The Crescent on Her Shoulder

In September, Ellie officially launched her life’s masterwork: *The Crescent Foundation for Child Protection and Foster Reform*.

Headquartered in a restored historic townhouse in Manhattan, the foundation was endowed with $100 million from the Vance trust and the recovered Sterling assets.

The foundation’s mission was uncompromising:

* **The Rapid DNA Project:** Providing free, expedited genetic matching technology to state child welfare systems to identify kidnapped and displaced foster children.
* **The Legal Defense Network:** Funding a nationwide team of fifty pro-bono attorneys to represent aged-out foster youth facing housing insecurity and predatory employment practices.
* **The Healing Sanctuaries:** Building five specialized residential and vocational academies across the United States to provide free higher education and trauma recovery for vulnerable youth.

At the opening gala held at Lincoln Center, Ellie stepped to the podium.

She did not wear diamonds. She wore an elegant, understated navy silk gown that gracefully showcased the crescent birthmark on her shoulder.

""Power is not measured by the titles we inherit,"" Ellie addressed the thousand attendees with magnetic, resonant authority. ""Power is measured by our willingness to reach down to the person kneeling on the floor and tell them they are worthy of the light. Tonight, we turn the light on for every child who is still waiting.""