On the Town: Cusumanos honored by Family Service Agency for their support for organization
Over the past six decades, the Family Service Agency of Burbank has forged, cultivated and celebrated relationships with those who have been in need of its vital services.
Dedicated to a mission of offering quality counseling, care, education and advocacy at low or no cost, the agency has dramatically changed and saved the lives of individuals, couples, families and active and veteran members of the armed forces.
Providing housing, crisis intervention, legal guidance, safety in the face of domestic violence and hope for those in the grips of mental illness and substance addiction, the agency has been embraced and supported by Burbank’s governmental, corporate, business, residential and faith-based communities.
Representing each of those factions, more than 300 supporters gathered for the Family Service Agency’s annual “Imagine a City” gala fundraiser at Providence High School this past Saturday.
Welcomed by Laurie Bleick, the agency’s executive director, Pat Smola, the organization’s finance director, and board President Brian Miller of the Cartoon Network, supporters enjoyed the evening that included a sunset social hour and silent auction in the school’s courtyard followed by dinner, entertainment and the presentation of the 2017 Mary Alice O’Connor Vision Awards.
The award honors the memory, work and spirit of O’Connor, a longtime dedicated community volunteer and founding board member of the agency, who died in 2010.
This year, FSA honored Michael and Caroline Cusumano, who both grew up in Burbank and for over two decades have served as the local face of the Cusumano Real Estate Group, a client-focused leasing, property management, development, construction, and brokerage company that was established by Michael Cusumano’s father and uncle in the 1950s.
“The Cusumano family has played such a significant role in providing us support to be able to do what we do for kids and families for so many years,” Bleick said. “They have made it possible for us to change and save lives.”
Among the notables in attendance at Saturday’s gala were U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, state Sen. Anthony Portantino, Burbank Mayor Will Rogers, Vice Mayor Emily Gabel-Luddy, Council members Bob Frutos and Sharon Springer, City Clerk Zizette Mullins, former Mayors Marsha Ramos, Anja Reinke and Gary Bric, City Manager Ron Davis, and former City Manager Mary Alvord.
Saturday’s event, which raised over $100,000 for the work of the Family Service Agency, was made possible by the event’s committee and board members including:
Ross Purdy, Yasmine Wolfe, Michael Albanese, Jim O’Neil, Anita Schackmann, Stacy Cashman, Teri Stein and Bruce Osgood as well as agency staff members Ginny Goodwin, Christine Ramos, George Holbrook, Rena Scharch, Barbara Wright, Molli McIlvaine, Anthony Langford, Jennifer Mireles, Ryan Varon, Taylor Foxhall and Sylvia Garza.
For more information about the Family Service Agency and its services, to volunteer or to make a financial donation, call (818) 845-7671 or visit familyserviceagencyofburbank.org.
DAVID LAURELL may be reached by email at dlaurell@aol.com or (818) 563-1007.
