Tiffany Haddish, Greg Louganis, & Marilyn Monroe Star in RaiseAChild’s Banner Campaign for Foster Care Awareness
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Los Angeles, CA – April 10, 2020
The Village Family Services, in partnership with RaiseAChild, the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), and KTLA 5, has launched a new streetlight banner campaign across Los Angeles featuring three iconic former foster youth: Tiffany Haddish, Greg Louganis, and Marilyn Monroe. The campaign celebrates Foster Care Awareness Month and aims to inspire new foster and adoptive parents.
“The coronavirus pandemic has placed many families in uncertain circumstances due to unemployment, changes in family dynamics, and heightened health concerns,” said Bobby D. Cagle, Director of LA County DCFS. “Our goal is to encourage people to imagine themselves as foster or adoptive parents and join our virtual orientations and trainings.”
RaiseAChild’s campaign underscores the potential of foster youth to achieve greatness. These three stars—each of whom began their journey in foster care—serve as powerful reminders of what is possible with love, support, and opportunity.
“At a young age, I experienced the pain in foster care of being separated from my siblings,” said Tiffany Haddish. “It was then that I decided to do what I could to assure foster children that they are loved and valued.”
“I was very fortunate that I was adopted at nine months,” said Greg Louganis. “I even had the opportunity to briefly meet the woman who fostered me. I am truly grateful.”
“A lesser-known part of Marilyn Monroe’s story is that she grew up in the foster care system. Similar to any child in foster care, Marilyn often craved the stability of loving parents and a permanent home,” said Katie Jones, VP of Entertainment at Authentic Brands Group.
The banner campaign, which runs from April to mid-July, aims to increase the number of loving homes for the 35,000 children currently in LA County’s foster care system—the largest in the nation.
“The one bright spot to come out of self-isolation is increased interest in the foster and adoption process,” said Rich Valenza, CEO of RaiseAChild. “We’re seeing greater attendance at our online orientations and hope to inspire even more individuals to step forward.”
About The Village Family Services
The Village Family Services is a bilingual, trauma-informed organization serving vulnerable youth and families across Los Angeles. TVFS specializes in services for LGBTQ+ and transition-age youth, offering mental health support, housing services, and foster care programs. www.thevillagefs.org
About RaiseAChild
RaiseAChild is a national nonprofit based in Los Angeles dedicated to building loving families for foster children. The organization recruits and supports LGBTQ+ and all prospective foster and adoptive parents. RaiseAChild.org
About LA County DCFS
DCFS is the largest child protective services agency in the U.S., serving over 2 million children. It partners with families and communities to promote child safety and stability. dcfs.lacounty.gov
About KTLA 5
KTLA 5 is Southern California’s #1 local news station, producing over 80 hours of news each week and serving five counties. ktla.com
Media Contacts
Jamie Hector (RaiseAChild) – (973) 536-6709 – [email protected]
Tarry Kang (TVFS) – (818) 755-8786 ext. 1025 – [email protected]
Francesca Cascardo (Marilyn Monroe Estate) – (347) 318-4950 – [email protected]
John Lovelace (KTLA 5) – (323) 460-5548 – [email protected]
Amara Suarez (DCFS) – (213) 739-6448 – [email protected]
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