Help us ensure that our young and vulnerable children have a home for the holidays!

Did you know that approximately two–thirds of all children entering foster care in San Diego are aged five or younger? Please help us see to it that the needs of this significant and vulnerable population are met!

Each dollar you give through the end of December will be matched two to one, thanks to an innovative grant from an anonymous donor in Los Angeles.

• $95 sponsors fingerprinting costs for one La Cuna parent
• $250 covers materials for a La Cuna 24 hour parent training class
• $500 covers the average therapeutic costs of a La Cuna family
• $1,000 helps cover the cost of training for one class of La Cuna parents

We hope you will make a secure donation, in the amount comfortable for you, online at www.lacuna.org or mail your gift to:
La Cuna, Inc.,
3180 University Ave., Suite 260
San Diego CA 92104.

La Cuna Fundraiser organized by new board member Gretchen Von Helms, held at Dobson's Restaurant

Gretchen von Helms, Todd Frank, Pennie Carlos, Jena Joyce and Dolores Hickman

On Monday, December 10^th Gretchen Von Helms held a fundraiser at Dobson's, where wonderful Spanish wines were generously donated by Paul Dobson. Approximately 30 people attended the hour–long event and raised $7,000. Those funds will be matched two–to–one! Way to lasso those dollars, Gretchen, and introduce us to wonderful new friends such as Jena Joyce, Juan Lopez, Victor Torres, Eugene Iredale, Walter Zable, Dolores Hickman, Pennie Carlos, Michael Pancer, the Law offices of Guadalupe Valencia and last but not least, Jan Ronis! Thanks also to our friend Juan Garcia of Chevron.

Muchas Gracias

Our heart-felt thanks to those who have committed to gifts at the following major and special levels of giving!!

Major Giving $100,000+
San Diego Social Venture Partners

Special Giving $10,000+
Alliance Healthcare Foundation
The Bravo Foundation
City of San Diego
Compassion Capital Fund (CCF)
Cuatrecasas Foundation
First 5 Commission
The Guadalupe Fund
Nancy and Whitten Humphreys Memorial Fund
McCarthy Foundation
Myron Eichen Memorial
The Parker Foundation
San Diego County's Community Services to Families Project
St. Germain Auxiliary
Stranahan Foundation
Union Bank of California
Weingart-Price Fund

Spotlight on a Foundation

Las Patronas made a generous donation to La Cuna in November in the amount of $13,300 so that La Cuna may purchase equipment that would help us to unobtrusively observe family visitations, with permission of those families, and provide mentoring and feedback to biological parents. Huge thanks to Carol Cebron, Cheryl Duncan and all members of Las Patronas. You are allowing us to move further along on launching a project that will support the reunification of foster children with their parents whenever it does not put them in harm's way!

The mission of Las Patronas:

Las Patronas is committed to providing financial assistance to nonprofit organizations in San Diego County that provide valuable community services in the areas of health, education, social services, and cultural arts, and to continuing our tradition of service to enhance the quality of life in our community.

Board member Juan Vargas with
La Cuna mom Elizabeth Morales
and her adopted foster child

La Cuna's annual party in celebration of our families

On December 6, La Cuna celebrated Las Posadas and hosted a holiday party for our foster families and friends. A delicious dinner including tamales nourished the guests. The children's happy smiles and loud laughter warmed the heart. A face painter dressed as a clown delighted the kids with fanciful designs. The children also had a wonderful time painting ornaments with the help of our friend and wonderful volunteer, Diane Wintress. Our newest board member, Juan Vargas and his daughters played with the children and talked to parents. The evening was topped off by gifts for all the children.

Special thanks to Diane Wintress of San Diego Social Venture Partners for coordinating the event and making a significant financial contribution, and to the following additional underwriters/volunteers:

Andrea Campa and the Anastasia Salon
Dianna Delgado and the North Island Hispanic Association
Silvia Dryden
Chief of Police of National City Adolfo Gonzales, Ph.D.
Annette Monagas
Johna Vanderpool

Spotlight on a family

Deanna Cedillo and Eduardo

Arturo and Deanna Cedillo always knew they wanted to be foster parents one day. They have been very busy raising four children: Joseph (18) Joshua (16) Josia (7) and Jenelle (6), and running a successful painting/contract company. Arturo and Deanna are the kinds of people I (Rachel here) aspire to be – amazingly generous, good–natured, always finding the sense of humor in things and never taking themselves too seriously. In the past few years, Arturo has experienced some major life challenges with cancer. He and Deanna somehow meet even that with humor, and Arturo also decided that he had better not wait around to do something good for a child in need of a good home. They became certified La Cuna foster parents approximately one year ago and have had two foster babies in their care. The first was successfully reunified with his parents. They have had "Eduardo" for six months now, and have played a very proactive role in encouraging reunification with his biological mother. Bio Mom is determined to reunify with her son and her main obstacle has been poverty and one bad choice that she is demonstrating she has firmly put behind her.

The Cedillo family has gone way beyond what is expected of them as foster parents. When issues have arisen around access to his health care and Eduardo has had urgent health needs, they have paid for his doctor visits out of their pocket so he can have timely care. He has had various health issues, including Hip Dysplasia and a neck problem called Tortacolis. The Cedillos are used to taking Eduardo to the doctor multiple times each week. They regularly bring the entire family, as everyone is in love with the little guy and invested in his well–being, AND they bring his biological Mother, so she can keep actively involved in his well–being. (That mini–van sure comes in handy!)

Deanna says she sees a day coming someday soon when Eduardo will be returned to his Mother, and the Cedillos will be the ones being granted weekly visitation with him! In the meantime Arturo's health is remaining fairly stable, and they consider themselves a "blended family" with room in their hearts for Eduardo AND his Mother. We love the Cedillos and are constantly inspired by them!!!

La Cuna celebrates its newest board members!

Chief Adolfo Gonzales,
Ed.D.

Chief of Police

City of National City Police Department

Hon. Judge
Irma E. Gonzalez

United States District Court Chief Judge

Juan Vargas
 

Vice President External Relations

Safeco Corporation

Lena Rodriguez,
Ph.D.

Executive Director of Special Projects and Communications for the President

San Diego State University

Gretchen Von Helms
 

Attorney

Law Offices of Gretchen Von Helms

Under the leadership of David Bejarano, Chairman of our Board of Directors, we have increased our board membership. It now includes the above trustees, each of whom have joined board subcommittees and are helping us grow responsibly.

In desperate need of a few good volunteers!!

Many of our families are middle–to–upper–middle income earners, and the donations we give to them make a real impact in the quality of life they are able to give to our children. We frequently donate beautiful new baby furniture, car seats, strollers and other practical items to our families, which is part of what sets us apart and allows us to say we provide highest quality, wrap-around support for our families. USA Baby regularly donates fantastic items to our families (thank you Leslie!!), and AIM Public Relations firm has generously donated a large storage space to us (we LOVE you, Annette and Jeff Simon).

We need the following volunteers ASAP:

1. Someone (or small group of people) to organize our storage room
2. Someone who owns a truck who is willing to pick up and drop off deliveries at our new (free!) storage space up in Escondido twice a month

If you are interested, please e-mail Rachel at Rachel@lacuna.org or call her at 619.521.9900.