This October, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation will honor ten everyday Louisianians doing extraordinary good for the state’s children at the 2017 Angel Award® ceremony. Among them is Peggy Kirby of West Monroe, who has given selflessly to improve the health and well-being of area children.

Peggy Kirby is executive director of the Louisiana Foster & Adoptive Parent Association (LFAPA), where she works diligently to improve the foster care system for the benefit of children and parents in the Monroe area.

Peggy has been a foster parent for nearly 30 years, and she has opened her home to more than 100 teenage girls. Peggy’s commitment is lifelong and runs deep: she has developed a scholarship program for foster children, helped shepherd the foster care bill of rights in 2006, and has added an extra bedroom to her home to house girls who are transitioning from the foster system into independence.

“These networks of parents are important and need the community’s support,” Kirby says. “Often, foster parents are discreet. We don’t put signs in our yards saying ‘Hello! I’m a foster parent.’”

“We’re deeply proud of Peggy,” says Foundation president Michael Tipton. “Along with our other Angels, we hold her up to show everyone how everyday goodness takes hold and spreads in a way that completely changes the future for our children.”

This year’s honorees were chosen from a record number of nominations submitted from across the state, from New Orleans to Shreveport. Each Angel will receive a $20,000 grant to the charity of their choice to deepen the impact of their work.

The work of the 2017 class of Angels ranges from supporting Louisiana’s foster children to community development and education. Each is notable for a long-term commitment that has inspired others and built a movement around bettering the lives of children.

The stories of each Angel will be told at an invitation-only presentation ceremony to be held Monday, Oct. 16 at the Renaissance Baton Rouge Hotel.

More information about the Angel Award, including a full list of this year’s honorees, is available at BCBSLAFoundation.org.

About the Blue Cross Foundation

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation works each day to improve the health and lives of Louisianians by empowering everyday people to do extraordinary good. By building and funding coalitions of friends, families, and neighbors, the Foundation hopes to build a healthier Louisiana, particularly for its children. The foundation is funded solely by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana but is a separate 501(c)(3) non-profit entity. Together, Blue Cross and the Blue Cross Foundation invest $2.5 million each year into Louisiana’s communities and nonprofits.