The Valley of the Moon Children's Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization established to provide supportive and educational services for the abandoned, neglected and abused children of Sonoma County.

The Valley of the Moon Children’s Foundation’s goal is to provide ongoing support to the Valley of the Moon Children’s Home, which is Sonoma County’s only 24-hour emergency shelter for abused, abandoned, and neglected children. We are proud to share with you the Foundation’s 2011 accomplishments: First is the new Valley of the Moon Children’s Center Dental Program. This program offers dental care for every child brought into care at the Children’s Home including, but not limited too, dental evaluations, sealants, fillings, cleanings, oral health education, and emergency care. These much needed dental services are provided in a secure and supportive environment with priority given to reduce the child’s anxiety and ensure they have a positive experience. This year we expect to treat approximately 120 children. Additionally, this is our fifth year of funding educational scholarships to former foster youth of Sonoma County in which the Foundation has awarded 63 scholarships for a total of $202,000. These accomplishments could not have been realized without your very generous support and donations.

In other areas of focus the Foundation funded the V.O.I.C.E.S –Sonoma facility with a grant to help with staffing of this comprehensive resource center serving foster youth who are aging out of the foster care system. We also provided funds to the Willmar Center for Bereaved Children who continue to provide therapeutic support groups for the children at the Children’s Home. Our continued collaboration with the above and many other agencies in Sonoma County has increased our ability to avoid overlap of services and have narrowed our focus to achievable, actionable programs where we can measure the outcomes and better serve our youth.

While the Foundation achieved all their goals this year, there are always more projects to conquer. With the Scholarship program growing, the Foundation will increase their support and funding to students who have goals to pursue post-secondary education. Helping these students with scholarships is an investment in creating the potential leaders of our community. The Foundation will also continue to support the Valley of the Moon Children’s Center Dental Program as it continues to develop in both the services provided and the children its serves. For example, a recurrent unmet need is foster children who need orthodontics. The Foundation is working on creating a fund that could address this issue. 

The Foundation continues to study programs to augment services and expand support for the kids.  We shall always persist to:  1) enrich the lives of the children while living at the Home, 2) focus on areas of education, housing, and employment opportunities for emancipated (aging out) children, 3) focus on areas of improved support for the foster care needs of Sonoma County, and  4) seek ways to continue educating the public about child abuse prevention.

Thank you for your ongoing kindness and support which has made an immense difference to more than 1,200 children annually. We invite you to select a project or program that would interest you.  Please note our return envelope and form within. We are thrilled about our refocused efforts and service to youth and hope for your continuous support.

Gratefully,

Laura Colgate

Board President

Valley of the Moon Children's Foundation