2023 HALO Award Volunteer Recipients
From left: Rosa Kawahira, Little Tokyo Service Center; Elaine Wassil, Boys & Girls Clubs of Carson;
Stacy Kruse, The Giving Spirit; Ashley Brim, United Friends of the Children;
Scott Kramer, ICAN California Abilities Network; Bella McGowan, People Assisting the Homeless
Last month, The Carl & Roberta Deutsch Foundation celebrated the 2023 HALO Award recipients with a luncheon at the Marion Davies Guest House. It was a joyful day where the HALO Award volunteers’ love and dedication to improving their communities and the world around them were honored and highlighted. We welcomed six organizations into the HALO Award family: Boys & Girls Clubs of Carson, The Giving Spirit, ICAN California Abilities Network, Little Tokyo Service Center, People Assisting the Homeless, and United Friends of the Children.
Keynote Speaker: Judy Belk
We were honored to have Judy Belk as the luncheon’s keynote speaker. Most recently, Judy was the President & CEO of The California Wellness Foundation, where she spent nine years. Judy shared anecdotes from her inspiring life story and stressed the importance of volunteerism and advocacy by showcasing what tremendous change can come about from passionate individuals in their communities. Judy attributes early life experiences dealing with racial segregation in Virgina to opening her eyes to the power of advocacy and care for one’s community. These experiences shaped her personal and professional journeys and compel her to continue making positive changes in the world today.
From left: Johng Ho Song, Executive Director at Koreatown Youth and Community Center (2013 HALO Award Recipient) and Shelby Williams-González, Chief Executive Officer & President at Inner-City Arts
We were also joined by members of the 2023 Selection Committee and our long-time partner and HALO Award program facilitator, the Blue Garnet team. Heartfelt sentiments reinvigorated passion for community, and the understanding of the power of volunteerism was prominent throughout the luncheon event. The Foundation looks forward to working closely with Cohort 13 during this program year.
