34 Year Dedicated “Mom” to Thousands Has None of Her Own
Baker Victory Services Foster Care Program is a Blessing to and for children going through any number of challenges. That Blessing is in large part made possible by the agency's Director of Foster Care Programs at BVS, Halli Lavner.
Newly appointed CEO, Cindy Lee, said this on Halli's behalf, according to news reports:
“I don’t think Halli ever goes home honestly,” Cindy Lee said, the chief executive officer of BVS. “Halli is here all the time.”
The most moving and revealing part of WIVB's news article about Halli Lavner is the following:
Lavner said one day while she was pumping gas a gentleman came up to her with his daughter. She quickly realized he was once a teenager in the foster care program at BVS, and thanked her for making such a huge difference on his life.
“As a teenager he really struggled… and I didn’t realize at the time really the impact that everyone was having on his life,” she said.
That moment has kept her at BVS for 34 years.
In the early 1900s, Nelson Henry Baker, or Father Baker, created the OLV Infant House in Lackawanna. It was a sanctuary for un-wed mothers and their babies. More than 100 years later, Halli Lavner is carrying on the tradition of creating a sanctuary space for those in need.
“It’s really all about the kids and the families,” she said.
Thank you for your continued service Halli Lavner!
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