La Cuna, Inc. News

David Bejarano
Retired Chief of Police
La Cuna Board Chairman

Message from La Cuna Board Chairman David Bejarano

During this holiday season, La Cuna is on a special mission to provide loving homes – shelter – to our youngest foster children. La Cuna is on a "posada" mission.

In Mexico during December, neighborhoods join in a social and religious celebration called "Las Posadas," which literally translates to "shelter." During the celebration, an entire neighborhood participates is a symbolic quest for shelter and takes part in a procession led by children, followed by adults and musicians. The procession walks to designated homes, singing a traditional, melodic song. The children sing, "please do not be inhumane, grant us charity." Many homes will deny the request, but at the last home, the homeowner sings out in reply, "Receive this corner! Because even though this place is poor, I offer it to you from my heart!" A happy celebration ensues, complete with piñata, food, music and gifts for all.

This year, our La Cuna foster families have answered our call and provided safe and loving homes to babies and young children. In fact, we are proud to announce that we've placed 53 foster children in safe and loving homes. We are also graduating a new, outstanding class of parents this December who will provide even more loving homes.

Now is your chance to answer our "posada" song. Please give a gift from the heart. Be a part of our posada celebration and help provide a child with a home. La Cuna is a privately funded Foster Family Agency, and your generosity will help us find another home for a child in dire need. From our La Cuna family to yours, have a very happy holiday and happy new year.

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!

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.

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.

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:

Someone (or small group of people) to organize our storage room
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.