Vickie Looney was named Child Advocate of the Year for 2024 at Child Advocates of Fort Bend’s Annual Volunteer Celebration on February 27, 2025 at Safari Texas Ranch. The event was attended by nearly 200 volunteers, community partners and staff.
She is passionate about changing the lives of children who have suffered abuse and neglect and she embodies true “servant leadership”, stated Child Advocates of Fort Bend CEO Ruthanne Mefford. “When she takes on a commitment, she is 100% engaged and involved down to the smallest detail, documenting everything, checking in with everyone, and ensuring that no stone was left unturned.” Looney joined the Board of Directors 17 years ago and quickly moved into leadership positions on the Executive Committee. Over the years, she has chaired and built the Personnel Committee’s structure and processes and started a Board Mentor program to ensure new board members have a mentor to guide them through their first year. She has also been a tremendous advocate for staff, leading initiatives to show appreciation for all their hard work. She manages the gift card pull for the agency’s Gala and serves as an ambassador in the community, sharing the agency’s mission and recruiting new board members.
Darrell Roth was named Unsung Hero. Pat Somers was named Lifetime Hero. Stephanie Pride received the Helping Heart Award and LCISD Police Chief Henry Garcia was named the Mariel Barrera Champion for Children. Barrera, a longtime employee of Child Advocates of Fort Bend passed away in early 2017.
Other honorees at the volunteer celebration included Erin Curtis & Jane Russe (CASA Volunteers of the Year), Arlene & Wayne Murray and their dogs Lexi & Tucker (Children’s Advocacy Center Volunteers of the Year), Irfan Motiwala (Development Volunteer of the Year), LCISD Student Services Team (Outreach Volunteer of the Year) and Victoria Benedettini (Community Volunteer of the Year).
To see a list of all of the honorees or to learn more about volunteer opportunities with Child Advocates of Fort Bend, go to www.cafb.org.
Shown, L to R are: Wayne Murray, Irfan Motiwala, Kelli Grubbs, Vickie Looney, Pat Somers, Jane Russe, Erin Curtis, Chief Henry Garcia, Shanna Trcka, Kelly Kipping, Katherine Reaves, Darrell Roth and Arlene Murray. (Photo courtesy of Favre, Furman and Kij)
About Child Advocates of Fort Bend:
Child Advocates of Fort Bend is a non-profit agency dedicated to ending child abuse by Strengthening the Voice of the Child, Healing the Hurt, and Breaking the Cycle of abuse and neglect for children and their families in Fort Bend and surrounding counties. Through its Court Appointed Special Advocates Program (CASATM), Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) and more than 200 trained community volunteer advocates, Child Advocates improves the lives of more than 400 children each month and has served more than 23,500 children since opening its doors in 1991
The agency’s Inside Out Gala which supports its programs for children is set for April 26, 2025. Sponsorships of $2,500 – $15,000 are available. Individual reservations are $200. For more information about the Gala or to sponsor contact Tarina Sheridan at 281-344-5109 or tsheridan@cafb.org.
For more information on how you can get involved with Child Advocates of Fort Bend, contact Volunteer Services at 281-344-5123 or jbrown@cafb.org or log onto www.cafb.org.
