Nearly 100 guests, including Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Koretz, were on hand for the January 12, 2012 campus-naming ceremony and sign unveiling at Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services.
The event – which coincided with the Los Angeles City Council declaring January 12, 2012 Joyce & Stanley Black Family Day in Los Angeles – marked the official renaming of Vista Del Mar’s West Los Angeles campus. Specifically, on the stone-inlaid wall designating the agency’s Motor Avenue entrance, under the words Vista Del Mar now appears an additional designation—The Joyce & Stanley Black Family Campus.
This altered signage could not be more apt because members of the Black family—like the wall itself—have been fixtures on the Vista Del Mar campus for decades. In fact, involvement with Vista Del Mar stretches back to Stanley Black’s parents—Victoria and Jack Black.
After building extremely successful real-estate businesses (KB Management and Black Equities Group), Beverly Hills resident Stanley Black carried on his parents’ tradition of supporting Vista Del Mar and the youngsters—many of whom have experienced unimaginable trauma—served by the nonprofit agency. That support spans more than three decades and includes generous giving of both time and money.
Stanley Black was a longtime member of Vista’s Board of Directors and is currently a member of its Board of Ambassadors. Since 1978, he also has spearheaded Vista’s signature “Sports Sweepstakes” fund-raising event which, along the way, has netted millions of dollars to help f
und the organization’s comprehensive spectrum of specialized services for children struggling with mental, emotional, or developmental challenges. In addition to “Sports Sweepstakes,” Stanley—and his wife of more than 40 years, Joyce—were the primary benefactors for the $3.5-million Joyce and Stanley Black Special Care Facility that was opened on Vista’s campus in May of 2000. And, most recently, the Blacks donated $5 million to help Vista continue serving children and families in need.
Those children and families are also being served by Joyce and Stanley Black’s offspring—Jack Black, Janis Black Warner, and Jill Black Zalben—all of whom are actively involved with Vista Del Mar.
Commenting on the momentous occasion, Vista Del Mar’s President and CEO Elias Lefferman, Ph.D., said, “Joyce and Stanley Black—along with their children Jack, Janis, and Jill—have helped hundreds and hundreds of kids overcome tremendous challenges, thus paving the way for bright, healthy, productive futures. Vista is honored that our campus will now forever reflect the tremendous impact that the Black family has had on our organization and those we serve.”
During his formal remarks, County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky stated, “No agency in Los Angeles or all of California does for children what Vista Del Mar does.â€
Councilman Paul Koretz, who authored the resolution declaring Jan. 12 Joyce & Stanley Black Family Day in Los Angeles remarked, “The Black family’s contributions to Vista Del Mar and the City of Los Angeles are so great that every day in Los Angeles could be named for them.â€
For more information on Vista Del Mar’s services: http://www.vistadelmar.org.
