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Advocates to Honor Those Who Aid Florida Abused, Neglected Kids


Business executives, civic leaders and attorneys who advocate for the rights of those who suffer child abuse, personal injury and other harm and neglect will gather in February for the Florida’s Children First 2016 Broward Reception. The event will be held Thursday, February 25, 2016 at 5:30PM at the The Riverside Hotel (620 East Las Olas Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale).

At the annual fundraiser and awards event, Florida’s Children First – the state’s premier child advocacy organization – will honor child advocates who strive to make a difference in the lives of the state’s most vulnerable kids.

Among those being honored will be Dr. Fred Lippman, Chancellor of the Health Professions Division of Nova Southeastern University. Dr. Lippman’s concern for children spans nearly five decades. In his 20 year term in the Florida House of Representatives, (1978 to 1998), he fought for important legislation to protect children and senior citizens and to improve Florida’s health care system. Most recently, he volunteered to co-chair the Children’s Services Council reauthorization effort last year, which successfully protected $54 million of funding for Broward’s most needy children. Among his many honors, he was named “Child Advocate of the Year” by the Florida Pediatric Society and is recognized as the “Father” of the State of Florida’s Area Health Education Center, which works to improve health care providers in underserved areas.

The Child Advocates of the Year are Stuart Singer and Carl Goldfarb with the Fort Lauderdale office of Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP. The two led a team of BSF lawyers, along with the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia, in a civil rights action on behalf of the approximate two million Florida children on Medicaid. It is one of the largest public interest class action lawsuits in the nation. The team worked on this case pro bono for more than a decade and logged thousands of hours toward the effort.

Tiervondria (Tia) McCall will be recognized as the Youth Advocate of the Year. Tia is an amazing, motivated and inspiring youth. She struggled with stability and safety her whole life. She and her brother lived with her mother and stepdad until the age of eight. After her stepdad died she was separated from her brother but eventually reunited in the care of her brother’s grandmother, in non-relative care, until the age of 17. During this time, Tia suffered from verbal and physical abuse often witnessing drug use in her home. She could have easily taken the wrong path. Tia raised herself and her younger brother focusing her time and effort on school and a better life for herself. For the past five years Tia has grown to be an amazing leader in Florida Youth SHINE, having become the youngest president of a Florida Youth SHINE chapter at age 15. She has served as President of the Broward chapter for the past three years and has lead, recruited and impacted youth around the state. She is now 18 years old, a freshman at Broward College studying Criminal Justice, works part-time and interns at Florida’s Children First.

To RSVP for the event, Email fcf@floridaschildrenfirst.org or call 954-796-0860.

About Florida’s Children First: Florida’s Children First is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the rights of at-risk children and youth, especially those in foster care. Uniquely positioned as Florida’s premiere independent advocacy organization, our mission is to seek full representation of children and youth and obtain meaningful and sustainable improvement in Florida’s child serving systems.

MEDIA CONTACT: Michelle Griffith and Sandra Reichman of Boardroom Email: mgriffith@boardroompr.com / sreichman@boardroompr.com Phone: 407-973-8555 / 954-370-8999.

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