15th Annual "All for the Love of Kids" Event Brings Together Over 300 Passionate Supporters of Children to Raise Funds, Awareness

 

Over 300 Passionate Supporters of Children to Raise Funds, Awareness

 

		County of Los Angeles    DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES    425 Shatto Place, Los Angeles, California  90020 (213) 351-5602
Board of Supervisors GLORIA MOLINA First District MARK RIDLEY-THOMAS Second District ZEV YAROSLAVSKY Third District DON KNABE Fourth District MICHAEL D. ANTONOVICH Fifth District            PATRICIA S. PLOEHN, LCSW    Director

 

 

     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-

      August 6, 2010

 

Contact:  Nick Bhatt or Neil Zanville

                 DCFS Office of Public Affairs

                 (213) 351-5886

 

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

 

15^th Annual "All for the Love of Kids" Event Brings Together Over 300 Passionate Supporters of Children to Raise Funds, Awareness

 

(Los Angeles, August 4) - Celebrities and foster youth performed to raise awareness and vital funds for the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Children's Trust Fund at the 15^th annual All for the Love of Kids at the Los Angeles County Arboretum.  This fundraising event was initiated by Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich in 1995 to support the Children's Trust Fund, which provides services and goods for foster children that cannot be paid for with government funding.  For over 42 years, the Children's Trust Fund has provided a wide range of  services including clothing for special events, replacement prescription glasses, educational field trips, equipment and uniforms for sports and enrichment activities, as well as special medical, orthodontia and dental services for children who might not otherwise receive these goods and services.

 

Sheriff Leroy D. Baca was honored for his "999 for Kids Program."  Other honorees included:  Kashif, Grammy-award winning singer songwriter, producer and founder of the iCare Foundation, Sylvie de Toledo, author and national expert in relative caregiving and Founder of Grandparents As Parents and event emcee and ABC-7 Anchor /Reporter Lisa Hernandez.

 

Mega producer and songwriter Kashif, legendary rhythm and blues diva Evelyn "Champagne" King and four-time Grammy-nominated and Tony Award-winning chanteuse Melba Moore were on hand to sing a contemporary version of "We are the World." 

 

Foster youth joined Kashif onstage for a moving performance of "I'm Gonna Be Somebody" which they recently wrote and recorded at Kashif's University Summer Music & Recording Camp for youth in foster care.

"There are approximately 16,000 young people currently in foster care in Los Angeles County," said Supervisor Antonovich.  "Each of them has suffered from various forms of abuse and neglect.  We need to ensure that each child grows up safe, healthy, educated and in permanent, loving homes. These young people are not the future. They are today.  We will continue our work to help provide services for emancipated youth between ages of 18 and 24; combat identity theft; provide dental services in medical hubs and enhance communications between departments and agencies to improve safety," he said. 

DCFS Director Trish Ploehn stated -  "The Children's Trust Fund helps our youth in so many ways, providing crucial items such as cribs for infants, refrigerators, and emergency clothing; it helps children transition back home and assists youth with emergent medical needs. It allows our youth to go to camp for the first time, take music lessons, participate in team sports, and if college bound, get a computer-the kinds of things that every child growing up needs and wants."

 

For Grammy award-winning producer and singer Kashif, this is a cause, and an event that's close to home. "Being here tonight is especially meaningful to me because I know only too well how abuse and neglect can silence a child's spirit and make them feel invisible.  I know I can share my music with children who need it.  I can reach kids and help them process their pain - and rise above it.  Music can relight that flame of passion within a child and help them believe in themselves and others once again.  That's just what it did for me," said Kashif.

 

Event sponsors included AT&T, Southern California Edison, and One Child at a Time. Dinner will be provided by Fosselman's Ice Cream, Gloria King Solomon, Calif. Culinary Institute Cordon Bleu Program, Chef Marilyn's Soul Food, Carousel, Subway, BJ's, Darvish , Starbuck's, and wines courtesy of Doug Colliflower.

 

 

 

 

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Event photos available upon request