Diane Garrett to receive award in Temecula

April 11, 2008 by Bill Gould, Publisher.

Murrieta –Diane Garrett has always been fascinated by that intersection in a young person’s life — that moment in which they have crucial decisions to make about their future. “My ultimate passion is making sure children have the knowledge and information they need to make good choices. Every child deserves to have someone there for them, an advocate, to guide them at that intersection, to help shed light on their path, to encourage them.”

On Thursday, April 24, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for Riverside County will honor Diane Garrett, Vice Chairman of BetterWorld Together Foundation, at their First Annual Light of Hope Award luncheon, hosted by Outback Steakhouse in Temecula.

“This event aims to touch the hearts of those who care about the well-being of children who, through no fault of their own, find themselves in the frightening world of social workers, court appearances, and an uncertain future,” stated Pat Comerchero, President of the Friends of CASA Auxiliary. “We can’t be more pleased to honor Diane Garrett, who has consistently demonstrated her commitment to these young people and deeply understands the need to support the services that CASA provides.”

Children and youth are a major focus of the BetterWorld Together Foundation’s work in Southern California and beyond. Since 2000, Diane and BetterWorld staff have extensively researched and studied the foster care system, noting successes along the way. As a result, the foundation has strongly supported both CASA for Riverside County and the San Diego County counterpart, Voices for Children.

CASA trains and supervises volunteers to represent the best interests of abused, neglected and abandoned children in the juvenile court system. More than 6,000 children are subject to judicial proceedings in Riverside County each year. CASA volunteers are advocates who seek to help these children secure safe, permanent and nurturing homes.

Under Diane’s leadership, BetterWorld has also funded the California Family Life Center, the Child Abuse Prevention Foundation, and the Valley Oaks Foster Family Agency. In particular, it has supported programs for youth aging out of foster care; foster family visitation and foster parent recruitment; an after-school literacy clinic; the Guardian Scholars program; the Heart Gallery Kiosk promoting adoption and permanent placement; and, services aiding growth and expansion for Valley Oaks and CASA.

Internationally, BetterWorld works to improve the quality of life of orphaned and vulnerable children, particularly those whose families are affected by AIDS. In recent years, the foundation has supported organizations including Books for Africa, Samalani in Malawi, and Project Education Sudan.

Tickets for the Light of Hope Luncheon are $45 and are available by calling 951-334-1823. For more information about CASA, please visit www.casariversidecounty.org.

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