NORTHAMPTON — Friends of Children Inc. (FOC) announced it has appointed new leadership at the organization beginning Feb. 1.

Debi Belkin, MSW, LICSW and Sarah Segura, MSW, LCSW will be the new co-executive directors of the nonprofit organization that works to support children and young adults whose lives have been affected by the child-welfare system. Belkin and Segura are both current employees of the organization.

“After a long search process and evaluation of the needs of Friends of Children, the board is very excited to endorse this new leadership model,” said Jo-anne Vanin, president of the board of Friends of Children Inc. “With the appointment of Debi and Sarah, we have the benefits of Debi’s extensive knowledge and professional experience coupled with Sarah’s new perspective, energy, and commitment to serving our children and families.”

Belkin has more than 40 years of experience advocating for court-involved children and adolescents in Massachusetts, including more than 30 years as a supervisor at the Department of Children and Families. She has most recently been the director of Programs at FOC.

Segura has been with FOC since 2021, sharing her experience in advocacy, case management, and program development, as well as a passion for working with individuals and families of diverse cultural backgrounds. She has most recently been the CASA program manager at FOC.

This new co-directorship comes after the organization’s founder, Jane Lyons, retired in July 2023.

FLORENCE — Friends of Children Inc. will present Clare Higgins, executive director of Community Action Pioneer Valley and former mayor of Northampton, with its 2022 Changemaker Award at a dinner on Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 5:30 p.m. at the Garden House in Look Park.

Higgins is being presented with the Changemaker Award to celebrate her accomplishments, advocacy, and impact. She has been a steadfast advocate for vulnerable people in the Pioneer Valley, including children and young people served by Friends of Children, since 1993.

Higgins began her service in the Pioneer Valley as a member of the Northampton City Council beginning in 1993. She served as mayor of Northampton from 1999 to 2011.

Friends of Children is dedicated to improving the lives of children and young adults impacted by foster care or juvenile-justice involvement. Ther agency addresses the needs of high-risk children who are not readily supported by systems designed to protect them and encourage their full participation in society.

For more information and tickets, visit www.friendsofchildreninc.org.

FLORENCE — Friends of Children Inc. will present Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan with the 2022 Changemaker Award at a dinner on Friday, March 25 at 5:30 p.m. at the Garden House in Look Park.

Sullivan is being presented with the Changemaker Award to celebrate his accomplishments, advocacy, and impact. He has been a steadfast advocate for vulnerable people in the Pioneer Valley, including children and young people served by Friends of Children, since 2003.

Sullivan has led initiatives to address child abuse and domestic violence. He co-founded the Children’s Advocacy Center of Franklin County and North Quabbin Region and serves as an advisor to its board, as well as to the Children’s Advocacy Center of Hampshire County. Sullivan was part of the core team that helped establish the Franklin County Family Drug Court. He co-founded and co-chairs Hampshire HOPE and the Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and North Quabbin Region to address the opioid epidemic and its devastating impact on children and families. He is a board member of the Massachusetts Children’s Trust, an organization dedicated to ending child abuse. He also testified twice to the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities in support of bills that would establish external oversight of the state’s child welfare system.

Friends of Children is dedicated to improving the lives of children and young adults impacted by foster care or juvenile-justice involvement. It addresses the needs of high-risk children who are not readily supported by systems designed to protect them and encourage their full participation in society.

For more information and tickets to the March 25 event, visit www.friendsofchildreninc.org.