Marilyn became a licensed foster parent over 34 years ago and has since cared for 214 children through out San Bernardino County in addition to raising two children of her own and a grandson.

She cared for children from birth to age 18, of all nationalities for over 25 years. Along the way she added to her family by adopting a daughter, and obtaining legal guardianship of a developmentally disabled daughter. In 1986, she became kin-caregiver of her two-month grandson and has raised him into adulthood.

Currently, Marilyn is a community advocate for the Department of Children’s Services. Her advocacy career began in 1972 when she assisted in starting the first foster parent association to assist foster parents and foster children.

In 2001, she became involved with DCS by assisting in the development of the Wraparound program, Family 2 Family and the Kinship Support Services program. These programs are designed to help foster children remain with their families and communities and ease them back into their homes. She facilitates support groups at the Kinship Family Center in San Bernardino and Rancho Cucamonga.

She believes strongly in the Family 2 Family way of practice for children which enables children to stay in their own communities preferably with family. In addition, wrap-around services provide families with a means to strengthen their bonds.

Near and dear to her heart is the Kinship Support Services program, because there are so many Grandparents and other relatives raising children and they often times are ostracized by their own families. She says this program is a great way to strengthen the relative placements and educate kin caregivers as to how to deal with the situations in which they find themselves.

Needless to say her education includes a well-earned master’s degree in social work from the university of many children. An education she feels, “you don’t get unless you are around children.” Her involvement in children’s lives will no doubt continue to drive Marilyn to do great things.