Rose LaZurs’ car is packed with handbags. A few months ago she was trying to unload 200 pairs of shoes. And every so often she finds her garage filled with cosmetics or clothes or various hygiene products.

At first glance, one might think LaZurs is a shopaholic, but anyone who knows the Hacienda Heights resident recognizes she is simply on a mission to serve women in need.

As the CEO and Founder of Women to Women Fellowship, LaZurs established the interfaith organization a decade ago with the intent to provide love and encouragement to abused and homeless women living in shelters.

Her organization collects donated goods to deliver to the women, and hosts an annual signature Mother’s Day event designed to treat all attendees to a day of beauty and love.

“These are women who fall through the cracks,” said LaZurs, who notes many of the women are victims of domestic violence and verbal and physical abuse. “They need a break. They need our help. They need some love.”

Last spring, Women to Women Fellowship made the trek to Long Beach, bringing their Mother’s Day event to His Nesting Place, a shelter servicing families in need.

Women were treated to massages, manicures and hair styling, courtesy of volunteers from local cosmetology schools. Volunteers additionally cared for children at the facility, hosting arts and crafts for the youngest shelter members, so their moms could enjoy a break.

“The girls had a wonderful time,” said Diana Cattani, administrative director at His Nesting Place. “Anyone who comes out and shows these women some love is appreciated. They are living on food stamps and have no means to afford beauty treatments. Even the most basic care packages can be out of reach for them.”

Beyond the Mother’s Day event, Women to Women Fellowship also works to transport shelter moms and their kids to various fun outings during the year.

“Bowling, the movies or a day at the park – many of us take these adventures for granted in Southern California, “ said LaZurs. “But the women and children living in shelters don’t get to experience these luxuries.”

As word has spread about Women to Women Fellowship, more agencies and companies have contributed goods and services to benefit the shelters.

“We find a use for all of the items we are given,” LaZurs said. “We gather clothing suitable for employment, basic hygiene products and goods for the kids.”

Even doctors have volunteered their time at events, giving basic medical screenings.

“I’m proud of the Women 2 Women Fellowship’s efforts to help women and children, who are suffering from the physical and mental torture of abuse,” said Supervisor Don Knabe. “They have already been through hell together, and giving a woman the opportunity to spend time with her child outside of the cycle of violence can help put them on a path to a better tomorrow.”

Women to Women Fellowship serves shelters throughout LA County. To learn more about how to donate goods, money or services, visit www.w2wfellowship.com.

Eighteen years ago today, Debi Faris established the Garden of Angels, a cemetery for abandoned newborns.

For the last eighteen years, she has been the final caretaker of babies who were thrown away in a desperate attempt to cover up a secret. Debi has blessed each infant with a name and a dignified burial, and she has been the only family these children have had.

Since 1996, the Garden of Angels has become the final resting place to 108 babies, and one adult. “Grandpa Joe” suffered brain damage when he was thrown into a trash can shortly after his birth, but he went on to live 66 years before joining his brothers and sisters in the Garden of Angels. It’s absolutely sickening to think that anyone would do this to an innocent baby.

Debi has been a crusader for our most vulnerable children, and without her help, passion and perseverance, we would not have the Safe Surrender program here in Los Angeles County. Since establishing the program, we’ve saved the lives of 122 babies and created 122 new families.

Today’s anniversary is a somber reminder of how far we’ve come in our efforts to protect newborns from abandonment, and a rallying cry for how much more work we have to do.

I ask you to join me in saying a prayer for all those children buried at the Garden of Angels, and the 122 newborns who were given a second chance at life.

Last week, I proudly joined Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell, Probation Chief Jerry Powers, DCFS Director Philip Browning and local law enforcement, Probation and DCFS staff, and our advocacy partners to launch the next phase in our fight against child sex trafficking here in Los Angeles County.

Our staff has been on the frontlines since the beginning, and for the last two and a half years, we’ve raised the level of awareness of this horrific crime to the public’s consciousness. We’ve changed the understanding that these are girls—maybe a neighbor or maybe even a relative—who are being tortured with physical and emotional abuse, and sexually exploited for money.

Like everyone—I was absolutely floored when I was briefed by our Probation staff over two years ago on the situation occurring in our communities.

I have heard the horror stories of what our girls endure when they are forced into this life. But, I have also met survivors and despite everything they’ve gone through, they still have a fiery spirit and hope for a better life.

We know that the victims come into contact with staff every day across county departments.

We need to have a process in place for how we can get these girls the wraparound services needed to help them escape the streets and walk the path to a bright future.

Thanks to the efforts of Judge Catherine Pratt and our STAR Court, we’ve been able to provide much needed support, mentorship and services to our young survivors.

We are launching a set of protocols that will get more girls these services.

A collaborative effort by Probation, DCFS, law enforcement and others brought us to this point—changing culture, especially in government, can be difficult.

But when we are united by a common goal to protect our County’s must vulnerable children we get these results.

Los Angeles County’s efforts over the last two and half years have turned us into a national leader in the fight to end child sex trafficking. Other municipalities are looking at us for direction and guidance.

Let’s use this position to help change the stigma surrounding sex trafficking. I challenge every single person across the County to be a part of this shift.

Let’s start with the language. Remove the word “Prostitute” from your vocabulary.

Stop referring to these children as “Prostitutes” or “Child Prostitutes.”

Kids who are forced to sell themselves night after night on a street corner are not prostitutes. Kids who are brutally beaten by their pimp for not making a quota are not prostitutes. Kids victimized and sexually exploited by grown men are not prostitutes.

No child grows up dreaming of becoming a prostitute. They are victims—manipulated emotionally and physically into a hellish life.

We need to be there to protect these victims. We need to wrap our arms around them and get them everything they need to get on the road to recovery and the path to a better life. I’m proud of how much we have accomplished as a County so far—but now the real work begins.

The lives of our girls depend on it.

Earlier today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors decided not to establish a civilian oversight commission to monitor the Sheriff’s Department at this time.

The Board of Supervisors is absolutely committed to ensuring our Sheriff’s department operates with responsibility and integrity. After much frustration, this Board, took an aggressive stance on problems in the Sheriff’s Department.  We created a Citizens’ Jail Commission, which did an outstanding job. Their work has already had a huge impact under interim Sheriff Scott.  One of their recommendations was to establish an Inspector General, which we need to move ahead with now.

This Office of Inspector General (OIG) will help us continue on the path of reform.  Adding another Commission on top of it, with no control or power, will get us nowhere.  In fact, layering oversight on top of oversight only leads to meetings after meetings and reports after reports. We seem to have a habit of “Create a Commission” every time there is an issue within the County.  And it slows us down.

Let’s focus on action and get the Office of Inspector General up and running, and put our attention and efforts into supporting an OIG that can provide us with valuable information, and aggressively move forward on reform.  Let’s have the structure in place for our new Sheriff, who will benefit from the insights of the OIG, rather than establishing a whole other entity before this one even starts.

Let’s help the vast majority, the thousands of men and women of our Sheriff’s department who risk their lives every day, operate under clear lines of responsibility and accountability, and be proud of the work they do and the community they serve.

Tomorrow morning, the Board of Supervisors is set to discuss creating a civilian commission to oversee and monitor the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

At this time, I do not see a need to create an entirely new oversight commission to serve as the public’s watchdog over the Sheriff’s Department. Doing so now would only slow down the implementation of the Citizens’ Commission on Jail Violence recommendations and create a redundancy in oversight that our Office of Inspector General is just beginning to provide.

One of the dozens of recommendations made by the CCJV last year was to create an Office of Inspector General to provide oversight and monitoring of the Sheriff’s Department. In December, the Board of Supervisors appointed Deputy District Attorney Max Huntsman to lead this new agency.

At the time, the Department was in crisis–drowning in federal indictments and claims of physical abuse by deputies in our jails. Since then, Sheriff John Scott and Max Huntsman have been instrumental in reforming the county’s jail system and changing the Department’s archaic culture.

Let’s give Sheriff Scott, Max Huntsman and the next Sheriff an opportunity to continue implementing the reforms and fostering change in the Department before we consider adding another level of bureaucracy.

Last week, the Los Angeles County Assessor’s office announced an over 5% increase in property values. After years of decline following the great recession, this is the fourth consecutive year that property values have increased. These numbers show a more stable economy and allow the county to continue providing the services and programs our residents expect.

Los Angeles County weathered the recession better than most other municipalities because we set aside funding during the good times. While we are seeing growth, we must remain prudent in how we spend our money. We need to look at the big picture and concentrate our efforts on outlining our priorities and responsibilities.

One area I have received calls and emails about is the diversion program services for individuals with mental illness who are arrested or currently residing in our jails.

Let me be clear–I absolutely support diversion programs and any efforts we can make to reduce recidivism. But we cannot look at this issue in isolation. I’m not clear where the proposed $20 million funding figure came from or how it fits alongside our other priorities.

After months of study, District Attorney Jackie Lacey will be coming to the Board in September to provide her recommendations. With this information and associated costs, we can arrive at an informed decision.

Summer months often lead to idle time for young middle and high school students. And with budget cuts to summer school programs, and costly camps out of reach for many parents, too much free time can translate into trouble.

But for 250 kids, based in the Wilmington and Harbor Gateway areas, this summer could be the beginning of seeing a new, bright future. From July 7 – August 1, sponsored kids will storm the campus of Cal State Dominguez Hills and attend sessions in fitness, academics, art, team-building, service and beyond, all courtesy of an instrumental nonprofit in the area known as Sharefest.

Sharefest, entering its 11^th year of existence under the leadership of Executive Director Chad Mayer, serves the community in many ways with a focus on mentoring youth, fostering volunteerism in the community, and establishing working coalitions made up of city leaders, schools, businesses and the faith community.

Sharefest launched their Youth Development Academy in 2007 with just 35 campers. Over the last seven years, the academy, which offers academic and extracurricular opportunities to underserved middle and high school students throughout the County, has grown to 250 kids.

The program is free, including bus transportation from the kids’ local schools, and it places them on a college campus for one of the two, two-week sessions.

“It’s a great environment to bring the kids,” said Mayer, who noted the campers not only get access to the campus, but are also able to interact with some of the professors and students as well.

“Sharefest definitely opened doors for me,” said Jose Sanchez, now a YDA counselor and full-time student at the University of California Santa Barbara. “Going into camp that first summer, I was not a talkative kid, but in just a few weeks I learned to ask questions, be open to meeting new people and the importance of being a leader by volunteering in your community.”

Sanchez, who fondly recalls spending time in the Cal State Dominguez pool racing against new friends, enjoyed two summers as a YDA camper, two more as a junior counselor, and now is a full-fledged counselor for the program.

The aspiring math teacher, on track to be the first college grad in his family, says the exposure to the college campus life in those formative years helped him see new possibilities for his future.

“All of the counselors were college students, and they were so great about encouraging us to look at schools and tell us about how fun and amazing college can be,” Sanchez says.

Mayer says he is firm believer in identifying the right resources to support the campers.

“We recruit the best talent to pour into these kids,” said Mayer. “They are surrounded by counselors who believe in them, encourage them, and are constantly delivering positive affirmations and high-fives.”

Steve Tedesco, the YDA Program Manager, added that in addition to the various sports and classes, high school students are able to make several college visits to local schools like UCLA, Pepperdine and Cal State Long Beach, and meet with admissions counselors. They additionally make some field trips to local city offices to learn about professional opportunities and life, and all kids will enjoy an Dodger game.

“In two weeks, lives are changed,” said Tedesco. “The feedback I hear from parents is that they cannot wait for their kids to attend this camp.”

Both of the summer sessions culminate with a community service project. This year, the kids will upgrade and clean the Toberman House, a neighborhood center for harbor-area families in need, painting murals and benches, helping out in the food pantry, creating a Welcome Center and packing backpacks for underserved kids.

“When these kids leave here, we want them not only to benefit from the leadership they received, but also know what it means to give back,” said Mayer. “We want them to see a bigger world, beyond just their current circumstances and neighborhood.”

Mayer says his goal is to continue to grow the number of camper slots each summer.

“I would take 1,000 campers if I could,” he said. “The Cal State Dominguez campus is certainly large enough, but we need the funding to offer more spots.”

To sponsor a camper or learn more about Sharefest’s volunteer opportunities, visit www.sharefestinc.org or email info@sharefestinc.org.

During a nationwide child sex trafficking sweep this weekend, 10 young girls were rescued and 12 pimps were arrested in the Los Angeles area. I am proud of the efforts by our local law enforcement agencies to crack down on the scumbags who buy and sell young girls for sex. During the operation, the Long Beach Police Department rescued two juvenile girls and arrested six pimps and traffickers who were sexually exploiting children for money. These girls were subjected to an endless cycle of brutal physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Now the healing process will begin, and they will both receive the services they need to turn their lives around and empower them to escape their life on the streets.

Child sex trafficking is a barbaric industry that festers in our cities and communities. We must continue to do everything we can to get these girls off the track and on a path to a better life ahead. Together we must say, “No more; not in our streets; not to our young girls.”

The Department of Regional Planning asked for my input, as well as the public’s, on the current state of the Marina—what is missing or should be improved in the Marina, what design changes might be made to make the Marina a more attractive place, and what uses or amenities could be provided to make the Marina a more desirable destination for visitors and more livable for residents.

At the Small Craft Harbor Commission meeting on May 26, 2014, one of these ideas was discussed at length—whether or not the public boat launch should be moved from its current location, which would allow for a reconfiguration of uses in the adjacent area. Let me be clear—that idea came from me.

I provided my input to the Department of Regional Planning for consideration and public discussion. For years, I’ve heard from numerous professional planners and developers about the need to consider a reconfiguration of the launch ramp to provide better opportunities to group uses to create a better sense of place in the Marina. It was prudent for the idea to be considered during the visioning process when the long term future of the Marina was being discussed.

After a study conducted by a consultant and reviewed by the U.S. Coast Guard deemed the move to be safe, I felt it was appropriate to introduce the idea into the visioning process for public discussion. It was meant as a point of departure for a broader discussion. It was not a direction and it was never a done deal. Somehow that got lost in translation.

Nevertheless, the idea was universally rejected at the Small Craft Harbor Commission meeting. I want the public to know that I’ve listened to you and I’m removing the idea of relocating the public boat launch from further consideration in the visioning process. The process itself will continue, and I encourage you to continue your involvement, because it does make a difference.

I am truly disappointed by the outcome of today’s vote on how best to protect the children of Los Angeles County.  Instead of focusing on our social workers on the ground, who face extreme challenges and pressure to keep children safe from neglect and abuse, we created more levels of bureaucracy that do nothing to support them.

We spent 18 months developing a strategic plan to protect our children, and before the ink even dried, we threw it all out the window and created the Blue Ribbon Commission. The Commission spent another eight months coming up with many of the same exact recommendations we were already in the midst of implementing.

Today, we could have continued our efforts to implement these recommendations. Instead we created new layers of unnecessary bureaucracy that will be telling our departments how to do their jobs, despite having no policy execution or operational experience.

Our decision today has done a true disservice to our social workers and to those who need us most: our vulnerable and at-risk children.