1,200 Foster Children earns Sacramento woman Inspirations Award

Mary Anne Aikens lauded for fostering 1200 children, helping others care for abused kids

SACRAMENTO — Mary Anne Aikens, a foster parent who has cared for an estimated 1200 foster children and who adopted 10 others, is being honored by the Child Abuse Prevention Center of Sacramento for her work on behalf of children.

Aikens will receive the Hearts and Hands Award at the 2009 Inspirations event hosted by the non-profit agency on Friday, May 15.
The Natomas resident was also Assembly Member Dave Jones’ 2009 choice for Woman of the Year. The annual Woman of the Year ceremony is hosted by the California State Assembly to honor women in California who have made a significant contribution to their communities. The ceremony took place in March.

Aikens serves as Sacramento County Child Protective Services’ foster parent liaison, using her experience to help expedite problems and offer advice and encouragement to foster parents.

Aikens and her husband, Manuel, have been married for 22 years and have two biological children. Many of their adoptive children have special needs or are medically fragile, being born into the world with such conditions as cerebral palsy, spina bifida, and fetal alcohol syndrome.

‘This is my cause. Helping others is what makes me feel that I am somebody,’ Aikens says.