Before founding Fostering Hope Louisiana, Leslie Lacy was an attorney with the Children’s Advocacy Program at Mental Health Legal Advocacy Services. For 13 years, she worked day and night to represent children in the foster care system. Each client was special to her, and she showed that by providing special experiences like birthday parties and adoption day celebrations.

Intimately familiar with the services available to foster children, Leslie noticed a glaring omission in Medicaid coverage: orthodontia. As an attorney representing children who were rising above their circumstances to pursue big dreams, she wanted to give them the confidence, poise and care they deserved. So, she started paying for braces out of her own pocket.

Eventually, she was encouraged to find community support and founded Fostering Hope Louisiana, which provides braces for children in foster care, oral health education, life skills training and access to quality mental health treatment. Even with children of her own, Leslie works tirelessly to raise funds, organize Saturday workshops and collaborate with judges, orthodontists and other community partners.

Leslie is passionate about supporting children, and sees them wholly. She is a deeply kind and relentless cheerleader for those lucky enough to encounter her. She continues to support and partner with other foster care organizations, and is rapidly expanding Fostering Hope Louisiana to other parishes in the state.