Guardian ad Litem Child Advocate Dedicates over a decade and more than 22,880 Volunteer Hours

WEST PALM BEACH - By the time most of us take the first sip of our morning coffee, 72-year old retired educator and current Guardian ad Litem (GAL) and Speak Up for Kids of Palm Beach County volunteer, Ellen Kranzler, has already researched her newest child abuse case, created a plan of action, made a list of people to contact for one of the many events she organizes, and set up the dates for the next GAL book review. “Ellen is a force of nature,” says Coleen LaCosta, Executive Director of Speak Up for Kids, “…and her heart for these children and our program shines through in all she does.”

Kranzler is one of greater than 600 Palm Beach County volunteer child advocates known as Guardians ad Litem; a league of court-appointed volunteers representing the child’s best interests in cases of abuse, neglect, and abandonment. When an allegation of child abuse is investigated and substantiated by DCF, the child(ren) is removed from parental custody and, when appropriate, placed with relatives or family friends. When other arrangements are unavailable, they are placed in a foster or group home setting. In the best scenario, heroes like Kranzler are assigned to the case and walk with the child victim throughout the sometimes years long process. 

Guardian ad Litem Circuit Director, Michelle Canaday, says, “It is typical for the GAL to be the only consistent adult in the child’s life through their dependency court journey. On any given day there are between 1,300 and 1,600 children in care; we simply do not have enough Guardians to go around.” Kranzler says she is, “…filling in the gap. No child should be left without a voice in their own life. None of these children should feel as if no one cares. None of them deserve that.”

In the 11 years Kranzler has been a Guardian ad Litem volunteer child advocate, she has dedicated greater than 22,880 volunteer hours equating to an estimated $550,000 of salary savings to the program. Since her appointment as a GAL, she has been assigned greater than 55 cases, some involving sibling groups in varied placements. Her advocacy has extended to children with disabilities, including Asperger Syndrome, ADHD, and Autism, visiting children from Jacksonville to Miami, and ensuring their best interests are represented.

Walk into the Guardian ad Litem or Speak Up for Kids offices and mention Ellen’s name and the love and admiration for her simply envelopes you. According to staff and volunteers, Kranzler serves as a mentor to incoming GALs, the district transportation coordinator, and the organizer of the annual GAL Appreciation Dinner. She is also the chairperson for annual GAL Holiday Party where GALs from across the county not only share a meal and encourage one another, but also shop for toys for children in their care, choosing from among the thousands of donations received through Speak Up for Kids. Kranzler has also crafted the local Storybook Village, an annual community event, where books come to life and imagination soars for the estimated 1,500 child and adult attendees.

To combat the statistic of homelessness in foster youth, Kranzler has established a working relationship with independent living service providers to secure housing and support for youth as they transition into adulthood from the foster care system. She takes children on outings, hosts birthday parties at her home, often for children whose birthdays have never been celebrated.  Canady says, “Ellen is a grandmother to many of these kids, and she is an angel to us.”

Though the Guardian ad Litem program is state-funded, there are tremendous shortfalls. Speak Up for Kids is the nonprofit that raises money to achieve the mission of 100% advocacy for kids in care. “Volunteers like Ellen are crucial to our success,” says LaCosta. “Ellen drives daily from her home in Boynton Beach to the Palm Beach County Courthouse in downtown West Palm Beach, volunteering the equivalent of full-time hours each week dedicated to in-house administrative functions. That’s in addition to the cases she oversees.”

Recently, Kranzler was nominated for, and won, the Area Agency on Aging 2019 Prime Time Calidus Management Award for Volunteerism. This is a celebration of senior volunteers from Palm Beach, Martin, Indian River, and Saint Lucie counties with the breakfast and award ceremony scheduled for 9 a.m. on May 23rd at the Palm Beach Gardens Marriott. 

When asked how she feels about being selected for this prestigious award, Kranzler reflects, “I am honored to even be nominated, but I am not special. Each day, I get to see our community’s dedication to child victims of abuse, and I am blessed to be able to help. We all have the capacity to do something. The tragedy occurs when we choose not to.” Kranzler laughed at the idea of slowing down and taking things at an easier pace, saying, “There is still so much to do.”