CHARITY THANK YOU LETTERS


(L to R) Carol Mishell, President-Elect, Nancy Davidson, Executive Director and Janet Peters, President Friends of Child Advocates

December 2, 1999

Motion Picture Industry Charitable Alliance
P.O. Box 1284
Springfield, Ohio 45501

Dear Members of the Motion Picture Industry Charitable Alliance,

Congratulations on an outstanding event! We were so sorry not to be there in person, but were grateful to have the opportunity to see the event unfold through the wonderful photographs.

Thank you so much for your generous contribution as proceeds from the Motion Picture Industry Charitable Alliance auction to support the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer program. We were so excited to learn of the success of the auction, and these funds will go a long way toward providing support for CASA volunteers in serving the abused, neglected and abandoned children in Los Angeles County.

As you may already know, the Friends of Child Advocates fund the work of the Child Advocates Office, which is charged with serving the needs of abused and neglected children in the Dependency Court System through the recruitment, training, supervision and support of community volunteers who advocate in the court and the community for the best interests of these children. What you may not know, however, is that the number of children served through the Child Advocates Office continues to grow, with more than 10,100 children receiving support services in 1998 —1999. Our volunteers dedicated more than 110,750 hours last year in support of these children.

Every contribution helps us to work toward increasing the CASA staff and, ultimately, serving more children in need. Once again, thank you for choosing the Los Angeles CASA program as the beneficiary for your exciting event, and thank you again for your generous gift.

Sincerely,

Nancy Davidson
Executive Director

May 3, 2000

Motion Picture Industry Charitable Alliance
P.O. Box 1284
Springfield, Ohio 45501

Dear Members of the Motion Picture Industry Charitable Alliance,

We would like to take this opportunity to once again thank you for your generous gift
as a result of your successful auction. We are so appreciative of your support, which has gone toward an exciting pilot project involving young children in the dependency court system.

As you know, Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers assistance to many of the tens of thousands of displaced, abused and neglected children in Los Angeles County. Trained community volunteers provide essential information to judges who make the decisions about these children's lives. Although CASA is a national project, the Los Angeles County CASA program serves the largest dependency population in the country.

The Child Advocates Office, whose work is funded by the Friends, is charged with serving the needs of abused and neglected children in the Dependency Court System. This is accomplished through the recruitment, training, supervision and support of community volunteers who investigate the circumstances of the child, facilitate the provision of services, rnonitor compliance with the orders of the court, and advocate in the court and in the community for the best interests of the child. In total, 10,126 children were assisted through the efforts of 315 CASA volunteers and 17 staff in 1998 -1999, representing more than 110,750 volunteer hours.

In 1997, the Department of Children and Family Services made the recommendation in 1,200 cases involving children under the age of three that there be no attempts at family reunification. These were dramatic cases involving issues like the death of another sibling, violent sexual abuse, prolonged and untreated substance abuse, abandonment or a parent's unwillingness to be reunited with the child. In many of those cases, the court concurred. In nearly 500 cases, however the court ordered that an intensive, six month attempt at reunification services be initiated. If, at the end of six month, there was no progress, parental rights would be terminated. In an overwhelming majority of these cases, prenatal substance abuse is a significant factor. These young children need the earliest possible attention to their physical, social and mental health needs in order to thrive. These children are the fastest growing segment of abused children in our community, and are also the most vulnerable to attachment and bonding disorders. Recognizing these issues, the Child Advocates Office has made the commitment to work with the court in serving these children

In order to provide close monitoring during the six month period, randomly selected cases are referred to the Child Advocates Office for assignment to a CASA volunteer through a pilot project called the Early Intervention Project. This is a short term intensive involvement for the volunteer, during which they monitor services offered to parents, determine whether the services are available and accessible, whether parents are able or willing to utilize those services, the frequency and quality of visitation between the parent and the child, and the appropriateness of the placement as a permanent home for the child. Through their efforts, CASA volunteers are providing close monitoring of these cases and providing information to the court that could have a significant impact on the child's future. At the conclusion of the pilot project, the Child
Advocates Office will be able to present a program that can be duplicated in CASA programs across the country. The results will also demonstrate to the court the value of the early assignment of CASA volunteers in these cases.

This program is a critical need facing the dependency court system. Research clearly shows that if a child is going to be freed for adoption, they are more likely to find an adoptive family at a younger age. Conversely, if children are to be reunited with their families, it is critical that the reunification take place as soon as possible in order to facilitate bonding and attachment to the parent. Children who are allowed to languish in the system experience frequent placements which prevent them from forging attachments with adults They develop significant emotional and esteem problems which make them less likely to be reunited with their families or find a permanent adoptive placement.

We are excited about the opportunity to touch these young lives and are deeply appreciative of the organizations and foundations who have stepped forward to help make this a reality. Thank you again for your generosity and support.

 


Roland Armitage, Anishnawbe Street Patrol and Jon Cassar, Co-Founder, Motion Picture Industry Charitable Alliance

December 10, 1999

Jon Cassar and Nigel Bennett
Motion Picture Industry Charitable Alliance
P.O. Box 1284
Springfield, Ohio 45501-1284
USA

Dear Mr. Cassar and Mr. Bennett,

We at Anishnawbe Health Toronto wish to convey to you and the Motion Picture Industry Charitable Alliance our appreciation for your kind donation to help support our Street Patrol Program.

Homelessness in Toronto continues to be a serious issue It is a problem which will continue until an infrastructure of long-term solution models along with the required housing is in place Until that happens, the need for the services Street Patrol provides to the homeless will continue.

The number of people living on the streets and dependant on hostels for shelter has grown steadily since 1992. During that year, Street Patrol served 12,515 people. By 1998, that number had increased to 31,116...a dramatic increase of 165 percent over a mere six year period. The number of homeless continues to rise unabated

Currently, AHT is in the process of enhancing Street Patrol to include case management service. Through this service, Street Patrol will identify and assist individuals work toward a life away from homelessness.

Once again, thank you for your donation. Financial contributions such as these enable us to respond where the need is greatest at any given time.

Sincerely,

Joe Hester
Executive Director

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This page last updated May 16, 2000