Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services

Our annual Prom is THE moment for every student to shine. And this year, made sure our students showed up feeling resplendent, confident, and fully celebrated. Thank you, Ariel, for donating the makeup for these stunning looks, and thanks and for connecting us! 🙌

To our incredible Vista staff: thank you for showing up and showing out so every student could revel in the full prom experience. 💛

Ariel, we can’t wait to see what happens next when beauty and purpose align. Thank you for making it unforgettable.

During Foster Care Awareness Month, we honor the contributions of Vista’s former Director of Adoptions and pioneer for openness in adoption, Reuben Pannor.

Reuben alongside fellow Vista Del Mar social worker Annette Baran wrote the groundbreaking book ‘The Adoption Triangle,’ which became an essential work for the openness in adoption movement.

Openness in adoption stresses the importance of creating an environment for an adopted child to interact with their biological family.

This notion created a seismic shift in adoption culture. Before the publication of this book, the idea that a birth parent would maintain any contact with a child given up for adoption was almost unheard of. The ripple effects of introducing the open adoption concept resulted in the forming of many meaningful relationships between adopted children and their biological parents.

This picture was taken from his office here on Vista’s campus in 1984. Reuben passed away in early 2013. On behalf of the many children and families you helped, we thank you.

For more questions about this topic or to attend one of our upcoming orientations please call 310-836-1223 ext. 409 or email at [email protected].

Today we honor the lives and sacrifices of the men and women in the armed forces for their valiant service to our country. Included among those who proudly served are several former Vista residents.

These pictures are of Vista Graduates who enlisted in the armed services in 1943. In February of that year alone, 23 graduates were discharged from the after-care department because they had joined the armed forces. Many served with distinction, earning some of the country’s highest honors for their service in the war. When these graduates visited Vista Del Mar, they often took time to speak to the children, providing living examples of the opportunities for which Vista Del Mar had prepared them.

Our Family Service of Santa Monica team () was proud to be part of at Clover Park in Santa Monica this past Sunday.

This inclusive, family-friendly bike ride brought the community together in the spirit of Mental Health Awareness Month and connected our neighbors with mental health resources throughout the day.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our table and to for including us in such a fun event. 💚🚲

Vista Del Mar’s journey from a Jewish orphanage to today’s comprehensive agency reflects both our enduring commitment to serving the needs of children and families and our evolution to serve the broader Los Angeles community.

In honor of Jewish American Heritage Month, we recognize the deep roots of our Jewish heritage that shaped our mission: community care, responsibility, and the belief in every child’s worth. These principles continue to guide our mission across all the communities we serve.

This May, our Family Service of Santa Monica team showed up for Mental Health Awareness Month at the Take Action for Mental Health event at Santa Monica College.

It was a great opportunity to connect with the community and share the resources and support we offer right here on the Westside.

Thank you to Kelly and Sabrina for representing FSSM and our Outpatient Counseling Center at this meaningful event.

Family Service of Santa Monica () was named by this week as a part of their Mental Health Awareness Month Proclamation. Here is a statement from FSSM’s Program Director, Chantilly Wijayasinha to share more about what this honor means to our agency.

“We’re deeply grateful to be recognized in the City of Santa Monica’s Mental Health Proclamation.

Family Service of Santa Monica was the first social services agency in Santa Monica, founded in 1925 — and over a 100 years later, our work continues to be rooted in accessibility, quality, equity, and care.

This acknowledgment belongs to our incredible team: our clinicians, interns, and administrative staff who bring passion, experience, heart, and dedication to the work every single day.

Thank you to the City of Santa Monica for uplifting the importance of mental health and community-based care. We’re proud to serve this community and honored to continue this legacy of support. ✨”

Still glowing from Vista’s Annual Staff Appreciation Day- carnival edition! 🎡🍭

We went full-on with cotton candy, LA’s best esquites, carnival games, and our annual big-prize raffle. But at the end of this very fun day, it was all about celebrating the people who make Vista shine.

Every single staff member who walked through those gates yesterday deserves to know how seen, valued, and appreciated they are. The work you do every day changes lives, and days like this are just a small reflection of the love and gratitude we have for each of you.

A heartfelt thank you to our Executive Office for making this celebration possible year after year.