RAISEACHILD RECOGNIZED AS A DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION NONPROFIT OF THE YEAR

LOS ANGELES, March 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nationwide leader in the recruitment and support of LGBTQ and all prospective parents interested in fostering and fostering-to-adopt, RaiseAChild has been recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal's Diversity, Equity + Inclusion Awards and selected as a nominee for the "DE&I Nonprofit Organization of the Year." The awards honor diversity, equity and inclusion champions in the Los Angeles region for their ongoing efforts to celebrate and respect the unique needs, perspectives and potential of all their team members while simultaneously creating an inclusive environment that enables diversity and equity to thrive.

"As the father of two children adopted through Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, I understand firsthand the trials and tribulations of LGBTQ community members and of single parents who seek to build families," says Founder and Chief Executive Officer of RaiseAChild Richard Valenza.

RaiseAChild believes that every child deserves a forever family. The RaiseAChild Parent Advocate Program is a unique and complimentary service designed to advance prospective foster and adoptive parents with their family-building goals. The program includes personal mentor services, a nationwide referral network, and proprietary software case management program that enables RaiseA Child to follow and support parents throughout the process. From orientation to training and throughout the child matching process, the Parent Advocates are there to assist.

The Los Angeles Business Journal grants its "DEI Nonprofit Organization of the Year" recognition to nonprofit organizations that set a positive example to their communities for what it means to be an inclusive organization in 2022 and beyond. RaiseAChild has lived the realities of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion throughout its entire 11-year existence, well before the current definitions and concepts of DE&I had been developed. One might say DE&I is "part of the organization's DNA" as the organization was entirely formed to reach out to individuals and families who were traditionally not reflected or well served in the various governmental and private programs that supported foster care and adoption.

"Inclusion" is the core of the mission of RaiseAChild. The organization places priority on maintaining a diverse workplace, primarily because the preponderance of the population of children in "the system" in Los Angeles County are children of color. In order to provide the intuitive and tailored support to parents of color who are interested in fostering and/or adopting children, the organization has maintained a diverse workplace, including bilingual and bicultural staff (Latino/Spanish).

RaiseAChild produces foster and adoption informational programs to support, educate, and motivate prospective parents. These events feature a diverse panel of parents who share their foster and adoption experiences and advice with new prospective parents. To learn more, visit https://raiseachild.org/

SOURCE RaiseAChild