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OUR FOUNDERS  The Promised Land Society is the private foundation of the Specht Family, formed as a comprehensive child wellness and advocacy organization. The Society was founded by Bryan and Lauren Specht whose personal experiences motivated them to form a foundation dedicated to comprehensive child wellbeing.
Bryan’s experiences as a survivor of child abuse and resulting addictions and disorders led him to volunteer advocacy and eventually staff positions in government, advocating for policies to prevent child maltreatment, domestic violence and the resulting societal problems. He held senior positions in the U.S. House and Senate, helping drive legislation creating mental health courts and increases in
 and community events. Bryan serves on the National Board of Directors of Prevent Child Abuse America, the nation's oldest and largest organization committed to preventing the abuse and neglect of our nation's children, with 47 state chapters and more than 500 employees committed to prevention. He has also served on the Board of the Chicago Children's Advocacy Center and the American Red Cross of Chicagoland.Lauren was blessed to grow up with a strong and supportive family structure, but had a long term personal and professional interest in health care and preventive health approaches. She graduated from Ohio University with a degree in Health Care Administration and went on to work for the Georgetown University Medical Center and the Health Care Advisory Board in Washingon, DC as well as the Northwestern Hospitals in Chicago. Today she is an active and involved mother and serves on the Board of the Elmhurst Neighbors and Newcomers Club and the Tree Town Educational Co-operative.
As their children were born and in their earliest years, Bryan and Lauren discovered first hand what rewarding, yet hard, work it can be to raise children today, regardless of your passion, commitment or socioeconomic status.
They began to discover an array of parental and child development services lacking in our current systems and too many families feeling pressure to use outdated parenting techniques or live in isolation rather than seek community support. They also discovered that much of the necessary reform was being buried in an excess of empty rhetoric about the issues of child development, health, education and parenting.
They decided to commit themselves to supporting families, parents and children by engaging individuals and various systems (such as child welfare, education, public policy, health, mental health and law enforcement, among other public and private entities) into an integrated, collaborative approach. Their foundation strives to put the needs and long-term wellbeing of the child - every child - back at the center of community and economic development, at the heart of our government policies and at the forefront of our daily lives.
(c) Copyright 2009 The Promised Land Society, Inc. All rights reserved. |
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Our Founders |
