After the loss of her son left her devastated, Bianca Torrence decided to dedicate her life toward helping the less fortunate. She is a co-founding member of Malibu CART (Community Assistance Resource Team) and organizes the annual Malibu homeless count; she’s a volunteer with the Malibu Association of Realtors Ethics & Grievance Committee, president of the Malibu Rotary Club and raises funds to help underprivileged children in her home country of Peru.
“I truly believe that every human being is entitled to live with dignity and respect,” Torrence said.
Born in Peru, Torrence moved to Los Angeles in 1980 with her parents and siblings. She was married and had two children, before becoming a widow in 1992, leaving her to focus all her energy on raising her children. She obtained her real estate license in 1998 and started selling real estate and developing property throughout Los Angeles. She moved to Malibu in 2013.
Torrance originally started volunteering to help the homeless count when she lived in Tarzana. In 2013, she was contacted by LAHSA to volunteer for the homeless count and, since Malibu was her community, she started the process to get deployment for the first Malibu count in January 2014. After a year of CART meetings, she met with Pepperdine Legal Clinic and obtained 501(c)3 nonprofit status.
Her favorite thing about Malibu is: “The sunrises, the sunsets, the beaches, and the hiking trails, but most importantly the tight-knit community is truly amazing.”
Her son, Olympian David Torrence, passed away in August 2017. He had chosen to represent Peru in the 2016 Olympics. He left a big legacy in Peru and has inspired many. Torrance helps raise funds to help children living in extreme poverty in rural areas in high Andes to make it possible for them to attend school by providing healthy meals and shoes.
“I would like to follow my son’s wishes in helping young athletes learn the importance of education, sports, discipline and good nutrition,” Torrance said.
“The greatest accomplishment in my life are my two kids and knowing that I have raised two amazing human beings,” Torrance added.