Voices For Children Foundation Hosted "Be A Voice" Media Campaign/PSA Screening

MIAMI – May 1st, 2017 – On Wednesday, April 26, 2017, Voices For Children Foundation hosted a screening of their newly created “Be A Voice” marketing campaign at O’ Cinema Wynwood. The campaign was produced thanks to a generous grant from the Health Foundation of South Florida and is positioned to strengthen the viewers’ emotional connection with foster children as well as the organization and elicit their desire to take action.
The event began with a wine reception where guests had the opportunity to mingle with the film’s creators, Voices For Children Board members, as well as well-known community members, artists, and celebrities. During the program, TV host and foster parent Felipe Viel delighted the audience with personal stories about his experience as a foster parent and introduced “Dreams”. This short film is about how foster children, like any other child have dreams about who they want to be when they grow up, but as they grow they begin to seem more difficult to reach. TV Judge Alex Ferrer introduced “Words” a film that allows viewers to take a glimpse inside the mind of a child who is beginning to understand the reality of their life in foster care and the conversations that they have with themselves. Judge Ferrer, spoke not only as a judge that has seen so many cases related to child abuse and neglect, but as a loving parent that values the work that organizations like Voices For Children and the Guardian ad Litem Program do.
 “As a Judge I can tell you how Guardians ad Litem can change the conversation that a child has in his or her mind and set them on a more hopeful path. Like many of you on a personal level I have children and my heart is never more broken when I see my children suffering, in pain, being rejected and neglected.”
Dra. Isabel Gomez –Bassols, radio psychologist introduced “The Guardian” a film that shows how a Guardian can make a difference in the life of a child by just being there. “Everyday people can, if we can start bring awareness in this community to help others, we can make a change, we can make a difference because I still have voices in my head of Robertico, of Ana, of Alex. I want you to know that it is possible to change the life a child and maybe we can quiet down the voices of pain and start listening to laughter and hope” Said Dra. Isabel Gomez-Bassols.
Nelson Hincapie, President and CEO of Voices For Children introduced “Why Voices” a film that tells the story of what the organization does. Ana Quincoces, introduced the fifth video: “Memories”, a film that focused on childhood memories and the importance of having someone to make you feel loved and safe as a child. Ana shared a beautiful childhood memory and encouraged the community to take action by saying “our capacity to love is endless and if you have healthy children that have been brought up in a healthy home, share that with others”
Voices For Children will be hosting online premiere events until June 15^th to promote the videos, raise awareness and invite the community to take action by becoming a Guardian ad Litem or donating. For more information, please contact Beatriz Bellorin at bbellorin@beavoice.org and visit the film landing pages at www.beavoice.org/en/dreams-video-campaign and www.beavoice.org/en/why-voices-video-campaign.
About Voices For Children Foundation
Voices For Children Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that raises funds to help ensure that abused, abandoned, and neglected children in Miami-Dade County each have a court-appointed Guardian ad Litem and that financial assistance and other resources are available for their health, educational, and social needs. Guardians ad Litem are trained, court-appointed adults who serve as their representative voices in dependency court proceedings. Currently, 2,700 children are in Miami-Dade County’s Foster Care system and only 29% of children are unrepresented by Guardians ad Litem.  For more information, please visit www.BeAVoice.org         
 About Health Foundation of South Florida
Health Foundation of South Florida, a nonprofit grant making organization, is dedicated to improving health in Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. By funding providers and supporting programs to promote health and prevent disease, the Foundation makes a measurable and sustainable impact in the health of individuals and families. Since 1993, the Foundation has awarded more than $113 million in grants and program support. For more information please call 305-374-7200 or visit the website, www.hfsf.org
Editor’s Notes:  Event photographs are available upon request.