Wayfinder Moments Newsletter Holiday 2022

WAYFINDER MOMENTS

Life-changing moments made possible by you!

“I never allowed myself to dream.”

Camille is 16 years old. She had a shocking 26 foster family placements over 10 years. A little more than a year ago, Camille’s case came to Wayfinder—changing the trajectory of her life forever.

In 2012, Camille and her younger sisters, Maya, age 3, and Dani, age 1, were removed from their home due to their parents’ substance abuse and violent behavior. In their home, Camille had assumed a parental role, trying to protect her little sisters. Ultimately, 6-yearold Camille was the one who called the police, leading to the girls’ removal.

For five years, the three girls bounced from placement to placement, sometimes being moved to protect them from more abuse. Camille continued her parental role, which frustrated Maya. Camille would answer for Maya and correct her—a toxic dynamic known as “parentification” that didn’t allow Camille to work through her own trauma. Conflict between Camille and Maya escalated into physical fights. Child protective services made the difficult decision to separate Camille from her younger sisters.

While Maya and Dani were soon adopted, Camille continued to move from one foster home to another for five more years, feeling alone, unwanted and unadoptable.

Then, June, a Wayfinder social worker, learned about Camille and had the case transferred to us in early 2021. June refused to give up on Camille! At one of their first meetings, Camille told June that one of her dearest wishes was to be reunited with her sisters.

Meanwhile, Sam and Emma, the couple who had adopted Maya and Dani, had never stopped thinking about Camille. Sam and Emma had met her during sibling visits years ago. Maybe they should take Camille too?

Despite resistance from the county social workers, June advocated for Camille to reconnect with her sisters. Also, June coordinated with Camille’s treatment team to ensure the girl

Q&A with Miki Jordan

Wayfinder Family Services Chief Executive Officer

How has Wayfinder grown and changed with recent changes in the world?

We have changed for the better. We chose our name—Wayfinder—because it’s about moving forward. We’ve always been an organization that keeps progressing. One example is in our child development program for young children with vision impairment or multiple disabilities. Initially because of the pandemic, we began offering services for children with vision or multiple disabilities through telehealth. We didn’t know if we could successfully deliver services that way. But online sessions proved to be a great success. While we resumed delivering our caring, in-person services, we are now using telehealth to reach children in remote rural areas and busy urban regions.

Imagine a working mom who cares for a baby plus a toddler with multiple disabilities. Child development services via telehealth gives her more flexibility. Without the convenience of virtual services, many children and caregivers might not be getting the help they need.

What are you most grateful for this holiday season?

I’m most grateful for our remarkable staff and the donors who make our important work possible. The effects of the pandemic were especially devastating for the children and families in Wayfinder’s programs: people of color, low-income families and those with disabilities. We will see these effects ripple for years to come, but I know that Wayfinder’s innovative, determined staff will continue to empower our children and families to tackle their biggest challenges. I am grateful that supporters like you stand by our side and are a guiding light for our organization. •

OUR MISSION

Wayfinder Family Services ensures that children, youth and adults facing challenges always have a place to turn. This mission is guided by our values:

OUR VALUES

Inclusive

We stand up in support of equity and social justice, and we stand against injustice and racism. We strive to build an equitable world for our clients and staff.

Empathetic

We seek to develop a deeper understanding of our children and families. We work to embed empathy into our decision-making, interactions and actions.

Collaborative

We can’t do it alone and we must do it together. We work in partnership to address the holistic needs of children and families.

Whatever it takes

We never give up. We will always be there for our children and their families.

Innovative

We are agile and forward-thinking. We continually seek out better ways to help children and families thrive.

Driven

We take every opportunity to move forward in our strategic direction and to create meaningful change.

Family

We provide families with a supportive community and resources so they can thrive. We want every child to grow up in a loving family.

A Legacy That Lasts

Making a difference is important to you. Charitable giving is an important part of your life and your values. Like many people, you want to leave a meaningful legacy. You can do this by ensuring that Wayfinder’s impact on those who need us most will continue for generations to come. In addition to supporting Wayfinder through yearly donations, please consider making a planned gift .

Designate Wayfinder as a partial or full beneficiary of your retirement plan.

In your will name Wayfinder the beneficiary of a specific amount or percentage of your estate.

Name Wayfinder as a beneficiary of your donor advised fund. Or designate Wayfinder to receive a portion of the account value.

Make Wayfinder a full or partial beneficiary of a life insurance policy, appreciated securities or real estate.

Make Wayfinder the beneficiary of a certificate of deposit, bank account or brokerage account.

To make a gift or to learn more about planned giving, contact Randy Sprabary: (323) 290-6290 or rsprabary@wayfinderfamily.org •

Stepping Up for Liam

knew I had to step up and be the dad I needed to be for Liam,” says his father, Ryan. “Wayfinder helped me out a lot.”

After a divorce, Ryan became a single dad to Liam, who had been born three months prematurely, weighing only 2 pounds. Liam was in the neonatal intensive care unit for four months due to serious gastrointestinal issues.

At 9 months old, Liam was assessed with various developmental delays due to prematurity and genetic issues. “I wanted to get Liam all the services I could to get ahead of the developmental issues,” says Ryan.

Liam entered Wayfinder’s child development program with a condition that causes his eyes to make rapid, uncontrolled movements. It was difficult for him to follow objects with his eyes and coordinate his eye and hand movements. In our child development program, children with vision loss or multiple disabilities increase their visual functioning and reach developmental milestones through weekly sessions with our early intervention specialists.

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“I

WAYS TO GIVE Your Generosity Changes the Future

Wayfinder’s generous donors make a tremendous impact. They give us the resources to change the future of those who have nowhere else to turn. Please consider a gift to Wayfinder this holiday season. Because of your gift …

Babies like Liam who were born with vision loss and multiple disabilities will thrive through our child development program.

Abused and neglected children like Sharon will find hope, resilience and a safe haven in The Cottage.

Children like Camille will find a new home with a loving family through our Foster Care and Adoption program.

How can you make an impact?

ˆ Please make a gift today by using the enclosed envelope or visiting us online at www.wayfinderfamily.org/give

ˆ Make a gift of stock (see sidebar) or a qualified charitable distribution from your traditional IRA (consult your tax advisor and your IRA custodian).

ˆ Increase the impact of your gift with your company’s matching gift program. You can now search for your company’s match program on our website: www.wayfinderfamily.org/match

ˆ Leave a lasting legacy by remembering Wayfinder Family Services in your estate plans (see page 3). For more information contact Randy Sprabary at (323) 290-6290 or rsprabary@wayfinderfamily.org

Thank you for your support! •

Stock Gifts Are a Win-Win-Win

You and Wayfinder both win when you donate appreciated stock. The donor may get a tax deduction (consult your tax accountant first) for the full value of the stock, as long as the donor has owned it for more than 12 months. The donor does not have to pay long-term capital gains on the amount the stock has increased in value. And Wayfinder receives valuable support for its important work with children, adults and families. Donate in three simple steps:

u vInitiate the Stock Transfer

Securities can be gifted to Wayfinder Family Services via electronic transfer (in which your broker transfers shares using the Wayfinder DTC number). It is necessary for you to contact your broker to initiate the transfer.

Notify Us (323) 290-6290 or email rsprabary@wayfinderfamily.org

w

Send the Securities to Wayfinder Family Services

Ask your broker to donate through:

Goldman, Sachs & Co. LLC

DTC Number: 0005

FBO: Wayfinder Family Services Account number: 027-51566-7

A Special Gift for the Holidays

Join our gift card drive today! Your donation will help make a holiday wish come true. www.wayfinderfamily.org/card

Holiday Meals

Gifts

What’s the impact of a gift card?

“I’ve never had a teddy bear before.”

Michelle is 5 years old and recently entered foster care after years of being neglected at home. She’s never received a gift, even on her birthday. Help give Michelle the number one item on her wish list: a teddy bear she has already named “Mimi.”

“Our hearts are full.” Little Joshua is in our child development program. He was born prematurely and received medical treatment that left him blind. His devoted parents and grandparents all work multiple jobs to support their family and Joshua’s ongoing medical needs. A gift card helps them purchase ingredients for a special holiday meal. They spend the day in the kitchen with Joshua, letting him feel and smell the different elements of the meal while listening to holiday tunes. “We don’t have much but our hearts are full,” says Joshua’s mother, Lyn.

“I want him to believe in Santa.”

Richard and his little brother were placed in foster care last year just before the holidays. His foster parents told him they wanted to give him an allowance that he could save or spend on whatever he wanted. But Richard asked his foster parents if he could use his new allowance to buy gifts for his little brother. “I want to leave him lots of toys under the tree so that he knows Santa can still find us. I want him to believe in Santa.”

Meet Nick Aull

If you have vision loss and don’t have a reference for color or shape, what are your dreams like? Nick Aull, then a teenage counselor-in-training at Wayfinder’s Camp Bloomfield, wondered about this and more regarding the life experiences of people with visual impairment.

A camper named Zion told Nick that his dreams were audio-focused. “Hearing about their experiences and the joy they got from this camp was very profound,” Nick remembers. “I saw life from a different perspective.”

Nick’s connection to Wayfinder goes back to his parents, who volunteered at past events, when we were known as Junior Blind. His longtime friend Otis Blum has a similar legacy with Wayfinder. In high school, Nick and Otis signed up together to volunteer at Camp Bloomfield for several summers. “Camp made me appreciate my sight and the other things we take for granted,” Nick says.

Now, Nick is a strategy lead focused on augmented reality at Snapchat in New York, as well as a member of Wayfinder’s Impact Council. The council is a group of young professionals who generate fundraising and increase awareness of Wayfinder.

When the Impact Council formed in 2021 with Otis as a founding member, the first person he recruited to the council was Nick. “It wasn’t hard to recruit me,” Nick recalls. “We both had such great experiences at Camp Bloomfield. It felt really special to go back to Wayfinder and join the council.”

Nick learned that Wayfinder had significantly broadened the types of assistance it offers to children and families in need. “Wayfinder is about supporting people throughout their journey in life,” he says. “Wayfinder gives them tools to find success and happiness.”

On the Impact Council, Nick secured support from Snap Inc. for Wayfinder’s 2021 holiday toy drive and for Snap employees to participate in a career workshop for our Transition Services program. “I’m excited about the future,” Nick says. “There’s lots of opportunity for Wayfinder. I’m excited to be part of the organization.” •

Contact Vanessa Botshekan, Associate Vice President for Development and Donor Relations vbotshekan@wayfinderfamily.org or 323-295-4555 x205

Would you like to make an impact? Join us!

received mental health therapy to process her trauma—from the child welfare system, as well as her biological parents.

At first, June facilitated Zoom visits, then twice weekly inperson dinners. A few months later, Camille moved in with the family. When Sam and Emma signed the adoptive placement papers, Camille implored them, “Please don’t give up on me.” They responded, “No way, you’re stuck with us now!” Camille’s adoption became final in September.

During June’s final home visit, Camille told her, “I never allowed myself to dream of the future because I never thought I had a future. I thought I was going to die or be in prison.” Now, Camille is dreaming… of going to college and becoming a nurse. Camille’s dreams are coming true. •

Note: all names and some minor details have been changed to protect privacy.

Liam... (continued from page 3)

Amanda, a Wayfinder vision specialist, met with Ryan and Liam solely online due to the pandemic. “The communication was great,” Ryan says. “The resources were phenomenal.” Amanda used play and practical goals to build Liam’s visual skills while Ryan provided his son with hands-on assistance. “He is an amazing dad,” Amanda notes. “He is always getting resources for his son. He’s a very kind, warm, energetic man.”

Ryan applied himself to learning more about Liam’s disabilities. He saw a puzzle toy that needed to be modified for children who are blind or low vision, so he designed a new toy! Ryan’s toy, My Little Nugget, has simple pieces made of silicon that are easy to manipulate, plus saturated colors that children with low vision can more readily see. Amanda likes it so much that she purchased the toy on Amazon to use with other children in early intervention.

Caring for Liam is a round-the-clock job. In addition to therapy from multiple specialists, Liam initially had to be fed through a gastrointestinal tube and now eats from a syringe. Ryan had to leave his job because he was providing all of his son’s in-home support services. “If you have no help it’s really hard, but I have to do it.”

In fall 2022, Ryan decided to move closer to his parents. They are happy to help with Liam while Ryan earns a real estate license, which will give him a flexible work schedule.

Now age 3, Liam can pick out a toy of a specific color, find his shoes and put them away, and identify pictures in a book. He can follow objects with his eyes, both near and at a distance. Liam is beginning to associate words with physical items. The fun, curious little boy is even learning to swim! “He is starting to catch up developmentally,” says Ryan.

Ryan stays in touch with Amanda, sending pictures and updates about Liam’s progress. Ryan’s ongoing dedication to his son’s development is an inspiration to all who know them. Ryan stepped up for Liam in the most amazing way! •

Wayfinder is Home for the Holidays

Did you know? Many of the children, youth and families in our programs were hit the hardest by the pandemic? Please consider making a gift today: www.wayfinderfamily.org/give

A Gift from Santa

Just two days before Christmas, 5-year-old Sharon was removed from her home due to extreme neglect and placed in The Cottage, our temporary shelter care program. As she looked around The Cottage, decorated with festive holiday lights and pictures, Sharon wondered out loud if Santa would finally bring her a gift this year. On Christmas Eve, volunteers delivered wrapped gifts to The Cottage for all the children. The next day, Sharon unwrapped her first ever gift from Santa—a backpack filled with toys and clothes.

Keeping the Holiday Spirit Alive

Lila is a resident in one of Wayfinder’s group homes. She has multiple disabilities and needs 24-hour care. She is blind and speaks only a few words but has a contagious laugh. Every year, staff help residents like Lila create cards and crafts, sing carols and decorate her room for the holidays. Many of Wayfinder’s staff give up spending the holidays with their families to make sure Lila and all group home residents are always cared for.

Thank you for your support during this holiday season!

Contact Us

Blythe Cotton Maling

Executive Vice President and Chief Philanthropy & Corporate Affairs Officer bmaling@wayfinderfamily.org • (323) 295 6386

Vanessa Botshekan

Associate Vice President of Development and Donor Relations vbotshekan@wayfinderfamily.org • (323) 295-4555 x205

Sara Breen

Associate Vice President of Foundation Relations sbreen@wayfinderfamily.org • (323) 290 6287

Randy Sprabary

Associate Vice President of Development rsprabary@wayfinderfamily.org • (323) 290-6290

Claire Veroda

Associate Vice President of Communications cveroda@wayfinderfamily.org • (323) 290 6292

Give with trust.

Main Campus

5300 Angeles Vista Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90043

Did you know? We help families across California! (323) 295-4555 • info@wayfinderfamily.org

Make a gift today: www.wayfinderfamily.org/give