Oscar Lozano, a single man in his thirties, had a dream of starting a family and didn’t know if it would be possible.
Thanks to his social worker, Angie Cruz, Lozano embarked on a foster-to-adopt journey that ended in fatherhood. Cruz attended Lozano’s ceremony last November where he officially adopted his first child. Virginia Hagler, a retired woman in her eighties, also expressed gratitude for her social worker, Brenda Vertiz, who came to her aid when she was in danger of losing her home last August.
Vertiz was part of an Adult Protective Services team that helped Hagler be able to remain in her home and avoid homelessness. She said she couldn’t imagine Hagler packing up her belongings in boxes.
“I was motivated to find her the help she needed,” Vertiz said. “Fortunately, we were able to find her resources so she could keep her home.”
Over a dozen social workers received recognition from the Riverside County Board of Supervisors and leaders from the Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) during Social Work Month in March. There are more than 1,300 of these everyday heroes who serve Riverside County’s most vulnerable populations.
Nationwide, there are nearly 720,000 professional social workers and that number is expected to rise to more than 800,000 by 2030, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Sayori Baldwin, assistant county executive officer of Human Services and DPSS director, said that this year’s theme, “The Time is Right for Social Work”, underscored the importance and continued relevance of this century-old profession.
“When someone chooses this field, it is because they have a passion for helping others,” Baldwin said. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank each social worker in Riverside County.”
Angela Maria Naso | Contributed
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