NEWS
AdoptionWorks Director, Carol Edelstein, named AdoptUsKids Caseworker of the Month
Carol Edelstein, director of the AdoptionWorks program for Adoptions Together in Baltimore, MD, is AdoptUsKids' January Caseworker of the Month. She helped a waiting mother negotiate an interjursidictional adoption, making a daunting and sometimes confusing process easier. Read the whole story.
‘Taste of Potomac’ Raises $60,000 for Adoptions Together
The Fourth Annual Taste of Potomac event was May 21, 2011. For the past four years, Judy and Stuart Sebring have opened up their home to host this benefit to raise awareness of children in need of adoption. The Potomac Almanac featured a piece about the Taste of Potomac.
Read the article here.
Adoptions Together Celebrates 20 Years of Service and Janice Goldwater Receives Adoption Excellence Award
On the week of Adoptions Together completing 20 years of service to the community, Janice Goldwater was selected to receive a 2010 Adoption Excellence Award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This award was given to ten individuals and groups across the country to recognize outstanding contributions in the area of adoption and creating permanent families for children. Click here to read Janice's message about our 20 years of service and the announcement of our updated look and the launch of our new website.
Adoptions Together Board Member Judy Polk-Sebring Featured in Washington Life Magazine
Washington Life Magazine's Charitable Spotlight shines on Judy Polk-Sebring's 17 years of working with Adoptions Together to raise awareness about children in need of adoption. As Secretary of the agency’s Board of Directors, she currently focuses on major fundraisers. As host of last year's 3rd Annual Taste of Potomac, she helped raise $40,000 for the agency. Read the full article for more insight into Judy's deep commitment to Adoptions Together’s mission.
Adoptions Together Honored by the Human Rights Campaign
On Saturday, April 18, 2010 Adoptions Together received the All Children—All Families Seal of Recognition from the Human Rights Campaign. Adoptions Together earned the seal by achieving all ten of the benchmarks of LGBT cultural competence outlined in the All Children—All Families Promising Practices Guide. Janice Goldwater, Founder and Executive Director of Adoptions Together has been involved with All Children—All Families since its inception three years ago, and serves on the All Children—All Families National Advisory Board. Adoptions Together is the first agency in the DC region to earn the seal, and the fourth nationally. The seal was presented by Ellen Kahn, Director of the HRC Family Project, at the HRC Leadership Summit held in D.C.
Adoptions Together Helps Mom Reunify with her Son
Our Parent Advocate Project (PAP) has achieved its first reunification! The mother was referred to our program after her 1-year-old son was removed from her care during a raid by the Metropolitan Police Department in which the home was being searched due to concerns regarding illegal drug activity and guns. MPD reported that the home was in a deplorable state. When referred to our program, the mom had been mandated to secure adequate housing, employment or a job training program, and to attend parenting classes. Her PAP mentor assisted her with identifying suitable housing through the Housing Voucher Program, counseled her on how to make her income from hairstyling into a legitimate taxable income source, and linked her to parenting classes. Our Parent Advocate Project for DC Child and Family Services is serving families attempting to reunify with their children in foster care. Mentors and families in need of reunification services are needed. Please contact Ky'Neike King for information.
Adoptions Together Launches "Digital Me" Initiative
We're working with 65+ children and youth from DC foster care to remove some of the common barriers to permanency and to find connections from the child’s past. We’re excited about a recruitment tool from our friends at Adoption Network called the ‘Digital Me.’ It combines video, pictures, text and animation and allows children to take an active role in creating a multimedia presentation about themselves. One of our cases is 12-year-old R.G., who is out-of-state at a program for children who have set fires. While in the program, R.G. went in a convenience store with a group from his school. He saw what he thought was a toy and picked it up. He realized it was a lighter and was shocked to discover that children his age could buy lighters. That year, he helped to write state legislation banning the sale of lighters to minors. We are so proud to have R.G. as part of our program. He is one of the amazing kids we are honored to work with – each one deserving of a permanent family!