children is pleased to announce that we have become the second organization in San Diego County to be certified by OneOC, Points of Light, and CaliforniaVolunteers as a Service Enterprise.

By achieving this level of excellence and certification, VFC is now better equipped to leverage the time and talent of volunteers in building our organizational capacity and delivering on our mission.

Research by the TCC Group, a national program and evaluation firm, found that organizations operating as Service Enterprises outperform peer organizations on all aspects of organizational effectiveness and are more adaptable, sustainable, and capable of scaling their work.

This initiative works with organizations using a research-backed model of transformation to realize their full potential as Service Enterprises.

VFC completed extensive assessment, training/ consulting, and a certification process that led to this recognition as a Service Enterprise. VFC’s certification projects included a focus on CASA recognition and retention, increasing our volunteer diversity, and creating new ways for volunteers to get involved in addition to our CASA Program.

Thank you to CASAs Linda Phillips and Dick Miller who worked with our staff on this certification process, helping us think through the support and communications we provide to our volunteers.

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154 Early Assignment Program Reaches Milestone

Honoring Connor Anthony Rosselot Farwell

NUMBER OF CASES

At the request of his parents, Tony and Caroline Farwell, and his brother and sister, Grant and Kimbel Farwell, the Connor Farwell Memorial Fund was established at Voices for Children to honor the memory of Connor Anthony Rosselot Farwell, who passed away in July 2014 at the age of 22. Nearly $30,000 has been contributed to VFC by 88 donors, including Allegro Investment Inc., an anonymous donor, The Confidence Foundation, Anthony and Caroline Farwell, Dianne Gregg, and Allison Henderson. This outpouring of support is a reflection of the tremendous love and affection felt by so many for Connor and the Farwell family. Tony Farwell, who has been a member of the Board of Directors of VFC for nine years, remembers his adventurous son as “gregarious, extraordinarily witty, uniquely creative, and very happy. He did backflips off cliffs, studied in China when all his friends went abroad to study in Europe, motorcycled through Vietnam and Cambodia, and was infectiously funny and engaging.” His father recalls his sense of humor, demonstrated even as a child when he was graduating from the sixth grade at Gillispie School in La Jolla. In a video for the ceremony, Tony said, “They asked each of the students what they wanted to be when they grew up and we heard various noble ambitions to become doctors, lawyers, and leaders. Connor smirked and finally said at the end of the video, ‘I want to paint those white lines for parking spaces’…” His classmates and parents howled with laughter at the joke, but his father knew it was his way of saying, “I will not pursue the conventional,” and he never did.

Voices for Children extends its deep condolences to the Farwell family, and its gratitude to all the donors who have remembered Connor by making generous donations that will help foster children in San Diego County.

that have closed since EAP started

One of the tragedies of foster care is that children often fall through the cracks and languish in an overburdened bureaucracy for several years, sometimes entire childhoods.

In 2012, VFC launched a groundbreaking program to change this paradigm.

The main objective of the Early Assignment Program is to match CASA volunteers with foster children as soon as they enter the foster care system, most often within two weeks.

Once assigned to a child or sibling group, CASAs quickly learn the facts in the case, assess the situation, and give up-to-date reports to their VFC Advocacy Supervisor so that they can collaborate and support the children through their time in foster care. Like all of our CASAs, these volunteers write court reports and attend the child’s court hearings every six months where they make recommendations to the Juvenile Court judges.

The Early Assignment Program provides numerous benefits to the foster children it serves. By pairing a CASA with a child early in the process, the CASA is assigned to the child’s case for the duration of their time in the dependency system.

Oftentimes, the CASA is the only constant adult in their lives as social workers, attorneys, foster parents and other professionals change frequently. Also, the CASA supports the child and the foster families, which in turn improves placement stability. EAP CASAs help foster children maintain connections to siblings and ensure appropriateness in contacts with extended family members. Assigning a CASA at the beginning of the case allows social workers, attorneys, and court personnel to work more collaboratively and these smoother interactions lead to improved efficiencies, all to the benefit of the children.

Currently, 198 CASA volunteers are working with 366 foster children through the Early Assignment Program. Of these, 213 children have a permanent plan of reunification, and 31 will be adopted; eight children have a permanent plan to remain in foster care are between the ages of 14—18. The remaining 113 children currently in foster care have a pending permanent plan, which means the Court is determining what the next steps will be.

Since its inception, 275 CASAs have served 648 children through EAP, and in only one instance has a child who has been served with a CASA through EAP re-entered the 4

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Funding CASAs and Brighter Futures

648

dependency system. The average re-entry rate in the state of California is 12%.

Voices for Children is extremely grateful to the charter funders of the Early Assignment Program including the Price Family Charitable Fund, Qualcomm Foundation, McCarthy Family Foundation, Samuel and Katherine French Fund, and Charles and Ruth Billingsley Foundation. Their support has resulted in a better future for hundreds of children in our region.

CHILDREN Served through EAP since 2012

It is the generosity of our many loyal donors, including foundations, corporations, and government agencies, that enables Voices for Children to provide advocacy services to thousands of foster children in San Diego County. We are grateful to these donors, and extend special thanks to the County of San Diego for a Community Enhancement Program grant of $16,050 for the funding of street banners and promotional materials to help raise awareness of our mission and need for CASA volunteers. In addition, the County of San Diego awarded a grant of $9,007 for much-needed computers and computer upgrades.

Both of these grants will allow us to do our work more effectively, and ultimately provide more foster children with the support and advocacy they so desperately need.

Thanks also to Price Family Philanthropies for a $250,000 grant in support of our Early Assignment Program (see opposite page). We are additionally grateful for Qualcomm’s recent $65,000 grant in support of our CASA Program, along with their $25,000 Starry Starry Night sponsorship. Impact Giving awarded a $25,000 grant in support of our Transitional Age Youth program, which focuses on the needs of youth ages 16-21, helping prepare them for adulthood outside of the foster care system. Thanks also to Datron World Communications, Walter J. and Betty C. Zable Foundation, Bank of America Foundation, Hay Foundation, Ticket to Dream Foundation, and National CASA for generous grants in support of our various programs.

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“Foster children need someone to show them love and support, but also someone who they can tell their dreams to and show them how achievable their goals are.”

–Sagon, 20

Bridging Gaps and Inspiring Dreams: CASAs Provide Compassionate Guidance to Aging-out Foster Youth “I had so many placements, I stopped counting,” said 20-year-old Sagon, remarking on the number of moves he had while living in San Diego County foster care. Now a sophomore at Cal State Northridge, Sagon credits John Weinstein, his CASA from Voices for Children for the last six years, as the person who gave him the motivation to finish high school and go on to college. “John has had many big roles in my life. He has a fun side, like a big brother; a cool, chill side, like a friend you love chilling with; and a concerned, loving side, like a parent who helps you along in life.”

John Weinstein, an investment advisor, became the volunteer CASA to Sagon and his sister Vivianne a few years after they entered foster care due to their father’s death and their mother’s struggle with mental illness. As is the case with most siblings who enter foster care, the children were separated and sent to different placements. However, like many CASAs, John was the link that kept the siblings’ bonds intact, enabling them to reconnect and spend quality time together.

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Through his court reports and appearances at the children’s court hearings, Weinstein was instrumental in initiating important living placement changes for Sagon, including his ultimate move to San Pasqual Academy (SPA), a residential campus designed specifically for foster teens. Sagon thrived there, becoming involved in extracurricular activities and playing on the school’s football team. In fact, Sagon lived and worked at SPA last summer while the dorms at Cal State Northridge were closed for three months.

Transitioning to adulthood is a crucial time for young adults in foster care. A study by the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative presents stark statistics: 20% of foster youth will become homeless after age 18, 50% will be unemployed at age 24, 71% of young women will be pregnant by age 21, and fewer than 3% will earn a college degree.

The realities are disheartening, but in 2012, the State of California enacted AB12 into law as one step toward reversing these trends. Named the California Fostering Connections to Success Act, the

showing me he cares. He has gone beyond legislation allowed foster care to be his CASA role and has not only shown me extended to age 21 if a foster youth is in love but has shown my siblings love, too. school or working, and chooses to We see John as family. I was 13 when I continue his or her relationship with the met him, and I feel that he has changed Court. Funding is available so that the my path in life and showed me so many young man or woman has at least a great things.” baseline of income during these critical years. Dovetailing with this new legislation, VFC developed a “The most important thing someone can new CASA initiative focused do in life is give you their genuine time and on teens preparing for life attention, and I feel that John has always after foster care—the Transitional Age Youth (TAY) done that. I am very grateful and blessed to program. With the extension say I have a person like John in my life.” of foster care to age 21, a youth in the system can also Regarding his work as a CASA, Weinstein continue his or her relationship with a said, “Working with foster kids gives the CASA volunteer, thus having the watchful opportunity to touch lives on a one-oneye and wisdom of an adult who has their one basis. Whether it’s working with kids best interest at heart. or any other cause, I think that everyone that has been blessed with the The TAY program trains CASA volunteers opportunity should volunteer.” to assist foster teens with life skills and knowledge specific to entering adulthood.

Following graduation from Cal State CASAs individually coach and counsel Northridge, Sagon plans to work in a field foster youth in many areas, such as that will allow him to inspire youth. “My education—providing strategies for career goal is to work in athletics and with completing high school, applying to youth, to help them succeed and colleges, obtaining scholarships; basic overcome hardships they may face. But financial literacy—opening a bank account, my biggest dream in life is to have my own creating a budget, saving for a major loving family and have a job that can purchase such as a car; employment— support us and allow me to have time to searching for jobs, creating a resume, spend with them.” Given Sagon’s preparing for interviews; and housing— resilience, resourcefulness, and drive, we finding safe, affordable housing. CASAs are confident he will, one day, create the can help their case teens learn how to family of his dreams. cope with stress in a healthy manner, take initiative, and interact with others in social The dreams of many other young men and settings. During this entire process, every women aging out of foster care are six months CASAs prepare formal reports supported by generous grants to Voices for the Court, keeping the judge informed for Children from the Bank of America about the plans, needs, and progress of Charitable Foundation, the McCarthy the youth in extended foster care.

Family Foundation, and Impact Giving, with additional funding provided by Of the nearly 5,100 San Diego County individual supporters of Voices for children in foster care, at least 30% are Children. On behalf of Sagon and the age 16 to 21. Currently, VFC is serving 331 other TAY Program beneficiaries, we foster youth through the TAY program, thank you! including Sagon. “John has impacted my

YOU Can Help a Child in 2015 Volunteering as a CASA may be easier than you think! Studies show that foster children with CASAs are more likely to be adopted, less likely to re-enter foster care, and have a much better chance of graduating high school. Sign up for an Information Session, and bring a friend! Learn how you can provide the stability a foster child needs and make recommendations to the Court that reflect the child’s best interests.

Nowhere else can you make this kind of deep impact in the life of a child and get the support you do from our professional staff.

Being a CASA may sound like a big responsibility, but Voices for Children is dedicated to supporting our volunteers.

+ No prior experience is necessary.

VFC provides all the training you’ll need. + You will be matched with a staff supervisor: your partner on the case! + CASAs receive mileage reimbursement and free continuing education opportunities. + You will also receive invitations to exclusive CASA events and fun activities for you and your case child.

CASAs must be 21 and able to commit to 10-15 hours of service per month, for 18 months. If being a CASA isn’t right for you right now, please help us spread the word.

You can contact us to request flyers or a speaker for your club, place of worship, or company. For more information, call (858) 598-2230, visit our website, or email volunteer@speakupnow.org.

life so much and in so many ways,” Sagon said. “He has always been there for me, VOICES FOR CHILDREN

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VFC EVENTS

raised

$1.36M

provides

464

FOSTER CHILDREN

with CASAS

On Saturday, September 13, 2014, more than 340 supporters of Voices for Children gathered for a spectacular evening at the San Diego Polo Club in Rancho Santa Fe for our 12th annual Starry Starry Night gala.

The event grossed a record $1.36 million, and the net $1.16 million will provide 464 more foster children in San Diego County with the caring support of a Court Appointed Special Advocate, or CASA volunteer. We are grateful to event co-chairs Jennifer and Dr. Richard Greenfield and Haeyoung Kong Tang for helping to make this another recordbreaking year!

Inspired by van Gogh’s masterpiece, The Starry Night, the evening featured a gourmet dinner prepared by Pamplemousse Grille’s chef Jeffrey Strauss, fine wines and cocktails, dancing, and an exciting live auction. Following the

auction was the screening of a video about two siblings, whose CASA tirelessly advocated on their behalf and helped both girls get on track for adoption. After the video, guests raised their paddles to pledge support to VFC and our mission. We are thankful for the guests’ outpouring of support!

Starry Starry Night was an overwhelming success thanks to our many sponsors, including co-chairs Jennifer and Dr. Richard Greenfield and Haeyong Kong Tang, Qualcomm, Cox Communications, Farrell Family Foundation, Nicole and Todd Mikles, Annette and Dan Bradbury, Holly and David Bruce, Pamplemousse GrilleJeffrey Strauss, The Ellis Family Foundation, Genentech, Hughes Marino, KPBS, KPRI, Jori Potiker, Riviera Magazine, and The Rose Foundation. Underwriters included Bank of America Charitable

Foundation, Covington & Burling, LLP, Steve and Lisa Altman, Kyocera International, Nordstrom, Janice Dodge, Inc., Beacon Pointe Advisors, Caroline and Nicolas Nierenberg, On Demand Lifestyle Staffing, The RealReal, KFMB, Grasswalkers, Dina and Gregg Buckley, Nikoo and Jack Chitayat, Dr. Seuss Foundation, and Suja. Our sponsors have contributed to providing advocacy and hope to the foster children of San Diego County!

Save the date for Starry Starry Night 2015 on Saturday, September 19, 2015 again taking place at the San Diego Polo Club in Rancho Santa Fe.

Ultimate Man Cave Board members Dick Pfister and Randy Finch brought together guys (and gals) for The Ultimate Man Cave, which took place on Friday, November 14, at the stunning La Jolla Country Club. This spirited evening of blackjack, poker, craps, roulette, and billiards, as well as a live auction, helped raise more than $57,000 for the foster children of San Diego County.

Special thanks to our generous sponsors and supporters: Dick and Kristi Pfister, Randy and Cambra Finch, Jose Alegria, Robert Amedeo, Patty Cohen (Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices), Cox Communications, Ray and Matt Ellis, Kathleen and Steve Flynn, Brian Hayek, Shaun Jordan (Abraham Trading Company), Kelly and Mark Kjos, Todd La Rocca, Paul Maidhof, Drew Nelson (Willis Allen Real Estate), Matt Osborne, Gregg Palmer, Penny and Mike Ryan, Kirk Strawn, Dan Sullivan, and Amy and Todd Trusso.

Top left and right: Event co-chairs and VFC Board members Randy Finch (left) and Dick Pfister with their wives, Cambra and Kristi; NBC 7 San Diego’s Dagmar Midcap and Mark Mullen with VFC Board member Haeyoung Kong Tang; Dan Sullivan rolls the dice.

Mark Your Calendars 2015 Fostering Hope Golf Classic Benefiting Voices for Children March 8-9, 2015 The Grand Del Mar

Starry Starry Night 2014: Sharon Lawrence, Esq., President/CEO of Voices for Children, with event co-chairs Haeyoung Kong Tang and Jennifer and Dr. Richard Greenfield; Irwin and Joan Jacobs; Chi-Hua Chen and George Lai; Kathyrn Ashworth, Esq., co-founder of Voices for Children, and The Honorable Thomas T. Ashworth; Meredith Dowling and Voices for Children Board Chair David Bialis.

In its 23rd year, the Voices for Children golf tournament has been one of the most Fostering Hope Golf Classic co-chairs successful and widely attended charity golf Katie Sullivan and Connie Unger events in San Diego County. This year, we’re introducing a new format, with festivities at the Grand Del Mar starting the night before the tournament.

On Sunday, March 8, we invite players and friends to join us for a reception and auction at The Grand Del Mar’s Club M. Guests will have the option of staying at the resort, starting tournament play the next morning at 9am.

The 18-hole tournament will be followed by a lively awards luncheon at 1pm.

To reserve your foursome, purchase tickets to the March 8 evening event, or learn about sponsorship opportunities, contact Judah Crossland at (858) 598-2222 or email events@speakupnow.org.

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Wine Women & Shoes May 16, 2015 Join us for a festive afternoon of fashion, fine wine, philanthropy, and friendship. Wine Women & Shoes features a glamorous runway show, a fashion marketplace, premium wines, delectable bites, a live auction, and more. All proceeds benefit Voices for Children. For more information and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Judah Crossland at (858) 598-2222 or email events@speakupnow.org.

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DONORS

DONOR HIGHLIGHTS

We are grateful to the following major donors who have made gifts or pledges of $5,000 or more between January 1, 2013 and December 15, 2014. If you see any inaccuracies, please contact Eric Pitarresi at EricP@speakupnow.org.

$1,000,000+

Farrell Family Foundation

Rancho Santa Fe Foundation

Anthony and Caroline Farwell

Prada USA Corp.

Dana and Brandon Black

Victoria and Frank Hobbs

Gina and Gregory Rippel

Anonymous

Galinson Family Foundation at Jewish Community Foundation

Claire K.T. Reiss

Dr. Magda Marquet and Dr. Francois Ferre

ProFlowers

Lynda Forsha and Bob Blanchard

Rosemary and Michael Risser

ResMed Foundation

Boys and Girls Foundation

Louis Terrell* and The Honorable Carol Isackson

$500,000+

Dr. Stacy Jacobs

Carmela Caldera

Dave B. Jackson

Colette Carson Royston and Dr. Ivor Royston

Price Philanthropies Foundation

The Kevin C. Tang Foundation

California Bank & Trust

Jeff Jacobs

Mary Rumsey* and Dr. Gene Rumsey

Susan and Alex Casdin

Lila and Jason Jarvis

The Samuel I. & John Henry Fox Foundation

Patricia Cohen

Juliette M. Condon Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation

Sandra Timmons and Richard Sandstrom

Haeyoung Kong Tang Charles E. White and Amy Gibbs

Mitch and Alyce Lynn/Combined Resources International Patsy and David Marino/Hughes Marino Nicole and Todd Mikles

$100,000+

Lise Wilson and Steven Strauss

Anonymous Genta and Fred Luddy Joan and Irwin Jacobs Judicial Council of California Leichtag Foundation Lily Lai Foundation

$75,000+ American Contractors Indemnity Co. Jocelyn Bauer/The Bauer Foundation Century Club of San Diego Cox Communications

Penny and Mike Ryan/Integrated Marketing Systems

Audrey Geisel/Dr. Seuss Foundation

Trish and Dan Ryan

Genentech

Lauree and Monte Sahba

Shrontz Family Foundation

Goodrich Foundation

Sahm Family Foundation

United Way of San Diego County

Helene and George Gould

Dorian and William Sailer

Dr. Laurie Mitchell and Brent Woods

HD Supply

San Diego County Bar Foundation

Diane and David Zeiger

Hervey Family Non-endowment Fund

Anamaria and Dr. Luis Sanchez

Samuel & Katherine French Fund The Seth Sprague Educational & Charitable Foundation

Jill Skrezyna and Alex Sun Walter J. and Betty C. Zable Foundation

$25,000+

$10,000+

Debby and Hal Jacobs

Laura and Alonso Amaya

Bonnie and Steve Kane

Anonymous (5)

Association of Legal Administrators San Diego Bank of America Charitable Foundation

Kathryn F. Ashworth, Esq. and The Honorable Thomas Ashworth III

David Bialis

AT&T United Way Employee Giving Campaign

Holly McGrath Bruce and David Bruce

Jonni and Steve Bailey

Patricia and Marc Brutten

Robyn Hudgens and Ed Batts

Becca and Jason Craig

Sharon M. Lawrence, Esq. and Darin Boles

Dowling & Yahnke, Inc.

Julie and Noah Bretz

Gina and Raymond Ellis

Debby and Wain Fishburn Julianne Larsen and Jim Forbes

Carole Sachs

Livingston Family Foundation

$250,000+

Terry and Timothy Riley

Jori Potiker and Michael C. Brown*

Kappa Alpha Theta Fraternity Eta Iota Chapter Councilmember Mark Kersey Linda and Richard L. Kintz, Esq. Kyocera International Dr. George Lai Jennifer and Matt Landa Las Patronas

Julie Frimmer and Alan Sauvage Sheryl and Bob Scarano The Stone Map And Atlas Foundation Kathliene and Jon Sundt Tecate Industries, Inc. The TJX Foundation /The TJX Companies U.S. Bank Connie and Dr. Richard Unger Joan Waitt Robin and Kevin Werner Sheryl and Harvey White

Cambra and Randy Finch

Charles Burruss

Nancy and John Lawton/ AJL Charitable Foundation

Jennifer and Dr. Richard Greenfield

Sally and Jeff Busby

Ellen Marks

Amy and Jim Wood

Greg Byrum

Diane M. Martin

Lany and Alex Zikakis

Impact Giving

C.J. & Dot Stafford Memorial Trust

Marcia and Michael Martin

In-N-Out Burger Foundation

Debra and Edward Capozzoli

McCarthy Family Foundation

Charles and Ruth Billingsley Foundation

Rita Ryu and Matthew McCormick

Life Technologies

Scott Clifton

Marjaneh and Dan Miller

Lifetime Products

Susana Corrigan

Money/Arenz Foundation, Inc.

Massey Charitable Trust

Covington & Burling LLP

Morrison & Foerster Foundation

Nikki St. Germain Memorial Golf Tournament

Karen and John Creelman

Nordstrom Inc.

$50,000+

Matthew Osborne

Day for Change

Jennifer and Tim O’Connell

AIMLoan.com

The Parker Foundation

Nancy and David Doyle

Pacific Life Foundation

Anonymous

The Patriots Initiative at the Rancho Santa Fe Foundation

Ann and Dr. Robert C. Dynes

Sarah and Julian Parra

Sue K. Edwards

Party City of San Diego

Chandra and Roi Ewell

PGA Tour, Inc.

Holly Ellison Stephanie Bergsma and Dwight Hare Makua, Friends of Voices for Children National CASA Association Qualcomm Foundation Qualcomm Incorporated Rose Foundation San Diego County Board of Supervisors Katie and Dr. Daniel Sullivan Ticket to Dream Foundation

Rochelle and William Bold Annette and Daniel Bradbury

Maria and Michael Herman

Yolanda and Jimmy Janacek

Kristi and Dick Pfister Robert and Allison Price

Lee Clark and Dr. Jerry Pikolysky

Photos in this issue: Cover and pages 3,6,8,9 by Tim Hardy: shotbyhardy.com; pages 2, 9 by John Trice: johntrice.com.

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Fe and Ralph Whitworth

$5,000+ Lisa and Raul Albanez Allegro Investments Anderson Direct Marketing Anonymous Casey and Mac Armstrong Sepi and Peter Arrowsmith Arthur and Jeanette Pratt Memorial Fund Ashford University John Baldwin Asia and Marc Barmazel Beacon Pointe Advisors

The Country Friends, Inc Gigi and Ed Cramer Cresa San Diego, LP Cubic Corporation Dr. Adrienne Day De Falco Family Foundation, Inc. Tracey DeBello Delphi Private Advisors Sara and Dr. Larry Dodge Karin and Gary Eastham Farmers Insurance Lisette and Michael J. Farrell Olivia and Dr. Peter C. Farrell Anne and John Farrell Jake Figi Kim Oliver-Fink and Jeff Fink First American Title Insurance First Foundation Advisors Angela and Koji Fukumura G.A.G. Charitable Corporation Cynthia and Christopher Garrett Georges & Germaine Fusenot Charity Foundation Good Source Solutions Laury Graves Silvia and Dan Greenbaum Joanna and Kevin Harris The Hay Foundation Ashley and Brian Hayek Dorothy Helm* and John Helm Helmstetter Family Foundation

Melissa and Erbin Keith Kate and Dick Kelley Kiwanis Club of La Jolla Sandra and Monte Koch Jeri and Dr. Bill Koltun Kroha/Casner Family Foundation Jill and Cheston Larson Sarah and Kurt Livermore Mary Keough Lyman Anita and Michael Mahaffey Papa Doug Manchester/UT San Diego Larry D. Marcus Leila and Chris Maulik Susan and Steven Mollenkopf Jennifer and William Morrissey Jamie and Mark Mullen Susan and Mark Mulzet Lynn and Fred Muto Barbara and John Noyes

Rivers of Hope Foundation

Catherine Scanlon Stacy Schievelbein Sempra Energy Susie and Dean Spanos St. Germaine Children’s Charity Linda Starkman Karen and Michael Stone Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation Dr. Alice Mo and Ted Tchang Linda and Ray Thomas Rhonda and Mark Turvey Union Bank Viejas Tribal Government Lori and Bill Walton Warren Family Foundation Paula and Allan Wasserman Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC Wells Fargo Foundation Paula and Kenneth Whalen Cissy and Scott Wolfe

Allison and Kevin O’Malley Lynn Gorguze and The Honorable Scott Peters Kimberly and James Peterson Pfister Family Foundation Barbara Meserve and Ken Pickle Debbie Turner and Conrad Prebys Gigie and Larry Price Sam and Jennifer Rasmussen The RealReal Koki and Richard Reasons

Denotes gift made through the San Diego Foundation. *Deceased Voices for Children’s CASA program and services for foster children are made possible, in part, thanks to major institutional support from the Price Philanthropies Foundation, the Qualcomm Foundation, the Lily Lai Foundation, the Judicial Council of California, Ticket to Dream Foundation, National CASA Association, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, and a broad range of generous individuals, companies, and foundations.

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2851 Meadow Lark Drive San Diego, CA 92123

NON PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PA I D SAN DIEGO, CA PERMIT NO. 2759

Return Service Requested

Birdies for Charity

Discounted Tickets to Farmers Insurance Open Benefit VFC!

Voices for Children and 11 other San Diego charities focused on at-risk and underserved youth and military families are collecting donations or pledges for every birdie made during the competitive rounds of the Farmers Insurance Open, a PGA TOUR event (February 5-8, 2015). In 2014, PGA TOUR professionals made 1,504 birdies during the competitive rounds of the Tournament.

The Century Club of San Diego has provided Voices for Children with discounted tickets to sell for daily entrance into The 2015 Farmers Insurance Open, February 5-8, 2015.

Donations are then maximized through a bonus pool of more than $160,000 provided by Farmers Insurance, based on how much each charity raises compared to the other 11 participating organizations. This year, first place (the group that raises the most money through the Birdies for Charity portal) will receive $40,000 from the bonus pool. (In 2013, VFC finished in first place and we finished in second place in 2014.) Birdies for Charity organizations also receive exposure through the Farmers Insurance Open. Additionally, all program costs are donated to the organizations, including credit card donation fees, printing costs, activation on-site during the Tournament, and more.

So that means you can make a gift with a credit card and VFC will not have to pay the fee!

To make a gift or pledge online, please visit BirdiesforVFC.org. If you would like additional information, please contact Eric Pitarresi at (858) 598-2243 or EricP@speakupnow.org.

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We are selling tickets for $30 each; in turn, Voices for Children will receive $20 of that amount to fund our CASA Program.

It is a win-win situation!

To purchase your tickets, please contact Stephanie Killion by phone at (858) 598-2292 or email at StephanieK@speakupnow.org.

Voices for Children is active on social media! “Like” us on Facebook, read our “Tweets,” and hear what people around San Diego are saying about VFC and foster care issues.