WHEREAS, Devotion to Children, a nonprofit organization in Reston, celebrates its 30th anniversary on November 22, 2024; and

WHEREAS, Devotion to Children was founded by Rosemary Tran Lauer to provide access to high-quality childcare and educational programs for young children from disadvantaged families; and

WHEREAS, Rosemary Tran Lauer, who came to the United States from Vietnam in 1975, overcame overwhelming obstacles through resilience and hope to open a successful commercial real estate firm, become an advocate for universal childcare, and release a memoir, Beggars or Angels, with all proceeds benefiting Devotion to Children; and

WHEREAS, Devotion to Children works to identify families in the region who may be in need of financial assistance and partners with licensed childcare providers to ensure that those families have access to critical educational resources and care; and

WHEREAS, Devotion to Children's Tuition Scholarship Program covers day care costs for qualifying families with one or more preschool-age children, and the Angel Fund Program offers emergency assistance to allow children to continue attending a preschool or day care center if their parents experience short-term financial setbacks; and

WHEREAS, Devotion to Children works closely with other organizations in the community to create new opportunities for young people and partners with a local volunteer fire department to host an annual event that provides backpacks with school supplies and gift cards for rising kindergarteners; and

WHEREAS, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Devotion to Children recognized that a number of young people were struggling with speech development and launched a Speech Therapy Program with the Falls Church McLean Children's Center; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Devotion to Children hereby be commended on the occasion of its 30th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Rosemary Tran Lauer, founder of Devotion to Children, as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for the organization's vital support for young people.