Nearly 60 years ago, Al Azus found himself at Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services, fighting back tears as he hugged his then 2-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son. After suddenly losing his wife to tuberculosis and struggling financially, Al saw no option other than asking Vista Del Mar to find a foster family to care for his little ones. Yesterday, Al Azus—now 91—once again found himself at Vista Del Mar, but unlike that heart-wrenching day back in 1953, this was a joyous occasion; specifically, a dedication ceremony for the Al & Hedi Azus School Services Building on Vista Del Mar’s West Los Angeles campus.
Construction of the 5,000-sq.-ft. Al & Hedi Azus School Services Building was made possible thanks to 
a $1.3-million donation made by Al Azus and his wife Hedi. As this generous contribution demonstrates, Al’s life took a turn for the better over the years.
Al’s first priority was to reunite with his children, which he did after they spent two years with a foster family. The Beverlywood resident then went on to build an extremely successful business—the Alna Envelope Company.
Al had always vowed to one day give back to the organization that was there for him during his darkest hour, and with the opening of the School Services Building he has done just that. In addition to funding the new building, the Azuses also established a $500,000 “Al & Hedi Azus Children’s Fund” for y
oungsters in Vista’s care.
The dedication ceremony was made even more memorable for Al Azus because—along with his wife—he also was accompanied by Allegra Azus. Allegra’s connection to Vista runs deep. Not only is Al Azus Allegra’s grandfather, but her father is the son that Al brought to Vista some six decades ago. Even more astonishing is this full-circle component: Since 2008, Allegra Azus has worked at Vista Del Mar as a family facilitator in the agency’s wraparound program for at-risk youth and families. Having earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work, Allegra wanted to specifically join Vista because—while growing up—her grandfather often would say how grateful he was to the agency and how invaluable the organization is to children and families in need. “Vista Del Mar helped my grandfather in his time of need. Since then, he’s done all he can to help children in need at Vista which, in turn, has inspired me to do the same through my work here.â€
Addressing dedication-ceremony guests, Vista Del Mar’s President and CEO Elias Lefferman, Ph.D., said, “While Vista Del Mar did lend Al Azus a helping hand so many years ago when he was a widower with two small children, what he—along with his wife Hedi—have done for our agency in the ensuing years is difficult to quantify. Not only have the Azuses been tremendously supportive financially,” he added, “but Al served on our Board of Directors for more than 25 years. Al and Hedi have left an indelible imprint on our organization and on behalf of everyone at Vista—including the thousands of children and families we serve—I am forever grateful for your generosity and kindness.”
Funding construction of the new Al & Hedi Azus School Services Building is the Azus’ second major donation to Vista Del Mar. In 1998, the couple donated $1 million to build a new headquarters for Vista’s Home-SAFE agency.
A host of community leaders—including Los Angeles Congresswoman and Vista Board Member Karen Bass, Los Angeles Unified School District Board Member Steve Zimmer, Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Kortez, and Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky—were on hand for the dedication ceremony and to express their appreciation for the Azus’ longtime support of Vista Del Mar. The new Al & Hedi Azus School Services Building will house administrative as well as support staff for Vista School, and it also will enable the expansion of the school’s computer lab and free up classroom space, thus allowing for the admission of 25 additional students.
Vista Del Mar’s special-education school currently serves some 300 K-12 students, all of whom have special needs that other schools have been unable or unwilling to meet. Recently designated a “School of Excellence” by the National Association of Special Education Teachers, Vista School is reserved for youngsters with learning disabilities or developmental challenges, as well as those experiencing social, emotional, or behavioral problems or other mental-health issues. The school has an impressive record of success, including the fact that—within one year—the majority of students improve two to three grade levels and 95 percent graduate.
About Vista Del Mar:
Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services was established in 1908 and, over the course of more than a century, has evolved from an orphanage to a union of five specialized agencies working together to provide comprehensive, therapeutic, as well as educational programs and services for children and their families on a picturesque, 18-acre campus in West Los Angeles.
For more information: http://www.vistadelmar.org.
