BEVERLY HILLS
Page 12 | February 13, 2015
Stone Canyon Crawls For Kids By Victoria Talbot Bel-Air residents celebrated the 2nd annual Stone Canyon Crawl, an event to benefit the United Friends of the Children (UFC), raising money to provide enduring change for kids in Los Angeles’ foster care system. With its financial support, UFC nurtures kids with real, consistent and stable support amidst the uncertainty and neglect that is the fate of children lost in a broken bureaucracy. Spearheaded by Frederic Rosen and UFC Board Member Nadine SchiffRosen. Crawl participants started the evening with cocktails and appetizers at the home of Laurie and Jon Feltheimer, presented by Chinois on Main. “Nothing makes us happier than opening our home to benefit the spectacular kids of UFC. And to have our friends and neighbors volunteer to do the same, it leaves us all feeling very blessed,” said Schiff-Rosen.
A bus appeared at the appointed hour to spirit the crowd away to their next stop at the Rosens’ home. There, under a surreal canopy that transformed the space into a five-star dining room, Il Pastaio’s Chef Giacomino Drago presented a superb dinner with wine pairings from Cardinale of Napa Valley. The Strand House’s Pastry Chef Stephanie Franz provided sumptuous desserts at the final stop, the gracious home of Leslie Weisberg and James Hyman. All the efforts and food were donated to help some of Los Angeles’ most vulnerable youths get a leg up on the journey of life. The amazing guests who participated in the evening’s grand festivities were contributing a year of college education to at-risk kids who had a tough start in life. Kids in foster care too often experience abuse, neglect, transience, instability and uncertainty. Most do not have
Frederic Rosen, Nadine Schiff-Rosen, Lilly Tartikoff & Bruce Karatz
the most basic skills for life. Starting life without parents is tough. UFC will bring help to about 1,700 children this year, said Polly Williams, president/CEO, providing them an authentic, stable connection to guide them through the process of becoming adults. In foster care, 50-percent do not graduate high school; 40-percent experience homelessness; 71-percent of girls are pregnant by the age of 21; 81-percent of males are arrested by age 24. But with an education, everything changes. For some children, UFC contact begins with the college readiness program from 7-12 grades. UFC provides educational guidance and consistent structured contact with caring and loving individuals over time. By preparing foster youth to graduate from high school and possibly plan for college, UFC is dramatically improving their chances for success.
Stuart Liner, Jon Feltheimer & Stephanie Liner
Giacomino Drago Dan Love
Jonathan Victor
David Nathanson
Eric Ackerman, Estate Director at Cardinale Wine
Mitchell Evall, Erin Stein & Laurie Feltheimer
Laurence Paul, Thomas Lesinski, Margaux Tarantino & Kathleen Paul
Sherry Lansing & Jamie McCourt
DeeDee joined the guests and told her story. In foster care most of her life, she was angry and disconnected by the time of her first UFC contact in 7th grade. UFC reached out to her and helped DeeDee into the college readiness program – but it was hard. She still faced many disappointments. UFC stuck with her, as did her counselor. UFC provides up to five years to obtain a 4-year degree, and she made it. When children in foster care reach 18, they are emancipated. Most do not do well. UFC’s Pathways program provides youths 18-24 with housing, a supportive environment and positive role models to teach skills like budgeting, looking for work, writing a resume and how to behave in a job interview. For Pathways youths, 81-percent leave and find stable housing. All youths who get four years with UFC college-readiness program will graduate from high school with 97-percent college-bound. An astonishing 78percent of them will obtain a bachelors degree. “The Stone Canyon Crawl brought together neighbors for an evening of fun in support of a good cause. Every generous couple that attended represents a foster youth who will be able to go to college next year as a result. We’re so thankful to Nadine and Fred Rosen, our hosts, and chefs for a wonderful evening in support of United Friends of the Children.”
Ron Silverman & Melissa Nielsen
Jim Hyman, Tobey Cotsen Victor & Leslie Weisberg
UFC boardmember Eric Mulcahy Stein, Jeff Fuller, Renvi Pittman & Christine Low Cynthia Yorkin & Tracey Steinfeld
Bella Lantsman of Chinois On Main
Steve & Vivian Myers