Giving Thanks

Giving Thanks

By Kathleen Strottman

kathleen (640x424)

Despite the daunting winter weather, today millions of Americans will take to the roads, the air and the rails to travel home in time for the Thanksgiving holiday.  I cannot think of a better example of how ingrained the ideal of family is in our society than Thanksgiving, a day when we come together to share in a bountiful meal and give thanks for our collective blessings.  Like many of you, I will begin and end Thanksgiving Day with an overwhelming amount of gratitude for the blessing of my own family.  And if tomorrow is like most of my other Thanksgiving celebrations in recent years, I will revel in watching my children build lifelong memories with their grandfather, aunts, uncles and cousins.

At some point tomorrow I will observe what has become another annual tradition.  I will pause and say a prayer for the millions of children all over the world who will spend this holiday alone.  There is not a day that goes by my heart does not ache for these children, whose dream of a family to share holiday traditions with seems more like an unreachable dream than a soon-to-be reality.  Yet on a day designed to serve as a reminder of just how much having a family means in our lives, it aches all the more.

CCAI was founded on the simple yet profound belief that every child needs and deserves a family to call their own.  We go to work each day with the hopes of identifying the legal and policy barriers which prevent children from realizing their basic right to a family.  While we still have a long way to go before we reach our goal of a family for every child, we have taken many steps toward making this dream a reality this year.  For this I am incredibly grateful.

More specifically, this year I will give thanks for:

10. The Adoption Tax Credit Working Group and the Save the Adoption Tax Credit Campaign.  There is no doubt in my mind that this organized, effective campaign played a major role in making the adoption tax credit a permanent part of the tax code. This means more children will find families.  I also firmly believe this group has what it takes to convince Congress to make the Adoption Tax Credit refundable.

9. Senator Charles Grassley (R- IA), who has been a leader in the Congressional Coalition on Adoption for over a decade, and who recently reminded all in attendance at the Voice for Adoption Portrait Project reception of how important the goal of a family really is when he said, “We must always remember that foster care is meant to be a layover, not a destination.”

8. The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and Wendy’s Wonderful Kids who continue to prove there is no such thing as an unadoptable child.  I am particularly grateful for their recent video, which reminds us that meeting your child for the first time, no matter when that moment occurs, is always a once in a lifetime experience.

7. Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy, who served at this year’s Angels in Adoption Gala emcees.  Their passion for adoption, their giving hearts and their unmatchable wit made this year’s gala one to remember.

6. Dr. Charles Zeanah of Tulane University, whose passion and commitment to deinstitutionalizing children and improving foster care is second to none.   CCAI was very fortunate to have Dr. Zeanah join us on our 20/20 Vision Program’s Congressional delegation to Korea, Cambodia and Vietnam in February.  Additionally, his presentation to a key group of Guatemalan officials in April during our Pathways to Permanency training moved some in the group to tears.

5. For Pat O’Brien and his legacy at “You Gotta Believe,” an organization wholly committed to finding forever families for older children.  This recently posted YouTube video is just one example of the thousands of families who have been born as a result of Pat’s tenacity.

4. The USG Action Plan for Children in Adversity – the first ever federal policy to acknowledge that reducing the number of children outside of family care should be one of our universal foreign policy goals.  The release of this important plan has opened the minds of many federal policymakers to the idea that food and shelter do not make children thrive, families do.

3. For Dr. Sharen Ford, who retired this year after nearly 30 years with the Colorado Department of Health and Human Services.  Ralph Waldo Emerson once said – “to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, that is to have succeeded.”  Dr. Ford, tens of thousands of our nation’s most vulnerable children have breathed easier because of you.

2. For the Foster Youth Interns (FYIs) from this summer and every summer before.  Not a day goes by that I am not inspired by their example.  I am so proud to see you each grow into the leaders you were always meant to be.

2013 Foster Youth Interns on the steps of the Capitol

1. For my incredible staff who every day make me proud to be the Executive Director of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute.

CCAI staff with 2013 National Angel in Adoption Deborra-lee Furness and husband Hugh Jackman
Not Pictured: Our awesome Director of Operations, Dan!

 

CCAI Report – What Barriers Remain: Areas of Needed Adoption and Foster Care Reform in the 113th Congress

CCAI REPORT RELEASE

What Barriers Remain:
Areas of  Needed Adoption and Foster Care Reform in the 113th Congress

This coming Saturday, November 23rd, we will celebrate National Adoption Day and approximately 4,500 adoptions of children in foster care that will take place in courthouses across the nation. It is a day of celebration as well as a poignant reminder of the nearly 100,000 children in foster care still awaiting their own adoption day.

The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute exists because we not only believe that every child needs a family, but also that they can find that family – no matter what their age or circumstances. Toward that goal, we continue to raise awareness of the policy barriers that prevent children in the U.S. and around the word from finding their forever families. We will work daily with policymakers to address these barriers until every last one is removed.

We are pleased to announce the release of our report, What Barriers Remain: Areas of Needed Adoption and Foster Care Reform in the 113th Congress.  This report highlights several areas where the U.S. Congress might work to reduce the number of children living without families in the U.S. and abroad.   It is our hope that all who read this new report, from Members of Congress to adoptive parents, Members of the Administration to foster youth, will work in partnership with us until every child in need of a family finds permanency.

What Barriers Remain

 

CCAI Response to Reuters “Re-homing” Series: An Opportunity for Reflection and Reform

                                  CCAI Response to Reuters “Re-homing” Series:                                  An Opportunity for Reflection and Reform

On September 9, 2013 Reuters and NBC published a five-part article The Child Exchange to bring attention to a practice since coined “re-homing”—when adoptive parents who have experienced challenges post adoption resort to privately placing their legally adopted children in the custody of another adult or family.  It is the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute’s (CCAI) hope that both the experiences and actions of the adoptive parents highlighted in Reuters’ series will not only help bring greater public attention to existing gaps in current federal and state law, but also help to create the necessary political will to see to it that such gaps closed.  For the past decade, CCAI has sought to help federal policymakers better understand how they might increasingly protect children from abuse and neglect of any kind. When it comes to the safety and well-being of all children, there is no room for error. At the same time, CCAI has sought to educate federal policymakers on how federal laws and programs might better serve and protect adopted children and their families. We feel very strongly that both are necessary here.

Over the past several weeks, CCAI has not only supported federal policymakers in their efforts to address the policy questions raised by the practice of re-homing but have also produced a short policy brief in an effort to ensure that such efforts continue to be conducted in a thoughtful, evidence-based manner.

In addition to providing a review of existing laws and policies on adoption, the brief suggests that federal policymakers might also:

  • Review existing federal laws and regulations to ensure that prospective adoptive parents are both well informed and properly trained before an adoption is finalized.
  • Provide federal financial support so that child-specific, quality and affordable support services can be provided to more families post-adoption.
  • Consider the ways in which the federal government might use the Internet to provide more information and better support to prospective and current adoptive families.
  • Strengthen enforcement of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children, as well as child abuse, abandonment and adoption laws to ensure that the interests of children are protected.

No matter what changes in law occur as a result of this important national conversation, we hope we never lose sight of the most important fact of all: that there are millions of children in the world who are living without the safety, support and protection that only a family can provide.  Every action taken, on this issue or any other areas of related concern, should be structured to protect children’s basic human right to a family and not restrict or inhibit it.

Finally, we want to recognize the outstanding work and continued commitment of the Members of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, many of whom are leading the way on this and other issues.  Please see the last page of the report for a list of already filed legislation on issues related to rehoming.  We expect that there will be other efforts over the coming months and will be sure to keep everyone abreast of this progress.

To access the full report, click this link: Response to Reuters Re-homing Article: An Opportunity for Reflection and Reform, November 2013

Angels in Adoption: What does family mean to you?

At CCAI’s recent Angels in Adoption gala, we asked each of our awardees and presenters to submit a family photo along with a quote explaining what family means to them. To join in our celebration of National Adoption Day on November 23rd,  would you consider submitting your own family’s photo and quote to info@ccainstitute.org with “ Family Photo” in the subject line? We might just post it in an upcoming CCAI blog!

"Families don't have to match" - Sean and Leigh Anne Touhy
“Families don’t have to match.”
 Sean and Leigh Anne Touhy
“Family is love, security and people who will encourage you to
follow your dreams.”
George Dennehy
“The family provides the gymnasium in which God enables us to develop spiritual maturity.”
U.S. Senate Chaplain Barry Black    
“Family is someone who picks you up at the end of a long day” -Kathleen Strottman
“Family is someone who picks you up at the end of a long day”
Kathleen Strottman
"The only thing bigger than time is family; and the only thing bigger than family is God." -Representative Trent Franks
“The only thing bigger than time is family; and the only thing bigger than family is God.”
Representative Trent Franks
“Every child deserves a loving family. We need to do all we can to support the countless families across the country that are willing to open their hearts and their homes to children from across the globe.” -Senator Amy Klobuchar
“Every child deserves a loving family. We need to do all we can to support the countless families across the country that are willing to open their hearts and their homes to children from across the globe.”
Senator Amy Klobuchar
“Family are the people who care for your heart and your spirit, often our circle of friends become a family tribe that grows as we define ourselves through a lifetime of experiences and relationships.”  -Rita Benson LeBlanc
“Family are the people who care for your heart and your spirit, often our circle of friends become a family tribe that grows as we define ourselves through a lifetime of experiences and relationships.” 
Rita Benson LeBlanc
“And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them; and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, ‘Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me.’” – Mark 9:36-37a -Senator Roger Wicker
“And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them; and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, ‘Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me.’” – Mark 9:36-37a
Senator Roger Wicker
“My Family makes me smile and laugh and cry and dance and want to be the best I can be. They are my world, my joy and my greatest love.” -Deborra-lee Furness
“My family makes me smile and laugh and cry and dance and want to be the best I can be. They are my world, my joy and my greatest love.”
Deborra-lee Furness
“My family is built through adoption. My husband was adopted from an orphanage in Ireland when he was 5 years old, and, together, we have brought two wonderful children into our family through adoption. I grew up in a loving and large family and know how important it is for children and adults to have a family they can count on.” -Senator Mary Landrieu
“My family is built through adoption. My husband was adopted from an orphanage in Ireland when he was 5 years old, and, together, we have brought two wonderful children into our family through adoption. I grew up in a loving and large family and know how important it is for children and adults to have a family they can count on.”
Senator Mary Landrieu
“I think it’s important for people to know that we adopted Will before we became rich and famous. And I say that because I think sometimes people think that only the rich and famous have what it takes, the money, the staff, to give a home to a child. But the truth is anyone can do it, once you have committed to make that kind of difference in a child’s life.” -Willie and Korie Robertson
“I think it’s important for people to know that we adopted Will before we became rich and famous. And I say that because I think sometimes people think that only the rich and famous have what it takes, the money, the staff, to give a home to a child. But the truth is anyone can do it, once you have committed to make that kind of difference in a child’s life.”
Willie and Korie Robertson
“Our forever family means everything to us, both in this life and the life to come.” -Jack Gerard
“Our forever family means everything to us, both in this life
and the life to come.”
Jack Gerard

Celebrate Family

Celebrate Family
By Kathleen Strottman

The word for family in Spanish is “familia”, in Mandarin Chinese its “jia”, in Russian its “sem-ya”, in Indonesian its “Kelurga” and in Swahili the word for family is “jah-mee.” In all 6,500 spoken languages in the world, there is a word for family. While the word family is said differently in each, its importance to children is universal.  Everywhere in the world, the family is known by all as the very basic unit of society, the unit into which children are born and through which they are meant to reach their full human potential.

When speaking of family, American comic George Burns once said, “Happiness is having a large, loving, close-knit family …who lives in another city.”  And humorist, Erma Bombeck described the family as “a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another’s desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bind us together.”  Former First Lady Barbara Bush put it perfectly when she said “family means putting your arms around each other and being there.”

These heart-felt tributes to family are matched equally by scientific evidence that a loving family plays a fundamentally important role in the development of a child.  Co-founder of Head Start, Dr. Urie Bronfenbrenner put it this way: “In order to develop normally, a child requires activity with one or more adults who have an irrational emotional relationship with the child. Somebody’s got to be crazy about that kid. That’s number one. First, last, and always.”

I have been blessed to attend some of the best schools in the United States.  And in the 25 years of my education, I have learned many of life’s certitudes.  I learned that the square root of 144 is 12.  I learned that every sentence must have a subject and a verb.  And I learned that the force that takes an object from a higher point to a lower one is called gravity.  I cannot tell you precisely when it was that I learned that family matters.  Maybe it was through the countless times that my parents demonstrated their “completely irrational love” for me.  I never once doubted that they would be there for me. I grew up completely secure in the idea that they would always protect me. And because they showed me every single day how special I was, I grew up believing that I could do anything.

Maybe I have learned how much family matters when I became a mother to three children. Like my mother before me, I would go as far as to lay down my own life for my kids. Believe me, Dr. Brofenbrenner, I know what you mean by CRAZY.  Is there a parent reading this blog who would not admit to being crazy in love with your children?  What makes the love we feel for our children so amazing is that it is a pure and unconditional love, like no other we have experienced.

And that is why CCAI exists.  Because we believe with all our hearts that every child in the world not only deserves to know that kind of love, but needs to.  We know that a nurturing relationship with a parent is not a luxury meant only for a precious few, but a biological necessity of all children everywhere.  And our heart is heavy with the knowledge that there are children all over the world who because of cultural and policy barriers don’t know that kind of love.  Some don’t have it because they have a disability and their parents live in a place where they are told to believe these children are cursed.  Others don’t have it because they are older, and society has told them to just hold on for the day that a family is no longer necessary.

And we think that is simply unacceptable.

In 2011, the almost 700 people in attendance at our 13th annual Angels in Adoption dinner were brought to tears as national award winner Scott Fujita, a six foot five, 250 lb. linebacker for the Cleveland Browns talked about what his five foot two Japanese American parents meant to him.  He said, “you can’t put a face on love and you can’t tell me what a family is supposed to look like, but we all certainly know what a loving family is supposed to feel like.”

Take a minute today to watch the video. I hope it reminds you of how important family has been in your own life and inspires you to do more to help every child in the world know this kind of crazy love.

CCAI Salutes Adoptive Mom Laura Ingraham and Children Adopted from Russia for Speaking Out in a New Video Urging Putin to Adopt a New Attitude

Today, TV personality Laura Ingraham, who has three adopted children, released a video and related campaign to speak directly to Vladamir Putin about his country’s senseless ban on international adoptions by Americans. In addition to creating and posting the video, Ingraham called on all those who support adoption as a worthy and effective way to find homes for children who desperately need them to use it to spread the message. “Help us raise awareness about the wonders of adoption, so that we may better respond to the desperate needs of innocent children. [T]his focus on Russian orphans is the first of many efforts we will be spearheading to promote both domestic and international adoptions. More than anything abandoned children want to be with caring families who love and care for them,” said Ingraham.

This is not the first time Ingraham has lent her talents to the cause of adoption. She served as the Master of Ceremonies at CCAI’s 13th Annual Angels in Adoption Gala and featured Both Ends Burning’s Award Winning Movie “Stuck” twice on her show.

And of course, a big salute to the adopted children who participated in the making of the film. At CCAI, we believe that the most powerful voice is the voice of the child!