HFH Partnerships Manager Tierra Gunther was recently recognized at Writopia Lab’s 2025 Gala, receiving an award for Excellence in Literacy, Leadership, and Programming—a celebration of HFH and Writopia Lab’s decade-long collaboration bringing creative writing and literacy enrichment to children at Saratoga Family Residence.
Several HFH leaders attended the gala in support, including Board Member Andrea Stern, Executive Director John Greenwood, Deputy Executive Director Gretchen Hernandez, Managing Director of Communications & Policy Linda Bazerjian, Senior Director of Operations Annamaria Santoro, Camp Administrator Tyrone Squire, and Senior Program Compliance Associate Heidy Mendez.
“I am so grateful to have worked with such a kind and vibrant soul in our aligned pursuit for the past eight years, supporting vulnerable young populations through our partnership between Writopia and HFH at Saratoga,” said Elsa Bermudez, Associate Director of Specialty Programs at Writopia Lab. “What sets Tierra apart in the field is her constant focus and enthusiasm for programmatic innovation and student centeredness.”
At the Gala, Tierra gave a heartfelt speech, reflecting on the partnership’s evolution and the transformative opportunities it provides for the kids at HFH. She thanked Writopia’s founder, Rebecca Wallace-Segall, along with her HFH colleagues, mentors, and Writopia collaborators for their shared commitment to uplifting young voices. She emphasized how the program offers not only creative outlets but also moments of joy, discovery, and escape for kids navigating challenging circumstances.
“Writopia has been a part of a lot of our children’s journeys on discovering their voices, their creative side, and for several, a new passion,” said Tierra. “These types of experiences are so important to our children—introducing them to a world of opportunities that they probably didn’t know existed for them. We could be developing the next Spike Lee, Maya Angelou, or SZA.”
We are looking forward to continuing this meaningful work together and building even more opportunities for young writers in the years ahead!
