PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Council for Children’s Rights to host A Night for Children’s Rights on January 31, 2013 and bids farewell to longtime child advocate Brett A. Loftis
January 15, 2013 – The third annual A Night for Children’s Rights will be hosted by Council for Children’s Rights on Thursday, January 31, 2013, at The Charlotte Convention Center from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. thanks to presenting sponsors Bank of America and Wells Fargo. Community members, supporters, volunteers and activists are encouraged to attend. A Night for Children’s Rights, the Council for Children’s Rights annual fundraiser, will feature Carissa Phelps and United States Attorney Anne M. Tompkins.
In addition, Charlotte will also say goodbye to one of its most outspoken child advocates and visionaries at A Night for Children’s Rights. Brett A. Loftis, Executive Director of Council for Children’s Rights, will leave to become CEO of The Crossnore School in Avery County, North Carolina.
Phelps will share her inspiring turn-around story about moving from her life on the streets to becoming a strong, successful woman, driven by her desire to pay it forward by helping kids in need with a crowd of over 800. Before Phelps was an attorney, author, and advocate, she was first, a survivor of domestic minor sex trafficking. Phelps understands the challenges children face after being neglected and sexually exploited herself. Abandoned at the age of 12, Phelps turned her life around and eventually earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics summa cum laude from Fresno State, and her JD and MBA from UCLA. Phelps is also an author of Runaway Girl: Escaping Life on the Streets, One Helping Hand at a Time.
The community will also say goodbye to Loftis on the 31st. For over 12 years, Loftis has worked tirelessly with one goal in mind. He passionately believes all children should have the opportunity to grow up safe, healthy and educated. At the start of his career in Charlotte, he advocated for children on a wide range of issues, including special education, abuse/neglect, mental health, healthcare, and other areas of civil legal representation. In 2005, Loftis became the Executive Director of Council for Children’s Rights and has worked to build the organization to where it is today – a comprehensive continuum of legal representation and advocacy services for children in Mecklenburg County.
The team at Council for Children’s Rights has grown from eight to over 30 in Loftis’ seven years as Executive Director. The work he leads is vital in ensuring all children have a voice, a voice that ensures they are safe, healthy and educated. A voice that speaks for them regardless of socio-economic status, race, religion, sex, or ability status.
Loftis is a visionary. In 2006, he helped lead the consolidation of the Children’s Law Center and Council for Children, forming one of the first collaborations of like-minded non-profits in the community. Then, in 2009, Loftis helped launch The Larry King Center for Building Children’s Futures, an initiative of the Council for Children’s Rights, focused on making lasting, system-wide change for children in Mecklenburg County and North Carolina. The focus on system-wide change stems from unparalleled research and evaluation, community planning and policy advocacy. The initiative will help improve child well-being indicators for all 234,000 children living in Mecklenburg County. This ground-breaking undertaking has the potential to inform and change the way communities across the country serve children.
As a result of the many innovative approaches and relationships Loftis has formed to advocate for all children, he has positioned Council for Children’s Rights as the expert on children’s issues. The legacy he created will continue to move the agency forward. Every single one of the children living in Charlotte deserves a sound and basic education, access to health and mental health care and to live in a safe environment. The voice that Loftis provides to all children should not be underestimated. Our community is a better place to live in because of his vision and his ability to unite our community to see all children as equal.
Council for Children Rights has been the leading voice for children’s rights since 1979.