Ten years ago the Agoura Hills-based Universal Love Foundation opened its doors to assist struggling single parents and their children. On Oct. 15 the foundation celebrated its 10th anniversary with a fundraising gala at the Beverly Hills Four Seasons Hotel.

During cocktails guests shopped at boutiques presented by a variety of area vendors and a silent auction.

Dinner entertainment featured music by local colortura soprano Bonnie Bowman as well as Malibu singer/songwriter/instrumentalist Naomi Louise Warne and her son, 12-year-old Gabriel Deibel.

Warne and Deibel became a single parent family following the loss of Paul Deibel, Warne’s husband, last spring, and sought help from the foundation to work through their grief.

Volunteer of the Year awards were presented to two Westlake Village residents, Deborah Buxbaum and Maryam Golzari, for their many years of support. Six Youth Volunteer awards were presented to teens who have helped the organization.

Universal Love Foundation provides free referral services for housing, legal, and medical assistance, educational and vocational scholarships, temporary financial assistance, and free professional counseling for adults and children without regard for race, creed, or political affiliation.

In 2007 the foundation opened its House of Hope Grief and Loss Center in Agoura Hills. The center provides a place for adults and children to seek individual or peer group support provided by professional grief counselors. Although this free service is available primarily for single-parent families, it is open to anyone in need of assistance throughout the Conejo Valley, San Fernando Valley, Malibu and beyond.

The foundation is forming the House of Hope Youth Program. The free weekly program offers teens an opportunity to gather at the House of Hope and discuss personal issues with a counselor in a supportive group setting.

For more information about the services, call Manzar Amini at (805) 231-3618.