PCF Legacy Event Features Author David Ambroz | Pasadena Community Foundation

PCF Board Chair Maggie Sabbag, author David Ambroz, PCF President & CEO Jennifer DeVoll, and PCF Program Director Jeannine Bogaard.

On April 25, Pasadena Community Foundation hosted a special event for our Legacy Society Members, Endowment Builders, and community partners at the University Club of Pasadena: A conversation with national poverty and child welfare expert David Ambroz. He shared how his early-life experience of growing up homeless and in foster care ultimately led him to pursue his passion in child welfare advocacy and, in 2022, to publish his memoir, A Place Called Home.

View the event program

David’s compelling story dovetails with PCF’s commitment to supporting the education and lifetime success of transition age foster youth (or “TAY”), the creation of affordable housing, and assisting unhoused individuals. PCF’s has recently supported TAY through its Petersen Scholars Program and Coffee with a Cause; it has also funded numerous additional nonprofit organizations and educational institutions that provide wide-ranging, meaningful assistance to these populations and these issues. David’s presentation provided inspiration to further our collective work with our nonprofit partners and our donors in these areas.

An Against-All-Odds Story

The event began with a meet-and-greet reception with David for PCF’s Legacy Society Members and Endowment Builders, who received complimentary copies of David’s memoir. Next, in front of a crowd of nearly 100 attendees, David began his presentation by reading a touching excerpt from his memoir, recounting his experience as a five-year-old walking the freezing streets of New York City with his two siblings and his mother, who was abusive and struggled with mental illness. David was removed from his mother at age 11 and separated from his two siblings; he entered the foster care system, where, as a gay youth, he endured further years of abuse.

Eventually, David’s harrowing early life turns into an against-all-odds success story. He graduated from Vassar College and later earned his J.D. from UCLA School of Law. He was recognized by President Obama as an American Champion of Change. Now, David serves as the Head of Community Engagement (West) for Amazon after leading the Corporate Social Responsibility for Walt Disney Television. He has also served as president of the Los Angeles City Planning Commission, as well as a California Child Welfare Council member. David is a foster dad and lives in Los Angeles. Read more about David Ambroz.

Noting that several million children live in poverty across the United States, David implored the audience not to be impotent – that the very survival of these children depends on people just like us noticing them, caring about them, and working to change the system.

Photos of the 2024 Legacy Society Event

Hover your cursor over each photo for a caption.

David Ambroz begins his presentation.

Maggie Sabbag, author David Ambroz, Jennifer DeVoll, and Jeannine Bogaard at the 2024 Legacy Society Reception.

Angela Lee representing Harambee Ministries with her husband Paul Lee

Apollo Emeka and PCF Board Member George Dulgeryan

Betty Ma, PCF Professional Advisors Committee member, center, joins Adele Chang (left) and Frances Marick (right)

Tony Buschauer and Alyson Kroischke representing event sponsor Gregory Fillas Buschauer and Kroischke

PCF Endowment Builders Muriel and George Newell

PCF Endowment Builders Les and Nancy Waite

Victoria and Annie Williams with PCF staff member Sarah Hilbert, center.

Tony Gronroos, Mariver Copeland, and Mark Mariscal.

Scott Feldmann and Maureen Tyra

Samantha Levra, Sheri Bonner, and Christian Port representing Planned Parenthood Pasadena and SGV

Peter Mandell, Dr. Greta Mandell, David Spiro, and Richard Ramos.

Legacy Society Members Rick Nordin and Gail Rolf

David Ambroz chats with Eddie Newman following his presentation.

Rick Nordin gets his book signed by David Ambroz.

PCF Endowment Builder Brenda Gallway with Jennifer DeVoll

Brad Hanson, Henrique Martins, and PCF Legacy Society Member Rob Floe.

Camila Camaleon representing the San Gabriel Valley LGBTQ Center

Petersen Scholar Mary J. Vasquez (right), her mother Kimberly Soto, and David Ambroz.

PCF Petersen Scholar Mejia Orozco, David Ambroz and Jeannine Bogaard.

Petersen Scholar Karina Ortiz.

Jeannine Bogaard with PCF Petersen Scholar Mejia Orozco.

Legacy Society Member and PCF Endowment Builder Bill Bogaard (left) joins Lee Wallace (second from right) and PCF Endowment Builders Lynne Sullivan and McNamara.