Celebrity Experiences Auctioned on Foster Soles

At least a quarter of the $2.5 million that we raise each year is generated by special events. One event that is easy and fun to participate in is Foster Soles, an on-line auction of celebrity items conducted on eBay.com during National Foster Care Awareness Month. Because it is a virtual auction we encourage everyone to utilize social media links to promote the event. It is not only a chance to bid on some one-of-a-kind items, but more importantly, it gives us an opportunity to advocate for the children and youth we serve. It doesn’t cost anything to participate when we share items with our friends via Facebook, Twitter and e-mail, and provides a great benefit to Hillsides.

So please check out the website, http://celebrity.ebay.com/dr-drew-pinsky, hosted by Dr. Drew Pinsky of “Dr. Drew” on HLN, “Celebrity Rehab” and “Loveline,” and pass it on to your contacts.

Below is a pictorial of the experiences we are offering in addition to celebrity autographed shoes! Don’t miss this opportunity to bid on your favorite celebrity item or raise awareness of foster care issues.

Renaming Foster Care

Years ago there was a Saturday Night Live (SNL) skit with Mike Myers impersonating a female talk show host that always ended with a statement to be discussed among the guests. They always took a phrase and questioned how it is commonly understood. As we celebrate Foster Care Awareness month, I’m wondering in the spirit of this SNL skit if we would ask, “Foster Care….is neither foster nor care……talk amongst yourselves.”

The number of children in foster care is staggering: nationwide more than 500,000 children,  in California 100,000 children and in Los Angeles County, more than 33,000 children receive child welfare services.  Though the numbers have been reduced over the last several years, they are still daunting. For each of these children, the disruption of their lives is traumatic, the impact significant and the potential for long-term failure frightening.

So what of the foster care, child welfare system? While many of us know it as a worthwhile endeavor making a positive difference in the lives of children, nationally both “foster care” and “child welfare” continue to evoke negative impressions. Many actually do ask, what kind of “care” is it? The other day I received a call from the parent of one of our residents very concerned that her daughter was identified as a foster child in materials she received recently!

Maybe it is time to rename foster care? Of course, renaming it without changing the system would only be a gimmick.  The only solution is an unwavering resolve to provide a system of care that never loses sight of the needs of each child and family; a system that, although always focused on safety, is committed to providing families with the resources they need to care for their children; a system that is not punitive, but rather oriented around what is effective and committed to strengthening families.

The fact is that the child welfare system is changing to become more child driven and family friendly, and these efforts have contributed to the decline in the number of children entering the foster care system. The need of each child and family in care, however, has not diminished and the challenge to provide them the resources and services continues to be great.

In an effort to “rename” foster care here at Hillsides, we have developed an ingenious way to rally community support while drawing attention to the needs of the children and families we serve. Check out Foster Soles and join in supporting our efforts.

Thanks.

Celebrities Step Out to Raise Awareness of Foster Care through Hillsides Foster Soles

One of our signature events is Hillsides Foster Soles, an online auction of celebrity autographed shoes and head shots. Kicking off the shoe auction is Elton John, Mark Wahlberg, Jessica Simpson, among other celebrities. With the generous support from Bar Celona in Pasadena, we host a kickoff party to launch the auction. On Wednesday, April 27, guests will have an opportunity to mingle with celebrities, including Dr. Drew Pinsky, who is the event’s honorary chair.

The Hillsides Foster Soles Committee, spearheaded by Karen Tanji, our board member and owner of Bar Celona, has worked diligently in tapping into their contacts in the entertainment industry.  We are excited to have additional celebrities participating in the shoe auction like the Cast of Grey’s Anatomy, John Stamos, Denzel Washington, Seth Green, Mario Lopez, Sugar Ray Leonard, George Lopez, Gabriel Iglesias, Jane Kaczmarek, Billy Bob Thornton, Tim Allen, Jimmy Kimmel, Joan Rivers, Larry King, Dr. Drew Pinksy, Susan Pinsky, Dave Koz, Charles Barkley, Robert Horry, Billy Zane, Mike Epps, Marlee Matlin, Cast from Burn Notice, Chelsea Handler, Markie Post, Stan Smith, Mark Harmon, Pam Dawber, Kate Linder, Edie Falco, Rona Barrett, Kim Coates, Kaitlin Olson, Devon Werkheiser, Lauralee Bell, Jerry Penacoli, Natalie Morales, Peter Facinelli, Cesar Millan, Emily Valentine, Angela Bassett, Chuy Bravo, Jon M. Chu, Jack Wagner, Pauley Perrette, Melissa Rivers, Samantha Harris, Cast from The Bold & The Beautiful and many more.

Without the support from the committee, our donors and their contacts in the entertainment industry, we could not have an event of this caliber. We are so appreciative of the help we are receiving in getting shoes and celebrities to attend. I attended the event for the first time last year and, simply said, this event is fun. Bar Celona definitely provides an enjoyable ambience as the setting for Hillsides Foster Soles.

Guests who bid on April 27 will get a chance to vie for celebrity shoes with online visitors until the auction’s closing date, May 16. This year we are partnering with www.BiddingForGood.com to host the auction. The auction will be available for viewing on April 27 at 6:00 p.m. at http://www.biddingforgood.com/fostersoles.

Held during Foster Care Awareness Month, celebrities, guests at Bar Celona, and bidders of Hillsides Foster Soles can be assured that putting their best foot forward ensures a better pathway for foster care children. In Los Angeles alone, there are 32,000 children receiving child welfare services. Nationwide, 500,000 children and youth are in foster care. Together, we can raise awareness of foster care issues that these vulnerable children and youth face each day. Help make a difference to all those we serve in Los Angeles. Become a bidder, attend the event, or donate to this worthwhile cause.

Hillsides Foster Soles 2009 was awarded national winner of the PR News Non-Profit PR Awards in “Event PR,” a finalist in “PR on a Shoestring,” and Best of Pasadena, from Pasadena Magazine. Learn more about Hillsides Foster Soles and how you can attend by purchasing tickets to this event.