Saying Goodbye to Fran Goldfarb

Linda Andron-Ostrow, Executive Director

I’d like to introduce to you F.A.C.T. boardmember Fran Goldfarb – my colleague and dear friend. Soon Fran will term out of her position as board member. Please take a moment to read her story joining the FACT community.

Take it easy, but take it ~Woodie guthrie

It is with very mixed feelings that we bid farewell to retiring board member, Fran Goldfarb.  Fran has been with the agency from its birth.  Fran was the Family Support Director for us.  Always with a soft voice and a smile, she imparts her deep empathy for families, bolstered by her incredible wealth of knowledge.  With her husband Jim, she founded and co-leads the LA Aspergers parent support group.  She never fails to take on a challenge.  Fran’s inspiration and wisdom can be found all over town, but I personally want to thank her for her chapter in our journey through high functioning autism and Aspergers a road map.  So to Fran we say, please take it easy (now that you don’t have to sit through our board meetings and endless emails), but continue to take it, never missing a chance to engage in the causes and issues that lay before you.

“I remember our first visit to FACT.  It was still a part of UCLA and my son was 5 years old.  The kids went off to their group and the parents stayed in the waiting room and slowly started talking to each other and we realized we had found a community.

Almost 20 years later, we still are a FACT family.  My son has grown (a lot) and so has FACT and it continues to be a center of our community.  Back in the old days, there weren’t a lot of inclusive settings that were interested or able to work with our kids, programs for summer and school breaks were hard to find and FACT came to the rescue.  Our school breaks were filled with trips to the snow, the beach, San Diego (and that dolphin encounter photo that still hangs on our wall).  Our kids had friends they liked and we parents had friends we could relate to.  FACT has always been willing to look for the needs and gaps and develop programs to address those needs.  Summer camp was a big one- those five days were marvelous both for our kids and for us.  My son loved camp and my husband and I somehow managed to cram 6 movies into 5 days – a welcome break.  Unfortunately changes in regional center funding put an end to camp, but it is a cherished memory which is aided by the camp movies we received every year. 

FACT moved into offering other services.  They started providing behavioral aide for students in LAUSD (and now expanded to other districts).  As our children aged, FACT started looking to the needs of youth and adults on the spectrum.  Adding programs such as GAP, their transition program between high school and college and adult life.  Groups for adults (attended by many of the same kids my son started with so many years ago). 

FACT has always been an agency that served the entire family.  Siblings are welcome and an important part of FACT.  It was one of the places that fathers felt as comfortable as mothers. FACT has always been responsive to what families thought and suggested. 

At some point, FACT became a not for profit agency, empowering them with flexibility to meet the needs of families.  I was proud to be one of the first board members and have served as the board president.  Now I am getting ready to term off of the board, but that won’t lessen my involvement.  I know that parent participation is key to FACT’s success.  I see my involvement as an opportunity to provide direction, support individuals on the spectrum and their families and “give back” for all the benefit my family has received.  Think about your own history with FACT and where you would like to see the agency go and think about becoming a more active member of our community.”

We are entering the time of year where we look to expand our board and replace members who are terming out (including me).  We are looking to you. Think about applying to become a member of the FACT Board of Directors.  You can get more information by talking to a current board member (we are happy to talk with you), attending a board meeting and/or joining a committee.