Christine Arians will be honored at the First Annual Unsung Heroes Event and fundraiser hosted by Hero To A Child on May 20, 2022, at Seven Springs Golf and Country Club in Trinity, Florida. Christine is an advocate for abused & neglected children and the Guardians ad Litem who are their voice in court. She serves as the Director of the Arians Family Foundation (AFF).
The Arians Family Foundation supports six CASA/GAL programs in five states. Christine is passionate about the mission of Hero To A Child because she “has seen firsthand the difference a Guardian ad Litem can make in a child’s life, and sometimes, in the parent’s life.” To learn more about their support please view this message from Bruce Arians: https://www.dropbox.com/s/mxf69o6wgoql567/220315_Arians_GAL%20Read_V2.mp4?dl=0.
The Unsung Heroes Brunch was created to honor those unsung heroes among us who tirelessly advocate for the rising number of abused & neglected children in the dependency system. Hero To A Child’s mission is to advocate for and support children, young adults, and families impacted by abuse and neglect in Pinellas and Pasco Counties by collaborating with community partners and the Guardian ad Litem staff and volunteers who support the children we serve. In 2021, they responded to more than 4,806 individual needs requests for children right here in our community. You can learn more about their programs and services at www.HeroToAChild.org. The number of children in care in the Circuit they serve has surged with an over 41% increase over the past 6 years making it the highest in the entire state of Florida for children in the dependency system.
Erin Authier, Executive Director of Hero To A Child, stated, “The role of the GAL is vital in the life of children in the dependency system. A child with a GAL is more likely to find permanency and less likely to re-enter the foster system. We are currently serving more than 70% of children in care here in Circuit 6 but it is our goal to reach 100% one day and we need the help of the community to raise the funds and awareness necessary to do that.”
Hero To A child hopes to raise $50,000 with this fundraising event to help meet the needs of each child in care and to recruit more GAL volunteers to be the voice of the child in court. A GAL is often the only form of consistency for children in the system and often the only voice solely vested in what is best for that individual child. To purchase a ticket, sponsor, or donate to the event: https://herotoachild.org/getinvolved.
About Hero To A Child
Hero To A Child was founded to ensure that the basic rights and needs of every child in the GAL program are met. They advocate for and support children, young adults, and families impacted by abuse and neglect by collaborating with community partners and the GAL staff and volunteers who support the children they serve. Hero To A Child envisions a community where every child and young adult is safe, secure, and thriving. They believe every child deserves to have a permanent family and be well prepared for their future beyond foster care. Hero To A Child works closely with the Guardian ad Litem Program and raises all funds through private individuals, corporations, civic organizations, faith communities, and fundraising events. They do not receive any government assistance.