The Lourie Center for Children’s Social & Emotional Wellness
2024 Gratitude Report
2024 Gratitude Report • Letter from Executive Director
Dear Lourie Center family,
All good greetings and well wishes to you and your family! We are so grateful for your ongoing dedication to uplift young children, families, and our Lourie Center team and transform trauma into health and happiness.
In this 2024 report, we highlight The Lourie Center’s growing capacity to deliver on our mission by providing multiple models of training and consultation to early childhood educators in the DMV and across the country. These best-practice efforts, including Circle of Security Parenting and Classroom, the expanding Trauma-Informed Preschool Support (TIPS) ECHO, and an innovative partnership with Teach for America DC/VA, has expanded the Center’s reach by more than 1,000 children and families — all made possible by a combination of individual, family foundations, and Maryland State funding.
You will also meet two new team members, Kesso Diallo and Dr. Namba, who play critical roles in strengthening our capacity to deliver the highest quality care to children and families. Their experience and expertise are a great boost to us all. You will also meet Sheena and Seema — two examples of The Lourie Center’s support network whose dedication and generosity propels The Lourie Center’s activities forward with much needed resources.
Special thanks also to the Champions for Children group who continue to support The Lourie Center while expanding their own reach for the benefit of children.
Special thanks to you, one and all, for helping us overcome the adversities of the moment and together answer the call to improve the lives of all who come to us for care.
With great gratitude,
Jimmy Venza, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist Executive Director
2024 Gratitude Report • Programs Programs
Head Start Program
Federally funded early childhood education and intervention services supporting consistent, systemic and fair access to comprehensive services for chronically underserved populations. The Head Start program served 411 children and families in 2024.
Parent-Child Clinical Services Program
Clinic served 339 children and their families in 2024.
Therapeutic Nursery Program
Specialized preschool program –the only one of its kind in Maryland –served 43 children and their families from Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in 2024.
The Lourie Center School
Special education elementary school for students with social, emotional and behavioral challenges served 28 students in 2024. The program provides academic instruction with integrated therapeutic supports and mental health, speech and language and occupational therapies.
Partnership with Montgomery County Infants and Toddlers Program (MCITP)
The Lourie Center partnered with MCITP to serve 2,280 children from birth to age 4 and their families in 2024. MCITP offers early intervention services to assist families with supporting their children’s developmental and special needs.
University Affiliations
The Lourie Center trains early childhood social work, special education and psychology graduate interns/externs from local and national universities. In 2024, these universities included:
• Clark University Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology
• Hood College Counseling Graduate Program
• Lesley University Graduate Program in Expressive Therapies
• Samford University School of Social Work
• Divine Mercy Institute for Psychological Sciences Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology
• Catholic University National Catholic School of Social Service
• Erikson Institute Masters of Social Work Program
• University of Maryland
Undergraduate Psychology and Graduate School of Social Work
• University of Notre Dame
Summer Service-Learning Program, Center for Social Concerns
2024 Financial Summary
Thanks to you, The Lourie Center is able to invest in hope for children and their families. That hope is “breaking the cycle of generational trauma” for children, giving them hope to live their best life. That hope is lifting the caregivers – their parents, their teachers, and their clinicians – who lift these children.
2024 Philanthropy Revenue by Source
2024 Gratitude Report
Board of Directors
As of Year-End 2024
Daniel Cochran, FHFMA, FAACHE Board Chair
President, Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center
Todd Cohen, FACHE, EDAC Vice Chair
Associate Vice President, Facilities and Real Estate, Adventist HealthCare
Brenda Jones Harden, Ph.D.
Alison Richman Professor, Children & Families
Director, Prevention & Early Adversity Research Laboratory, University of Maryland, School of Social WorkBaltimore
Josh Jacobs
Founder and Managing Director Jacobs Health Consulting
Gwendolyn Mason, Ed.D.
Secretary
Retired Chief, Office of Special Education & Student Services
Prince George’s County Public Schools
Robert C. Wehner Jr., MBA
Executive Vice President, Retail Market Manager M&T Bank
Kandy McFarland, MBA, BSN, PMH-BC
Vice President, Behavioral Health Service Line, Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center
Martha Velez
Treasurer Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center
Victorien Singhe
President, Head Start Policy Council Parent, Volunteer
Executive Leadership
As of Year-End 2024
Kesso Diallo
Vice President, Special Education and Early Childhood Development
Jimmy Venza, Ph.D. Executive Director
Jill Brown, LCSW-C Director, Parent-Child Clinical Services Program
Chrystal-Starr Brown Director, Head Start Program
James Cowan Director, Lourie Center School
Anna Curtin, Ph.D. Director, Therapeutic Nursery Program
Myesha Carter, D.Ed., CCC-SLP Contract Manager, Montgomery County Infants & Toddlers Program
Alan Ezagui Director of Philanthropy
James F. Herrera, M.D.
Medical Director
Stella Akello
Operations Director
2024 Gratitude Report • Team Members Profiles
Kesso Diallo
Vice President, Special Education and Early Childhood
Programs
Washington, D.C. native Kesso Diallo joined the team at Adventist HealthCare’s The Lourie Center for Children’s Social & Emotional Wellness in 2024, bringing with her a wealth of experience in special education and a heart for children needing extra support to become the best person they can be.
Kesso didn’t start out in special education. She started her career as a copyright and trademark attorney with a prestigious law firm in D.C. But law wasn’t her passion. Unsure of where to turn, she moved to Costa Rica where she took a job teaching. “I would literally jump out of bed every day and run to work,” Kesso explains. She knew she had found her niche.
Kesso moved back home, earned a master’s in education and in special education and started on the path that eventually brought her to The Lourie Center. In Los Angeles, she was Director of Special Education for six high schools, managing all the services across the schools, while also coaching special education teachers and working with school principals and mental health teams. As the system’s first Director of Special Education, Kesso developed the policies and procedures for special education. Prior to her arrival, each of the schools operated independently, Kesso brought consistency and uniformity to the program.
Her next move was back home to D.C., where she became Director of Education for Beacon House, a youth development program for children in kindergarten through 12th grade. While there, she learned about The Lourie Center and discovered Adventist HealthCare was in search of candidates to fill a new role, Vice President, Special Education and Early Childhood Education, for its school-based services. It seemed a natural fit for her experience and her passions.
The job with Adventist HealthCare brought Kesso full circle. She was born at the system’s Washington Adventist Hospital (now Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center). And she’s back doing the invaluable work of advocating within Adventist HealthCare for the programming and needs of The Lourie Center and the Ridge School. Kesso is eager to move the school and the therapeutic programs to the next level. “I’m excited to be in a role where I can support The Lourie Center programs and advocate for what they need from the hospital system that cares very deeply and is very invested in these childdevelopment programs.”
Kesso looks forward to expanding the programming throughout the D.C, Maryland and Virginia area, getting an International Training and Consultation Institute off the ground, while continuing to support children and their families as they overcome adversity and trauma.
2024 Gratitude Report • Team Members Profiles
Daryan Namba, M.D.
Two years ago, we welcomed Daryan Namba, MD to Adventist HealthCare. Dr. Namba is a child psychiatrist working half-time with The Lourie Center and half-time with the team at Behavioral Health. In her short time with the center, she has had a huge impact on the children and families we serve, and on the staff who greatly appreciate her collaborative approach to addressing mental and behavioral health challenges.
Dr. Namba comes to The Lourie Center via California, where she grew up and attended college, and South Carolina where she went to medical school and completed her residency. There was a brief detour before med school to do research at a lab at John’s Hopkins. During that time, she met her husband who moved with her to South Carolina so she could fulfill her dream of becoming a doctor.
As the oldest of four children with a significant age gap between herself and her siblings, she gained lots of experiencing looking after young children and initially thought she would become a pediatrician. But her brother’s battle with mental health issues and substance use disorder nudged her in a different direction. Her brother’s stint in a rehabilitation facility that required the entire family to participate in the recovery process opened her eyes to how great an impact the pain and suffering of one family member has on the rest of the family.
Child psychiatry became her passion and her life’s work. It is The Lourie Center’s good fortune that Dr. Namba’s husband’s large family lives in the Rockville area, as now that they have their own two small children being near family is important. Dr. Namba is grateful to have found an organization that is so passionate about ensuring every child, whatever the trauma they have experienced, can live their best possible life and to be part of a healthy, functioning family.
She also is grateful for the tremendous support she receives from leadership and from her colleagues. “One of the nice things about The Lourie Center is there is so much collaboration,” she explains. “The therapists and case workers and our leaders always are available to discuss the needs of a child and their family and to help connect them with the resources they need.” Dr. Namba adds, “We help people who are really, really struggling and we help change the trajectory of their lives. Nothing is more satisfying than that.”
2024 DONORS
$250,000+
The Bainum Family Foundation
$100,000 - $249,999
Anonymous (2)
$50,000-$99,999
Anonymous
Walter Brownley Trust
Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation
J. H. Walker Legacy Foundation
$25,000-$49,999
AdventHealth [is this correct?]
The Alexander and Margaret Stewart Trust
Walter A. Bloedorn Foundation BXP
Champions for Children DC
$10,000-$24,999
Julie Grohovsky and Craig Hoover
M&T Charitable Foundation
$5,000-$9,999
Bonnie C. Arze
Cigna HealthCare Mid-Atlantic
Daniel & Debra Cochran
Giant Food Corporation
Robert & Arlene Kogod Foundation
Bruce Rosenberg
Saydam Properties Group (Sheena Saydam)
$2,500-$4,999
Anonymous
Host Hotels & Resorts
Paypal Charitable Giving Fund
Alison & James Pearce
$1,000-$2,499
Celeste S. Basier
Jackie & Elan Burman
Catherine G. Crockett
The Elansa Foundation, Inc.
Selemun Gessesew
Louisa & Steven Hollman
The Pargament Family
Charitable Gift Trust
H. Marcel Wright
$500-$999
Anonymous (2)
Seleem Choudhry
Todd Cohen & Rabbi Baht Weiss
Alan Mark Ezagui, in memory of Mark Nathan Ezagui
The Greif Family
Mark E. Griffin
Beth & Kim Griffith
Jacobs Household, Josh, E. Marcy, Abby, Sam, & Murphy
The Jewish Community Foundation
Karp Wessel Family Fund
Jaqie & Mathew Keady
James M. and Virginia W. Newmyer Family Fund
Lynda Pontecorvo
$100-$499
Anonymous
Amanda Becker and Maya Ahbab
Les Bland
Amanda Bower
George, Morris & Christine Bregman
Michelle C. Brennan
Jill Brown
Karen Bowne
Denise M. Chandler
Lydia Cheruvathoor
Anna Curtin, Ph.D.
Eursula David-Sherman
Diallo-Harrell Family
Zemina Divecha
Brittany Dixon, in honor of Sheena Saydam
Kimberly A. Gaines
$100-$499
Continued
Karen Garman and Robert Mulderig
Roger & Joan Golden
Brendan Johnson
Jeannette S. Knight
Michelle Lipper
The McBride Family
Kandy McFarland
Shirin
Mohammadpoureslami
Lisa Monaco
Morgan Monkou
Lucia Pugnali
Krystal Putman-Garcia
Colleen and Quinn Reeves
Stellar Auto Detailing MD
Shannon Sylvester
John and Sue Sackett
Ariunaa and Su Sagduyu
Barbara Witt
$1-$99
Anonymous (3)
Phebe Abiye
Jila Abyaneh
Deanna L. Aghguiguian
Kelli Bankard
Yelica Barrera
Allison Berdeguez
Leslie Brown
Scott Brown
Whitney Camp
Diane Castiglione
Lena Chapeton
Natalie Chernett
Michelle Cool
Alla Cole
2024 Gratitude Report • 2024 Donors
Esther Conte
Angela Dai
Sandhya Deo
Maggie Dorfman
Dana Duran
Rachel Eisinger-Baskin
Rhea Edmond
Amy Fier
Kelly Finn
Sarah Gates
Katie Gibbs
Jennifer Gingery
Carolyn Horton
Elissa Inthisane
Jennifer Kantor
Ashley Keenehan
Lydia Kline
Lauren Lawson-Zilai
Jennifer Legge
Emily Lichvar
Emily Low
Laura Malec, in honor of Sheena Saydam
Andrew & Pamela Marsh
Jessica Martin
Maya M. Milovski
Christina Mirabello
Margaret Morrisey
Marcela Munoz
Tiffany Murphy
Andrew R. Nicklas
Sara Niemann
Julie Orlando
Geoffrey Pickford-Gordon
Leslie Edsall Pont
Jennifer Quillin
Camelia Pandelea
Sandra Peter
Lisa Heiser-Polin
Jullie Rhee
Kacy Rollins
Marcia Torres Sawyer
Sunita Shukla
Marsha Silberstein
The Sugar Family, Sophie & Sybil Sugar
Jamie Susskind
Jennifer Taylor
Jorinna Tran
Rachel Wilson
Monica Zeitlin
Abbey Zuehlke
Every effort was made to list all donors accurately. We apologize in advance if we missed including your name or what we have listed is inaccurate. Please contact Cherise Callahan with any questions at ccallahan@louriecenter.org. We are deeply grateful for your friendship and support.
TRAINING, EDUCATION AND CONSULTATION
The Lourie Center presents Therapeutic
Storytelling in the Face of Historical Racism & Trauma: National Best Practices Delivered at Maryland’s First Historically Black Public University
On May 13, 2024, The Lourie Center hosted a conference during which infant and early childhood mental health experts presented sevearl attachmentbased intervention models. Models discussed included Child Parent Psychotherapy, Circle of Security and TIPS ECHO.
Chandra Ghosh Ippen, PhD
Chandra Ghosh Ippen, PhD, was the keynote speaker, and the recipient of the Dr. T.B. Brazelton Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Ippen is a child trauma psychologist who specializes in working with families of children under age 6. She has spent more than 30 years conducting clinical work, research and training in childhood trauma and diversityinformed practices. She also is an award-winning author of children’s books and is theAssociate Director and Dissemination Director of the Child Trauma Research Program at the University of California, San Francisco and the Early Trauma Treatment Network, a member of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN).
Among the panelists sharing their expertise and insights were:
Jude Cassidy, PhD, is a University of Maryland Distinguished Scholar-Teacher where she is a professor of psychology. She also directs the Maryland Child and Family Development Laboratory. Dr. Cassidy is the co-Editor of the journal Attachment and Human Development, and conducts research related to children’s mental health.
Sayaka Awao, a PhD candidate at the Maryland Child and Family Development Laboratory at the University of Maryland, College Park. Ms. Awao had a leadership role in program implementation and research activities for the Circle of Security—Classroom program throughout Prince George’s County.
The Lourie Center’s facilitator team also participated in the event, which includes the clinical team of Stephanie Nti, Adriana Cuoto-Silva, Marianela Rodousakis and Renee Stewart.
2024 Gratitude Report • Training, Education and Consultation
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Annual Conference
In November of 2024, Michelle Brennan and Marianela Rodousakis, LCSW-C, proudly participated in the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Annual Conference, which is one of the most influential gatherings of early childhood professionals in the nation. The focus of the conference was One Vision, Many Voices: Shaping Early Education Together.
The Lourie Center’s presence at NAEYC emphasizes our ongoing commitment to leadership, collaboration and advocacy in the field of early childhood education.
Michelle and Marianela used the therapeutic lens to develop a presentation to support and guide educators and early childhood leaders on how to navigate sensitive conversations with families. The title of the presentation was “Not My Child! Having Hard Conversations with Caregivers.” Michelle is Education Coordinator for the Therapeutic Nursery Program and Marianela was Assistant Director.
It is worth noting, that the presentation took place on the last day of the conference, with over 80 educators and school administrators from all over the country in attendance. Together they gathered with excitement, thoughtful engagement and meaningful dialogue. The presentation addressed the critical need for preparing early childhood practitioners with tools and language to navigate sensitive discussions with families — particularly when concerns arise about a child’s behavior, development and social emotional well-being.
A special moment occurred when we crossed paths with NAEYC CEO Michell Kang in the hallway, as we were waiting to enter the room and begin set up. She warmly remembered her prior visit to The Lourie Center, expressing appreciation for our continued work in the field. This unexpected exchange was a powerful reminder of the impact The Lourie Center has on the community and on a broader national scale.
Michelle and Marianela returned from this experience inspired and energized to continue supporting the collective mission of helping young children, families and early childhood professionals across the nation.
2024 Gratitude Report • Training, Education and Consultation
Teach for America Communities of Support for Schools
In July 2024, a team from The Lourie Center led an all-staff professional development workshop on trauma-informed best practices at Simon Elementary School in Washington, D.C. The event was part of Teach for America’s Communities of Support program, which brings together nonprofit partners, education/literacy experts, healthcare providers and philanthropic donors to create a collaborative network of resources and support for students, families, teachers and support staff.
Among the program’s objectives is to greatly improve student literacy proficiency by implementing evidence-based intervention strategies for teachers and students, and to foster a supportive and engaging learning/working environment for student, teachers and families.
The Lourie Center’s workshop was well received by the staff and school leadership. In a note to Lourie Center Teach for America D.C.’s Managing Director, Regional programs and partnerships wrote “You set an incredible tone for how we encourage educators to consider the experiences of their students and their own as we head into the new (school) year. The hands-on activity was a joyful way to close out the session and a relevant tool for helping to de-escalate classroom situations.”
The Lourie Center looks forward to continuing its work with Teach for America D.C. and its many partners, all dedicated to ensuring that every single student can grow and learn.
2024 Gratitude Report • Training, Education and Consultation
Lourie Center Presents at Aspen Institute
In 2024, The Lourie Center joined the Ascend Network, which is affiliated with the Aspen Institute, a global, nonpartisan organization whose mission is to create free, just, and equitable society through dialogue, leadership and action. The institute operates multiple policy programs, including the Aspen Ideas Festival.
The Ascend Network is a community of more than 600 organizations focused on using two-generation (2Gen) approaches to improve family outcomes. It connects leaders across various sectors to build relationships, spark innovation and co-create solutions for family well-being.
At the 2024, Aspen ThinkXChange convening, Dr. Venza presented at the session entitled, “Tackling Trauma” and shared best practices from The Lourie Center’s integrated therapeutic and
educational programming. The session’s focus was framed around ‘intergenerational resilience to encourage a strengths-based focus and highlight the transformational change that comes from the two-generational intervention at the heart of The Lourie Center care models.“
The Lourie Center’s presence at the Aspen Institute conference reflects a commitment to advancing public health and social well-being. The Aspen Institute, a global nonprofit organization, is known for its focus on dialogue and action, with the Aspen Ideas Festival serving as a key platform for discussing and debating critical issues with mental health. The Lourie Center’s participation in this forum signifies collaborative efforts with likeminded organizations and individuals to address local and global challenges.
RESEARCH
Trauma Informed Preschool Support (“TIPS”) ECHO Work Expanding
In 2024, The Lourie Center piloted the first TIPS ECHO program study in St. Joseph County, IN. TIPS ECHO is a collaborative professional learning communityof-practice program for early childhood educators that integrates two best practice models: The Lourie Center’s Therapeutic Preschool (TIPS) model and the ECHO model of professional learning.
The Lourie Center’s Therapeutic Preschool’s trauma-informed best-practices and longstanding training program focuses on the integration of early childhood education and mental health. With nearly four decades’ long history of training early childhood educators and mental health professionals through summer and year-long training programs in partnerships with universities/colleges, The Lourie Center has developed a wealth of experience in training the workforce. The following testimonial is from a participating educator and speaks to the power of this innovative training model:
“ Being part of TIPS ECHO has been incredibly valuable. I’ve gained deeper insights into childhood trauma and effective classroom approaches while also learning from fellow early childhood professionals. Hearing their perspectives and strategies has truly enhanced my understanding and skills!” Early Educators, 4-year-olds.
Project ECHO and the ECHO Institute is a part of the Health Sciences Center at the University of New Mexico, based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Project ECHO provides workforce support through the ECHO Model, which is an innovation in professional learning, facilitating the rapid exchange of expert knowledge and field experience between subject matter experts, expert practitioners, centers of excellence and education professionals working throughout world. The ECHO model is highly adaptable, allowing it to be applied across various conditions, topics and cultural contexts while maintaining a consistent format.
The ECHO model creates a virtual community of practice online through the program platform, iECHO. Through the platform, educators share cases and best
2024 Gratitude Report • Research
practices with a multidisciplinary team of experts in the fields of psychology, social work and early childhood education who can provide much needed support to teachers managing students who are coping with trauma.
TIPS ECHO — St. Joseph County builds on the first ever national pilot that supported 2 cohorts of early childhood educators across four states, including tribal communities, and a total of 43 participants. Participants were from seven early learning and four Head Start centers across Montana, South Dakota, South Carolina and Florida. Through this program, The Lourie Center supported 600 more children. Participants rated the program
content relevant to their work and very helpful. They reported knowledge gain and changes in their practice implementation and experienced moderate to high levels of confidence in delivering trauma-informed care after attending the program. Overall, participants also expressed satisfaction with the program. These strong positive outcomes led to the funding awards to launch this year’s TIPS ECHO in St. Joseph County Indiana.
The Lourie Center extends a special thanks to the co-leads Gwen Campbell and Dr. LaTrice Dowtin, and to its Lourie Center multidisciplinary “hub team” of Tathiana Sanchez, Michelle Brennen, Aaleah Williams, Marianela Rodousakis and Dr. Malena Banks.
Expanding Circle of Security Work in Prince George’s County
In 2022, the Maryland general Assembly created the Maryland Consortium on Coordinated Community Supports as part of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future in recognition of the critical role that mental health and wraparound services play in student achievement. The financial oversight and staff support is provided by the Maryland community Health Resources Commission (CHRC).
In February 2024, the CHRC awarded grants totaling $111 million to community behavioral health providers, including The Lourie Center. The Lourie Center provided the Circle of Security model to both educators and parents for preschool age children in Prince George’s County Public School and partnered with the Professor Judy Cassidy, University of Maryland – College Park, to evaluate the program.
After a successful 2024, CHRC, the Maryland Consortium on Coordinated Community Supports, and other state leaders announced $96 million in new grant awards to support student mental health for the 2024–2025 school year. The awardees will serve all 24 jurisdictions in the state and will impact 80% of Maryland schools. Funding for the Consortium was made available by the Maryland General Assembly through the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. For 2025–2026, The Lourie Center will be expanding from Prince George’s County to also serve Montgomery County and Frederick County.
IN THE COMMUNITY
Innovate DC Book Project
In February, a dear friend of The Lourie Center, Seema Alexander, approached us to be included in the launch of the inaugural DC Startup & Tech Week + Innovate® Washington Community Book Project.
Seema, with her colleague, Rachel Kortesky, is co-chair of DC Startup & Tech Week, the DMV’s largest Startup & Tech Conference. It is the premier entrepreneurship conference and community in the DMV for founders by founders.
The objective of the Innovate® Washington Community Book Project was to highlight the top 100 game-changers in the DMV.
The Lourie Center was invited on stage and recognized, along with the other top 100 game
changers in the DMV on the opening day of the D.C. Startup & Tech Week Conference on October 21, 2024.
The Lourie Center’s Director of Philanthropy, Alan Ezagui, had the honor of representing The Lourie Center and our team of 160 dedicated early childhood education and clinical specialists.
When Seema nominated The Lourie Center, she shared with us, “Your team and the work you guys do is so deserving of this honor. You know The Lourie Center will always be near and dear to my heart.”
She then added, “We wanted to ensure the innovative work you have been doing with your interventions around early childhood trauma care was memorialized in our inaugural book.”
2024 Gratitude Report • In the Community
Saydam Properties Group Hosts a Taylor Swift Birthday Dance Party
On December 13, Sheena Saydam, her husband Han Saydam with Saydam Properties Group hosted “The Swiftie Birthday Dance Party” to benefit The Lourie Center for Children’s Social and Emotional Wellness. Yes, December 13 was Taylor Swift’s real birthday!
Said Sheena, “I learned about The Lourie Center through a client who serves this organization. I had the privilege of visiting the Center a few weeks later and was in awe of the work being done to serve some of our most vulnerable children — I can’t believe this exists right here. I had no idea. This incredible work must continue. This organization needs the support of the community to do so.”
Seeing the smiles of the more than 100 children who attended, watching them posing for Swiftie pictures, making ‘friendship bracelets,’ and dancing their joyful hearts out to Taylor Swift songs, this was, indeed, a birthday bash to remember!
On top of all the fun, the event raised $7,000 to help The Lourie Center to continue to support children experiencing mental health challenges and adversity and to help them and their families heal and thrive.
Our deepest gratitude to Sheena and Han Saydam and Saydam Properties Group for continuing to love and support The Lourie Center — our children, their families and our dedicated staff of early childhood clinicians and educators.
2024 Gratitude Report • In the Community
Champions for Children Supports The Lourie Center
In October, Champions for Children held an event, “Be a Champion on World Mental Health Day” at The Mansion at Strathmore in Rockville.
It was an event to honor leaders in children’s mental health and a fundraiser.
The Lourie Center for Children’s Social & Emotional Wellness is deeply grateful to Champions for Children for being one of their grantees. The event raised more than $60,000.
In December, Champions for Children Board members visited, toured and presented The Lourie Center with a check for $26,300.
These funds will provide emergency psychiatric screenings and 24-hour on-call support for children from ages 4 to 11 who are in crisis, and safety planning coordination with parents/caregivers and school personnel.
The honorees included:
1) “Outstanding Children’s Mental Health Professional”: Dr. Lee Savio Beers, professor of pediatrics, the A. James & Alice B. Clark Distinguished Professor of Early Childhood Intervention and Advocacy, and the medical director for Community Health and Advocacy at Children’s National Hospital.
2) “Outstanding Contributions to Public Service and Mental Health Research”: Dr. Shelli Avenevoli, Acting Director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
3) “Outstanding Mental Health Advocacy”: Angela Alsobrooks, Prince George’s County Executive.
Senator Chris Van Hollen awarded citations, and Representative Jamie Raskin presented the Outstanding Contributions to Public Service and Mental Health Research to Dr. Shelli Avenevoli.
