“The meetings were very productive,” stated Assemblymember Bass. “Our goal was to bring attention to the needs of foster youth as well as highlight examples of programs that have helped foster youth succeed against staggering odds.”

The celebrity guests included daytime television actress Victoria Rowell, who grew up in the foster care system and has founded her own non-profit organization to support foster care youth; award winning actress Jane Seymour. Also on hand were That 70’s Show’s star Kurtwood Smith and his wife as well as Beatrice Franklin, the foster youth who they mentor; and R&B artist and producer Kashif, who grew up in the foster care system; and The Shield’s star Catherine Bent, who is also a mentor to a teenage foster youth.

Meetings were held with Senate Minority Leader Dick Ackerman, Speaker of the Assembly Fabian Nunez and Assembly Minority Leader George Plescia. The celebrities also spoke to the Select Committee of Foster Care members at an informational briefing. Along with the celebrities were Daphna Ziman with Children Uniting Nations, Deanne Tilton and Alan Landsburg with Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect and.

May is Foster Care Awareness Month. Assemblymember Bass and the Select Committee on Foster Care have embarked on a campaign to bring awareness to key issues in the Foster Care System including effectively emancipating youth, mentoring and relative care support. More than 83,000 children are in the foster care system in the state of California, more than any other state in the nation.