New Hampshire Partners in Service (NHPS) honors extraordinary child advocates for their outstanding advocacy efforts in children and family services. The awards were given at the Re-Engineering Children’s Residential Through Family and Community Integration forum held at the Common Man Restaurant in Concord, NH on Thursday, October 14, 2010.

The Honorable Representative Marjorie K. Smith of Rockingham County, District 7 receives the Bruce E. Friedman Award in recognition of her efforts to ensure the most vulnerable children and families of New Hampshire have access to necessary services. Since 2000, NHPS has been awarding the Bruce E. Friedman Award to an individual within the community who has stood out for remarkable child advocacy. Bruce Friedman was a brilliant and dynamic attorney who devoted his life to making sure that under-privileged children had a chance to overcome adversity.

Lorraine Bartlett of Division for Children, Youth and Families along with Sandy Ziegra, of the Division for Juvenile Justice Services are honored with the Provider Partnership Award for their work building strong and meaningful alliances with public and private entities as well as their leadership, commitment and life’s work protecting and serving children and families in New Hampshire.

Dr. J. Eric Vance, of the Division for Juvenile Justice Services and Susan Getman of Casey Family Programs are awarded the Appreciation Award for inspiring significant improvements in the level of quality services impacting children, youth and families.

Ann Gratton received the Gene Allison Distinguished Member Award for ongoing commitment and dedication to NHPS and its mission.

The commitment of such extraordinary child and family advocates inspires each of us as we forge ahead with our purpose of fulfilling our missions. Through such important and meaningful efforts we build alliances in a spirit of collaboration and partnership.

New Mampshire Partners in Service (NHPS) is a private nonprofit organization, made up of agencies serving children and families, united in action to promote quality services.