HFS was honored at a regular Tuesday meeting of the Los Angeles City Council on May 28th, in honor of HFS’s 75th Anniversary, which also coincided with National Foster Care Month. Kevin De Leon, Council Member, 14th District, introduced HFS and gave a moving history of the agency, while a slide show of current and historical photos of the agency rotated on the Council screens. He then introduced Julie Brown, HFS Executive Director, who gave the Council information on the dire status of Foster Care in the greater Los Angeles area and the immense need for Foster Parents. Board President Marianne Wright briefly shared her own adoption history and thanked all those, past and present, who have made a meaningful difference at HFS through their volunteer and fundraising efforts. The program ended with the Smithers family, Tim (an HFS adoptee himself), Lilia, and their son, HFS adoptee Toby. Tim gave a shorter version of the speech he gave at the April 28th Circle of Hope Gala, but 2-year-old Toby was the star of the morning, hamming it up while fascinated with the microphone his dad was speaking through. Also present that morning were HFS Board Members Elaine Tumonis and Ryan Harlow-Nakano, and staff members Jazmin Gutierrez and Xenia Valle. A big thank you to Peter Brown, Communications Director for Council Member Kevin De Leon, who coordinated the morning’s recognition.
