The Be A Voice, Take A Stand Gala is scheduled for Saturday, February 19, 2011.  As we eagerly count down the days to this fantastic event at Mandarin Oriental, Miami, be sure to check out the October 2010 issue of Ocean Drive Magazine featuring an interview with Jorge Gonzalez — Mandarin Oriental, Miami’s general manager.

Click here to read the full article in Ocean Drive, on newstands now.

There is nothing quite like a father’s advice.  Somehow he always has the thoughts and words to know just what to say at the right time.  While biologically capable of fathering children, not all fathers are able to be dads to their children, or speak for them. Some are mentally and emotionally unfit to be parents, while others struggle constantly with substance abuse. 

As we celebrate fathers and their advice in our lives, let us today remember those that are not as fortunate to have a father figure in their life - due to abuse, abandonment and neglect. 

In honor of Father’s Day, the Voices family has compiled some words of wisdom they have received from their fathers and father-figures:

A Father’s Advice

“Stay true to your word.”

“If you’re going to hoot with the owls at night, you need to soar with the eagles in the morning.”

“Stand up straight, shake hands firmly, and always look people in the eye.”

“An education is one thing people cannot take away from you.”

“Don’t swing if it’s not in the strike zone.  If it is, swing harder.”

“Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.”

“Sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all.”

“Say what you mean and mean what you say.”

What advice has your father given you over the years?

Diane, June 2010 GAL Volunteer of the Month

Diane has lived in Miami for over 30 years.  As a long-time resident, Diane felt compelled to become involved in something greater than her own self-interest and decided to become a Guardian ad Litem (GAL).  Since 2000 she has worked on many cases, some difficult and some less challenging.  However, the children have always served to remind her of why she became a GAL and why she loves Being A Voice.

When asked to recall a memorable case, Diane tells the story of a newborn baby boy, recklessly abandoned in a dumpster.  He still had his umbilical cord attached when he was found.  The baby was placed in a foster home where the foster parent felt an immediate connection with the child.  “On my first home visit,” says Diane “she expressed the desire to adopt him.”

With every home visit Diane made, she was elated with joy to see the love the foster mother expressed for this child, who while still so young had already had such a difficult life.  She noticed the home slowly filling up with a car seat, a bouncer, toys, books and baby clothes.  “When I held the child during my visits, I was often dumbfounded,” Diane recalls, “how could a person literally throw this child away?”

Diane continued to visit with the child and foster parent while the court completed diligent searches to locate the unknown mother and father.  In observing the foster parent with the baby, Diane believed that the foster parent could give him all the necessary tools to eventually become an asset to his family and the community.  “This was the opinion I voiced to the court,” explains Diane.

Every effort was made to reunify the baby with the parents but as the department completed its diligent searches, the parents were still unknown.  The foster parent filed for adoption of the child and his adoption date was set. “The judge’s chamber was full of everyone who was involved in the case and there was not a dry eye in the room.”

Voices For Children, in conjunction with the Guardian ad Litem Program, is proud to name Diane as the June 2010 GAL Volunteer of the Month.  Her commitment to the program and strong sense of duty are exemplary, and it is the commitment of volunteers like Diane that allow our program to thrive. 

For more information on Voices For Children and the Guardian ad Litem Program, please visit www.BeAVoice.org.

Mother’s Day is a long-standing celebration in the United States.  It officially became a holiday in 1914 under the authority of President Woodrow Wilson.  However it was originally heralded by just an ordinary citizen, Anna Jarvis, who wished to set aside one day out of the year to honor her mother, Ann Marie. 

Her extraordinary efforts remind us all that it only takes one person to make a difference that can affect nationwide and communitywide change.  She also reminds us that it only takes one mother to do the best she can, in order to make life better for her children.

Unfortunately, not all mothers are as successful parents as Ann Marie was to Anna.  They can be poor role-models to their children, lack the proper finances to ensure for their children’s basic needs, or have mental issues that prevent them from being the parent they want to be.  There are parents who struggle each day with the temptation of substance abuse and have difficulty balancing the stresses of work and finances, and consequently struggle to provide for their children. 

The cycle of abuse that is perpetuated by these sad circumstances is a vital issue in our community.

Florida has one of the nation’s highest per capita rates of child deaths through child abuse.  In 2008, the Department of Children and Families recorded at least 201 child deaths from verified child abuse or neglect.  Our state also has many mothers who are incarcerated, in hospitals or simply missing in their children’s lives.  For them, Mother’s Day is not the same as it is for mothers across the nation - nor is it the same for the many children who are missing those mothers.

This coming Sunday, as we celebrate the mothers and children in our lives, let us also remember those who are without a mother due to abuse and neglect.  Those who don’t have a mother figure in their lives to speak for them and represent their best interests.  From the Voices For Children family to yours, we wish you a fulfilled and joyous Mother’s Day.

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May is National Foster Care Month, a time designed to raise awareness about what foster parents do and why they’re needed. According to the Florida Department of Children and Families, there are more than 19,000 children in foster care across the state.  In Miami-Dade County alone there are 2,600 children foster care system that are in need of loving and safe homes.  This May, Voices For Children encourages everyone to think about what we can do to Be a Voice for these children, and ensure that every abused and neglected child in Miami-Dade County has a court-appointed Guardian ad Litem. 

There are many reasons children are victims of abuse and neglect.  According to a recent report  cases of shaken baby syndrome have jumped sharply during the recession, further fueling worries about the link between economic stress and the deadliest form of child abuse.  We all know that times are tough, and that financially speaking as individuals, we might be struggling to make ends meet.  However, the economy should not be an excuse to allow our children to suffer.

Please make a choice this May to stand up for children that are victims of child abuse.  Be A Voice for the children of Miami-Dade County by learning more , volunteering to become a Guardian ad Litem, or donating  to Voices For Children Foundation.

On Thursday, April 22, supporters of the Guardian ad Litem Program gathered in Coral Gables to recognize the outstanding volunteers for 2010.  The reception was sponsored for the second year in a row by Citibank who has proven to be an institution that values not just the well being and satisfaction of their customers, but also the welfare of their community.

“Volunteers are the soul of the Guardian ad Litem Program,” said Sonia Ferrer, Executive Director of the GAL Program.  “We are so grateful for these dedicated citizens who commit so much of their time, as well as their hearts, to ensure that each of these children has a voice in court.”

The awardees recognized are as follows:

Division 01 Award – Maria Frederick
Division 02 Award – Ana Crucet
Division 03 Award – Pamela Alvarez
Division 08 Award – Michael Suarez
Division 09 Award – Elsa Damas
Transitioning Youth Project – Kimberly Sorondo
Outstanding Community Advocate Award – Rosi Alvarez
The Joni Goodman Timeless GAL Award – Alina Unzueta Lorraine Munroe Spirit of Excellence Award – Rudolph Baboun

Voices For Children commends the 2010 Awardees for their commitment to the GAL program and extraordinary excellence they display in being leaders of the community.  It has often been said that our children are our nation’s most precious resource.  Volunteering as a Guardian ad Litem is just one way we can protect that resource and ensure that every child has a voice.  Congratulations volunteers, and thank you!