Hernandez has spent more than a decade connecting with hundreds of faith partners to recruit and retain foster families, according to Barger’s office.
Hernandez has led FosterAll’s faith community partnership for more than 10 years, working with more than 450 faith communities to raise awareness about the need for foster families and support for children and youth in Los Angeles County, according to the City of Pasadena.
As of May, 9,484 children in Los Angeles County were in out-of-home placements, including 4,400 living with relatives and 2,323 in non-relative resource family homes, according to the county Department of Children and Family Services.
Hernandez was instrumental in founding the Los Angeles County Faith Alliance, an interfaith partnership with the county’s Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, Barger’s office said. Before joining FosterAll, she spent 20 years as national coordinator for Winning Our World International, mobilizing 50,000 volunteers. FosterAll, which began in 1985 as Child S.H.A.R.E., recruits prospective foster parents from faith communities and provides ongoing support to those families.
As a Citizens Assisting Pasadena Police volunteer, Hernandez helps build bridges between law enforcement and the community through her interactions with residents at community events, traffic incidents and disasters, the city said. The program began in 1996 as Citizens on Patrol. Its volunteers patrol city streets daily after completing an eight- to 10-week training course, qualify to drive a city volunteer vehicle and serve at least eight hours a month, according to the Pasadena Police Department.
During the recognition, Hernandez spoke about her grandfather, who immigrated from Oaxaca, Mexico, and served in the U.S. military, and her father, a retired Marine who as a young Marine was appointed to coordinate Hispanic Heritage Month at the Naval Weapons Station in Concord, California, the city said.
“Service and sacrifice run through my veins,” Hernandez said.
“No task is too small for Kathy,” Barger said in remarks recognizing her.
Barger also recognized Francisco “Panchito” Ramirez Rueda of Lake Los Angeles, who co-founded The Dreamers Soccer Clinic, a volunteer-run nonprofit that has served more than 500 Antelope Valley youth.
Residents interested in volunteering with the department must first complete the eight-session Community Police Academy, submit an application and pass a background check, according to the department. Program information is at https://www.cityofpasadena.
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