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Walden in the News
- ShoutOut SoCal Spotlights Walden Family Services’ CEO Teresa Stivers – ShoutOut SoCal (November 30, 2021)
- Walden Family Services’ COO elected chair of California Alliance Foster Family Committee – San Diego Metro (September 26, 2019)
- Sue Evans Elected Chair of CA Alliance Foster Family Committee – San Diego Patch (September 24, 2019)
- Rock band Train to perform at Wine D’Vine benefit for foster care in La Jolla – La Jolla Light (August 15, 2019)
- Inspired to Make Life Better for Other Foster Youth Like Herself – San Diego Union Tribune (August 10, 2019)
- Wine D’Vine – Ranch & Coast (September 2019)
- Spring Soirée raises funds for Walden Family Services – Del Mar Times (May 31, 2019)
- San Diego Regional Chamber announces 2019 Small Business Award winners – San Diego Metro (May 29, 2019)
- Reducing Student Homelessness in California is Humanitarian and Economic Issue – La Mesa Courier (April 26, 2019)
- Reducing Student Homelessness in California is Humanitarian and Economic Issue – Times of San Diego (April 21, 2019)
- The Country Friends Partners with South Coast Plaza for Annual Art of Fashion – Rancho Santa Fe Review (April 12, 2019)
- New Children’s Book by Rachel LaMar Benefits Walden -PRWire (April 9, 2019)
- Wine D’Vine Benefiting Walden Family Services – Modern Luxury (San Diego, March 2019, p. 161)
- Recession in 2019? Charities Wring Their Hands but Do Little to Prepare – Chronicle of Philanthropy (January 29, 2019)
- Walden Family Services COO elected to FFTA board of directors – San Diego Metro (January 17, 2019)
- Walden Family Services’ COO Joins FFTA Board – San Diego Patch (January 17, 2019)
- Wine D’Vine – Giving Back Magazine (December 28, 2018)
- St. Germaine Children’s Charity Hosts 35th Annual Silver Tea – PR.com (November 29, 2018)
- Troop 1077 seeking items for foster kids – The Friday Flyer (November 29, 2018)
- 2019 Women of Dedication Have Walden Ties – San Diego Patch (November 29, 2018)
- Inland nonprofits celebrate power of music – The Press-Enterprise (November 23, 2018)
- Nights in White Satin – San Diego Union Tribune (November 11, 2018)
- Wine D’Vine to Benefit Walden Family Services – FINE Magazine (November 2018)
- Walden Family Services tackles “daunting” job of finding foster families for youths – The Press-Enterprise (October 26, 2018)
- Vicki Eddy & Walden Family Services – Giving Back Magazine (October 12, 2018)
- Walden Family Services Welcomes New Board Members – Encinitas Patch (October 8, 2018)
- Walden Family Services Welcomes New Board Members – La Jolla Patch (October 4, 2018)
- Attend: Wine D’Vine – Ranch & Coast (October 2018)
- Tickets to Walden Family Services’ Wine D’Vine Are On Sale Now – La Jolla Patch (September 20, 2018)
- Ranch & Coast Best of 2018: Best Local Nonprofit – Ranch & Coast (August 2018)
- Ranch & Coast Best of 2018: Best Annual Gala – Ranch & Coast (August 2018)
- Former Foster Youth Gives Advice to Young People – StoryCorps Archive (Recorded June 29, 2018)
- Spring Soirée – Ranch & Coast (July 2018)
- St. Germaine Children’s Charity awards grants – San Diego Magazine (July 2, 2018)
- Grants awarded to children’s charities at St. Germaine luncheon in La Jolla – La Jolla Light (June 27, 2018)
- Five Finalists Vying for $1 Million Innovation Initiative (i2) Award from Alliance Healthcare Foundation – Alliance Healthcare Foundation (June 19, 2018)
- Walden Family Services among the first licensed to implement Intensive Services Foster Care – San Diego Business Journal (June 10, 2018)
- Our Businesses Depend on San Diego Building More Housing – Voice of San Diego (May 22, 2018)
- Changing the Lives of Inland Empire’s at-risk children – Valley News (May 2, 2018)
- Walden Family Services 14th Annual Wine D’Vine – San Diego Magazine (October 30, 2017)
- Walden’s Spring Soiree Brings Hope and Help to Foster Kids (PDF) – San Diego Business Journal (June 6, 2016)
- Community Partner of the Month: Walden Family Services – San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce (June 6, 2016)
- Spring Soiree Raises $25K – San Diego Magazine (June 6, 2016)
- Pamplemousse Exec Chef Jeffrey Strauss Not a ‘Housewife’ – San Diego Union-Tribune (May 20, 2016)
2020 Women of Dedication Have Walden Ties
Meet Eric and His Forever Family
Terri and Craig Gainor Honored at Wine D’Vine 2019
Calling All Angels! TRAIN Headlines Wine D’Vine for Walden Family Services
California Alliance for Child and Family Services Taps Walden COO To Lead FFA Committee
Car Donation Shifts Future into High Gear
Walden Recognized as Leader in Service to LGBTQ Community
School Continuity is a Crucial Component of Children’s Success
Spring Soirée Raises Over $75,000 in Critically-Needed Funds for Walden Family Services
Solana Beach, CA—In celebration of National Foster Care Month, Executive Chef Jeffrey Strauss hosted an intimate dinner at Pamplemousse Grille on May 7, 2019 to benefit Walden Family Services. The intimate event raised $75,000 for Walden’s wide-ranging programs on behalf of children and youth in foster care.
“We are so appreciative of Chef Jeffrey’s continued support,” said Walden CEO Teresa Stivers. “His commitment to children’s causes, and to Walden’s work with foster children, really speaks to how strongly he believes in the wellbeing of all young people.”
In keeping with the theme “An Evening with Jeffrey,” the night began with a private reception at Chef Strauss’s home, where guests were treated to an array of delicious bites before traveling the short distance to Pamplemousse Grille. There they enjoyed an exquisite four-course menu with special wine pairings while learning more about Walden’s programs.
After dinner, Walden employee and former foster youth Melissa Villagomez talked about her experience in foster care and the difference nonprofit Foster Family Agency (FFA) care—such as that provided by Walden—made in her life. Now an educated, successful young adult, Melissa credits her childhood FFA and her FFA social worker with making sure she thrived.
“Melissa is now an inspirational advocate for other kids living in the foster care system,” said Stivers. “Listening to her just makes us work that much harder to ensure that other kids get the support and help they deserve, so they can all complete their education, become gainfully employed, and be productive, giving members of their community. We all benefit from their success.”
Spring Soirée guests included Mary Alice and Ron Brady; Melissa and Quentin Blackford; Arlene Lieberman; Lou and Judy Ferrero; Barbie and Dan Spinazzola; Emily and Ted Shults; Lisa and Raul Albanez; Nettie Keck; and Joyce Glazer.
Advocacy in Action
Walden’s Melissa Villagomez speaks to the importance of nonprofit Foster Family Agency (FFA) social workers and urges a raise in the rate paid to FFAs for their salaries at a California State Assembly budget meeting in Sacramento.
Read more about this issue in our article here: Walden Family Services Supports Allocation to Fill Gap.