Team

FOR OVER 15 YEARS, I WAS A COURT-APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATE FOR FOSTER CHILDREN IN MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA.

I WAS A SWORN OFFICER OF THE COURT, APPOINTED BY A JUVENILE JUDGE TO ADVOCATE FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE LIVING IN FOSTER CARE AS A RESULT OF ABUSE OR NEGLECT. I WAS THE VOICE FOR 36 CHILDREN.  RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THEY RECEIVED ALL THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THEM, AS WELL AS BRINGING UP ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE CHILD’S HEALTH, EDUCATION, ETC. 

IN 2011 I WAS ASKED TO GO ON A VOLUNTEER TRIP TO HELP ORPHANED SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN IN ROMANIA, AND I WAS SO VERY EXCITED TO HELP. I WAS SHOCKED BY THE NEED TO SEE CHILDREN STILL DRINKING FROM BOTTLES FILLED WITH SOUP TO 8 YEARS OF AGE. CHILDREN WERE LEFT IN CRIBS FOR HOURS ON END TO THE POINT THEY DID NOT CRY; THEY WOULD ROCK FOR HOURS TO SELF-SOOTHE. I  RETURNED TO VOLUNTEER EACH YEAR FOR SIX YEARS.   I DIDN’T THINK THERE WAS ANYTHING ELSE I  COULD DO TO MAKE A CHANGE IN THE ROMANIAN CHILDCARE SYSTEM.   AND SOME OF MY FELLOW VOLUNTEERS GREW MORE AND MORE CONCERNED. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THESE CHILDREN WHO WERE DENIED AN EDUCATION BECAUSE OF THEIR DISABILITIES? WOULD THEY BE DESTINED TO A LIFE IN AN INSTITUTION BECAUSE THEY HAD NEVER BEEN TAUGHT NECESSARY LIFE SKILLS OR SOCIAL NORMS? OUT OF THIS CONCERN AND A CONVICTION THAT NO CHILD SHOULD BE DENIED AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN, I BEGAN TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER VOLUNTEERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.  TIES WERE DEVELOPED FOR THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WAS SERVED. THE DELIA FOUNDATION WAS CREATED.

Lauren Fishbach has been a volunteer and advocate for special needs children in Vaslui County, Romania, for 14+ years, initially with Global Volunteers at the Tutova Pediatric Clinic and Barlad Children’s Hospital. Lauren brings to The Delia Foundation deep experience in organizational planning, staffing, and corporate marketing and promotion. She is a Career Advisor to young adults and previously was a consultant with leading publishing and information industry companies as Senior Vice President of Bert Davis Executive Search. Earlier, Lauren was a Director of Global Marketing with McGraw-Hill/Standard & Poors.

Brayden started volunteering in Romania, which led to his love for the children and Romania. He has ideas for the future and ideas that will help the children into their adult years. He is a great asset to the foundation.