Has Forty Become the New Twenty?

Not in this case. The board, volunteers and staff (present and former) at The National Adoption Center will take full credit for all four decades of its existence! We are forty years old and we are proud of it! 

Since our founding in 1972 our mission has been consistent – to expand adoption opportunities for children living in foster care throughout the United States, and to be a resource to families and to agencies who seek the permanency of caring homes for children.

In honor of this milestone we invite YOU to share 4 ways that you have impacted a child.

Ok, we’ll start…

1. We have found homes for 23,000 children since 1972
2. We are currently working hard on behalf of children like 11 year old Aphrodite  who wants a loving home to call her own
3. We helped provide holiday gifts for children in foster care through the generous partnership with local Wendy’s franchises
4. Due to our weekly WednesdayChild features on NBC10, 12 year old Nadir had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be on the court while the Philadelphia 76er’s held their practice, throw some hoops with host Vai Sikahema, and meet  some of his favorite players including Andre Iguodala, Thaddeus Young, and Louis Williams!

Ok, now it’s your turn…… 

My “Unadoptable” Son

Below is the story of a mother and her son. When others felt her son was “unadoptable” she knew otherwise.


My “Unadoptable” Son

I met my son when I worked a long term care facility for children. I am a physical therapist. Tim* came to the facility as a crack baby with multiple medical complications. He was born at 26 weeks in a crack house in Camden. Somehow he managed to survive his birth. He had three brain bleeds at birth, as well as hydrocephaly and seizures. A shunt was placed for the hydrocephaly. A feeding tube was placed because he couldn't coordinate drinking from a bottle. He spent months in Cooper Hospital’s NICU, and then did a stay in a rehab hospital. After that, he was moved to a residence for medically fragile children in Camden to await a foster home equipped to handle his needs. This was all before he turned one. A home wasn't found; he had some medical complications, so he was moved to the long term care facility where I worked.

Once at the facility, his birth mother was prevented from seeing him due to threatening staff. His birth father then surfaced, and he expressed interest in bringing Tim home. However he could never get his act together to do this.

I was Tim's PT from the time he arrived until I brought him home -- four years later. It took DYFS that long to finally terminate his parental rights! At that time I was leaving the facility to pursue another job in Early Intervention. I hated leaving Tim behind, and knew that his caseworker was not actively looking for a home for him. So I decided as a single parent that I would bring home home.

Tim's medical history reads like a train wreck. He has cerebral palsy, reflux, hydrocephaly, severe dysphasia, motor and cognitive impairments. He was 100% tube fed when I brought him home. I taught him how to eat, although he still doesn't know how to chew, so I have to chop his food up. We have multiple doctors’ appointments annually with all of his specialists at CHOP. He had two shunt surgeries last year in seven weeks. He sounds pretty “unadoptable” doesn’t he?

Now for the good part. He is an adorable loving boy who talks, walks, runs. He loves Monster trucks, plays video games, and is learning to read, do math, science, etc. He's not a "normal" 12-year-old. But he is my Time, and I love him! Even if he never made any more progress than where he was when I brought him home, I would have loved him as much as I do today. He is a true joy, and brings happiness to everyone he meets. My life would be empty without him.

* Not his real name

Celebration of Family!

For those of us residing in the Northeast (or any cold climate for that matter), the words “pitchers and catchers report in two weeks” is music to our ears. What better way to escape the winter doldrums than by fantasizing about spring training??

Guests at the National Adoption Center’s annual Celebration of Family can do more than just imagine what it’s like to be a big-league ballplayer! Take a tour of Citizens Bank Park, home of the Phillies? Run the Bases? Take a few swings in the batting cages? You and your children can do all these and more at our April 8 event where we celebrate what adoption means to all of us - Family. All the exciting details are posted on our website. See you at the ballpark!

Mobile Giving & Receiving

Do you have a cell phone?  Is there anybody you know over the age of 18, ur no let’s make that, over the age of 16, who doesn’t have a cell phone?  Did you know that 2009 ended with 285,646,191 cell phone users, equal to 91% of the US population?!?  That’s a lot of people walking around chatting on the phone.

·Growth of text messaging in the US over 150 Billion messages per month

·US cell phone subscribers on average sent and received 357 text messages per month vs. 204 voice calls a month

OMG!  That’s a lot of texting!

The statistics tell the story – people are communicating and receiving news and information differently.  Most people, as we have established, have a cell phone.  It is that one constant that is always on you.  It is the most personal communication vehicle that most people are using.  For this reason, non-profit organizations and businesses are trying to figure what the most cost effective, efficient and impactful ways to communicate with their constituent base is.  Many believe that one of the ways to enhance your communication and public awareness is through mobile communication.

At the National Adoption Center we have engaged in a mobile strategy to manage, develop and nurture our customer and prospective donor relationships.  This direction makes sense when you hear stats like “mobile data traffic is expected to increase by a cumulative annual growth rate of over 100% over the next five years”. 

This is all new territory really.  Everybody is figuring this out through trial and error to a certain extent.  Haiti showed us that mobile giving is an effective way to ask for money when there is a sense of extreme urgency.  Of course it’s a bit easier when you can promote it through American Idol or when Bono is your spokesperson.  But small NGO’s don’t have that luxury.  So we join the other pioneers embarking on this great vast cellular expedition hoping to find gold!  LOL! 

So for now, I invite you to join our Adoption Mobile Alerts list by texting NAC to 27138.  Mobile alerts will be sent to your mobile phone no more than 4x a month with timely adoption information. (No hidden fees.  Msg and data rates may apply.) 

TTYL

-Beth

Wednesday's Child Featured Child: Carlos

13 year old Carlos has a passion for football. This teen loves to play and is a great player for his local school team. Carlos also enjoys watching wrestling, reading books, and helping others. In the 7th grade, he does good in school and gets along well with his teachers and peers. Carlos can be shy and reserved when first meeting new people, but will soon open up after he feels safe and comfortable.

Because Carlos has dreams of playing professional football when he grows up, he met up with Wednesday’s Child host Vai Sikahema at University of Delaware-Blue Hens football for a look into how to actually get there. The two met with defensive lineman Siddiq Haynes. Siddiq took the two on a tour of the athletics dept., field, and finally into the weight room. On the field, the trio couldn’t help but throw balls around. Carlos was able to show Vai and Siddiq his skills. They then rang the team’s touchdown bell, which was VERY loud. “The weight room was fun”, said Carlos. Siddiq showed him some of the equipment and tested his strength on several of them.

Overall, the day was a great success! Vai sat with Carlos during lunch to talk about family. Carlos says family is important. He would like a family that would allow him to play sports and stay active. Contact with his sibling is important to him. Carlos needs a loving and caring family that will show support at his football games. At this point in his life, he dreams of not only scoring for his team, but scoring with a family! Will you be that family for Carlos?

Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce’s Excellence Award

Chris Jacobs, Program Director, Ken Mullner, Executive Director and Gloria Hochman, Communications Director

I really enjoyed myself at the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce’s Excellence awards dinner dance on November 18 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Center City. The Center was honored as the non-profit of the year. We received our award, along with 11 small businesses recognized for their excellence, before 600 community leaders. We were the lone non-profit among a sea of for profit businesses. It was an interesting experience. The group of professionals we were celebrating with was all very different. For example, some included Center City restaurant owners, sellers of motorcycle parts, as well as technology innovators. At first I couldn’t understand what, if any, similarities our organization had with these other small businesses. Then I started listening to their stories.

Each group was being recognized for their creativity, vitality, stability and relevance. And what I realized was that we had a lot more in common than I originally thought. Each business began with a dream – ours was no different. NAC’s founder started in 1972 with a wooden recipe box on her kitchen table because she saw a need and wanted to fill it. Thirty eight years later, we have helped more than 22,000 children find their “forever families”.

Although our organization was the only one providing a social service to the region and beyond, we all had some things in common - a dream, flexibility to stay relevant and adjust to better serve our constituents and a drive and desire to be successful. “We are proud to have received this prestigious recognition,” says Ken Mullner, the Center’s executive director. “But there are still children—115,000 in the country and 1600 right here in the Delaware Valley—who count on us for their futures. We are committed to our belief that ‘there are no unwanted children…just unfound families.’ We will continue to find them.”

Wendy's Wonderful Kids Spotlight - Juwon & Tyrek

At my last visit with brothers, Juwon and Tyrek, I asked them what they wanted in a Forever Family. By the end of the visit, I walked out of their foster home with 2 pages worth of notes about what they dreamed their adoptive family would be like.

Both were very enthusiastic about expressing what they would want in a Forever Home. Some characteristics they wanted in a family were: To have a mom and a dad, to live in a nice quiet neighborhood, to have other siblings if possible, they must be a sports loving family, must like music including at least a little bit of hip hop, must like going on vacations and playing video games. Juwon wanted a house big enough to not get in trouble for making noise when playing his drum set. Tyrek wanted a family who knew how to make really good food, and could help him learn how to play the guitar.

By the end of the list, the boys started getting silly, listing that they wanted flat-screen TVs in all rooms of the house, a refrigerator filled with root beer in their bedroom, and a go-cart track in the back yard. I told them that would probably not be possible, but hey you never know!

The boys are adorable and so funny. They need a home where they can grow up together. These brothers are very close and look to each other for support. If you would like more information about Juwon & Tyrek, please contact me, Amy Cressman at 215-739-9988 ext. 319 or at acressman@adopt.org.

Census Report on Adopted Children

In its first-ever profile of America's adopted children, the U.S. Census Bureau said today that Census 2000 data show that adopted children under age 18 tended to live in households that were better off economically than those of biological children.
For example, the bureau said, adopted children lived in households with a median income of $56,000 a year versus $48,000 for biological children, and 78 percent of adopted children lived in homes that were owned by their adoptive parents versus 67 percent of biological children.

The report, Adopted Children and Stepchildren: 2000, examines the characteristics of the nation's 2.1 million adopted children and 4.4 million stepchildren. For the first time, the Census 2000 questionnaire included "adopted son/daughter" as one of the options under the relationship-to-householder question separate from "natural born son/daughter" and "stepson/stepdaughter”.

The data are designed to assist agencies that serve adoptive families such as the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse of the Administration for Children and Families. The data also may inform policy-makers who develop legislation related to adoptive families such as the Multiethnic Placement Act of 1994, the Child Citizenship Act of 2000, and the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993.

Affording College

We often hear that potential adoptive parents, especially those already fostering children, are reluctant to adopt fearing college costs. The thought is that there is more support available if the child is never formally adopted than if he or she is.

If this concern is holding you back from creating a permanent relationship with a child, please read on. First there is The Fostering Adoption to Further Student Achievement Act, which states that when a child age 13 or above is adopted from foster care, the adoptive parents' income does not have to be factored into any federal financial aid application. This means the student will be considered independent and only his or her income (if any) will be considered when figuring out financial aid. For more information go to this Voice For Adoption Factsheet.

Next there are also many scholarships available from both state and private programs. For a very complete listing click here for the Child Information Gateway's College Scholarship and Tuition Waivers page. An additional resource is here: CollegeScholarships.org

Read more about the Education Training Voucher (ETV) program here. ETV awards grants to current and former foster youth to help pay for college or specialized education. In most states, eligible students may receive grants of up to $5,000 per academic year.

And also, another great resource is to be found here, the Orphan Foundation of America. (This is for children from foster care, not the strict definition of orphans, i.e. biological parents may still be living.)

Hopefully this information will help you make the choice to adopt easier for your family!

Biking with Pfizer!

On June 29th, Pfizer ended its leadership conference, held at the Sheraton Hotel in Philadelphia. As part of the conference, there was a team bike building challenge partnered with Teamworx to compete in building 10 bikes. Everyone had a blast! The even more exciting part of the program was when Pfizer staff learned they had actually built bikes for 10 waiting children in the foster care system. The 10 children, coming from PA, NJ, and DE were all very happy to receive new bikes to take home as their own. The children also received helmets to keep them safe. Pfizer worked with Teamworx to make this successful event happen.


Most waiting children in the foster care system have probably never owned anything of their own as they unfortunately often get moved from home to home in effort of finding their forever family. If you would like to make a donation to the National Adoption Center in effort to continue its mission of recruiting for waiting children and supporting prospective families, please contact Ken Mullner to learn the different ways of making that a reality.

Thanks so much to Pfizer and Teamworx for their amazing dedication to some very special children in our community. Pfizer also graciously presented the National Adoption Center with a check of $2,500.

SMART

Hot Match Party With Positive Results!

Think back to your childhood in the summertime! Do you remember hours spent outdoors playing with friends?

That’s just what the Adoption Center’s Camp Match Party was like! We had more than 50 children, ages three to 17 who are waiting for their forever family, and 45 prospective adoptive families enjoy an outing to Tall Pines Day Camp in Williamstown, New Jersey on Saturday, June 26th.
Our wonderful volunteers, most from Wawa, led the children and families around the campgrounds to play a variety of games and go on a hayride. The families got to see the children do what children do best, play! Many of the adults told us they enjoyed the activities at the campsite and, despite the heat, most of the adults were eager participants in the games with the children. The children and families all had a great time.
They also shared lunchtime together and got a chance to sit in the shade of the pavilions to talk and get to know one another. Families had opportunities to talk privately with the children’s social workers to express their interest and learn more about specific children. Ice cream and ices for dessert topped off a great summer day outdoors for everyone!
There were over 150 inquiries on the children from the families in attendance and we are hopeful for many potential matches that will become adoptive placements!

Access to Original Birth Certificates

Governor Quinn of Illinois recently signed into law provisions for adult adoptive children to finally receive their original birth certificates. In the viewpoint of the National Adoption Center, making birth record information more accessible to adopted adults is a good thing and very important.

We receive numerous phone calls and emails from adult adoptees about the question of search and reunion with birth family. Often the first step is locating the original birth certificate. Adults who were adopted as infants or young children are the most common group of people searching for adoption information and birth relatives and most often the search is for the birth mother. When we can, we provide search resources to those who want to search but, unfortunately, the legwork is really up to the adult adoptee. The Center’s public policy supports the rights of adoptees to their original birth certificates and all medical and historical records.

The new law in Illinois has some provisions on openness; effective immediately all children and parents involved in an adoption that took place before 1946 can get their birth certificates, however, for those in later situations, the state is going to spend one and half years notifying birth parents and adoptive adults that they need to contact the state to let them know if they wish to be found. After Nov 15, 2011, those involved in adoption can request birth certificates and if no other party has filed an objection, the birth certificate will be sent.

Some adult adoptees just have to find their birth families to answer the questions about where and who they come from and what genetic traits they inherited. Others decide to leave Pandora’s box closed. They all deserve what those of us who are not adopted just take for granted; the ability to get access to their personal information when and if they want it.

Wendy's Key Tag Program

Adoption and the Adoption Center have no better friend then Wendy’s. And there’s no better way to show your support of Adoption then by stopping by your nearest Philadelphia-area Wendy’s location and purchasing a Frosty Key Tag for $1.00. Then show your key tag and get a free Junior Frosty with any purchase for all of 2010. Proceeds benefit the Adoption Center and will help us match more vulnerable children with their forever families then ever before! Thank you Wendy’s!

Tee-Off for Kids!

Save the Date!

Tee-Off for Kids!

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

ACE Club, Lafayette Hill, PA

Attention Golfers: the 2009 golf season is upon us! As you dust off the clubs, make tee time reservations at your favorite courses and work on lowering that handicap, the National Adoption Center’s Development staff is preparing for another fantastic day of golf at the ACE Club in Lafayette Hill, PA.

Why not cap off what is sure to be your best golf season yet by participating in the Center’s Tee-Off for Kids! golf outing on Tuesday, September 22, 2009. This event, sponsored by PECO, is at one of the most premiere, beautiful and challenging courses in the Delaware Valley,the ACE Club, that is a serene and secluded 311-acre environment easily accessible from Center City Philadelphia and the outlying suburbs. The Club features a Gary Player Signature design measuring 7,500 yards from the tips. With five tee placements on each hole, it was created to accommodate the most discerning golfers of today and the equipment and ball technologies of tomorrow.

Cocktails, dinner, a silent and live auction and awards for on-course contests will follow.

Click to register online or to sponsor online. To learn more about how you and/or your company can get involved, please contact the Center’s Development Manager, Michelle Smolka, at 215-735-9988 ext. 343 or email her at: msmolka@adopt.org.

A reaction to Orphan

Movies are not merely entertainment; they influence the way people think, feel, act and live their lives.

It is unfortunate that adoption which brings joy to countless families is so negatively portrayed in the film, Orphan. Even people in the entertainment field such as Madonna and Angelina Jolie who have been in the public eye because they have recently adopted children must be disturbed and disappointed at their own industry and the message that Orphan brings.

Since 1972, the National Adoption Center has helped find families for more than 21,000 children; what we hear from their adoptive parents is that their only regret is that they didn’t adopt sooner.

More than 130,000 children in this country live in foster care waiting for families to adopt them. We need movies that will enhance their chances of making that happen. Orphan has let them down…big time

Let us know what you think.

Making a Difference in a Child's Life

Sometimes late, late night TV provides a different breed of “info-mercial.” The Oprah Winfrey Show does a rebroadcast in our area during the overnight hours, and a few days ago, disgruntled that I couldn’t sleep, I tuned in to the second half of a show filled with “info”-rmation which has undeniably impacted my heart.

The show’s topic was the effects of child neglect. The part I watched focused on a couple who adopted a child after seeing her at a Heart Gallery event. An adoptive mother myself, I was drawn to watch the unfolding of the story of how then eight-year old Danielle had been found living in deplorable conditions with her biological mother. The child was severely neglected, but her mother did not even consider asking the assistance of human services. The hard facts: at the time this child’s case came to light, she was nearly 9 years old, drank from a baby bottle, wore diapers, was afraid to be touched, obsessed over food because she was underfed, and had “terrible twos” tantrums.

Even before she married, something in Diane’s heart told her that adoption was a thing she was “supposed to do.” And Bernie said he simply “knew” Danielle should be part of their family.

Diane and Bernie already had a family of 4 biological sons, most of whom were grown and out of the house by the time they were introduced to Danielle. Did they take a risk by adopting her? Sure. Has it been easy for them or their other children? If you go to www.oprah.com and watch the video, you will see that making Danielle part of their family has been and is challenging. But as Diane told the TV audience: she saw a person somewhere in the blank stare of Danielle’s eyes.

Danielle was removed from her biological mother’s care but, considered a difficult child to place in foster care, was slated to be institutionalized. At the time of the adoption, this “special needs” 8-year old was considered to be have a developmental age of 6- to 18-months. After more than a year and a half with her adoptive family, that age was assessed as an 18- to 36 month old. Even though her development is lagging, she has made progress. She has learned to use the toilet. She is working on eating by herself. She swims. She cuddles. She has grown--because she is loved, thanks to her “forever family!”

Moving hearts with stories of passion and compassion is a lifework of Oprah. It would be my hope that Oprah and other TV hosts would continue to bring “info”-mercials of this caliber to raise awareness about children who need acceptance and love.

I would hope they would also showcase that levels of child “neglect” are often much more subtle than in Danielle’s case. That, for example, there are presently over 125,000 children and teens in foster care awaiting adoption, and that some of these children have been in the “system” for years. I imagine how powerful it would be for TV audiences to hear firsthand from a teen what it is like to be shuttled from home to home, school to school. Or to listen to a 9 year old talk about living in a group home. Or how a child of any age who longs for a family feels about not being hugged on a regular basis or rarely, if ever, hears the words “I love you.”

While it is sometimes fun to see big name celebrities talk about their lives with TV hosts, and other times great to watch the hosts cook and dance, I feel it is topics like this—weighty, meaty, relevant to a change of heart and perspective for our country and world—that can propel humanity forward knowing that we each make history by our choices every day.

As a team member of the National Adoption Center, I personally answer calls daily from people who are curious about what it takes to extend the borders of their family and adopt a child in need of a loving, permanent home. Many people don’t know the benefits of adoption. Whether a person is single, in a committed relationship, gay, straight, lesbian or bisexual, they can choose adoption. Our motto is “there are no unwanted children, only unfound families.”

This family inspired me. They, indeed, made history through their choice. There is no question: children with special needs are in need! Armed with the right “info”-mation, an answer can be clear: adoption is a great choice! Are you ready to take the chance and make it yours?

written by Nancy Barton

Wendy's Wonderful Kids Spolight

Hello, my name is Amy Cressman the newest employee of the National Adoption Center. I am the Recruiter for the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program in Delaware. Over the past month, I’ve been having a great time starting to meet the kids on my caseload. My fellow Wendy’s Wonderful Kids’ Recruiter, Crystal, had the great idea of featuring a child on the Center's Blog each week, so I am going to follow her footsteps and do the same!

Last week, I met Gerard, who just turned 13 years old last Friday! Right away, Gerard was open and friendly talking to me about his life and what he wants in a forever family. Gerard loves all things sports especially football. But not only is he a sports lover, he also loves sitting down and taking the time to read a good book. He loves books about history, and social studies is his favorite subject in school. He is proud of his good grades, and thinks he might want to be a lawyer when he grows up (if he doesn’t get into the NFL of course!). Gerard spoke about wanting an “All American” family who will be as active as he is! He also wants a family who is involved in church and the community. A smart and articulate teenager, Gerard is very optimistic in one day finding his new forever family.

If you would like more information about Gerard, or the Wendy’s Wonderful Kid’s program, feel free to contact me at acressman@adopt.org or at 215-735-9988 x319.

Growing Up Without Family

Last week, I heard a talk by a young woman—I’ll call her Cindy-- who had spent most of her growing-up years in foster care. Her brother was shuttled among relatives. Neither was adopted. Their mother was an addict and had abused both children frequently. When her brother was 18, just out of high school, he went home to his mother for one last try. It didn’t work. Six months later, he committed suicide.
Cindy never felt more alone.

But it wasn’t the first time she missed having a home and a family. There were those Thanksgivings at college when she hoped a friend would invite her for the holiday. And she was reminded of all of lonely nights without a mom to confide in or a dad with a broad shoulder to brush away her tears.

Today, Cindy is happily married to a man who adores her. She has a good job and many friends. But nothing can fill the hole in her soul where her family should have been.

Her talk brought tears to the eyes of everyone who heard it. It made me think of all of the Cindys who never have the families they need and deserve. It made me wonder why birth parents are given so many chances to keep ruining the lives of their children.

It made me feel even more certain that adoption is the best option for a child whose birth parents have demonstrated over a period of time that they can’t or won’t give her a loving home.

So many families want to adopt and have so much to offer a child. If our society cares about the futures of children as much as it claims to, it should welcome these families, taking the first step toward letting each child know that he or she is valued and deserves to be loved in a safe, nurturing environment.
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Center Year-End Wrap Up

On June 30, the National Adoption Center concluded its 2008/09 fiscal year. And for the third consecutive year, we ended with a balanced budget. There are not many nonprofits that can claim that distinction in the current economic climate. It’s a testament to the many generous supporters who share our belief that “there are no unwanted children, just unfound families”.

More importantly, during our Annual Meeting last week, we announced the facilitation of 85 placements over the course of the last 12 months, a 60% increase over the previous year.

The cost to find an adoptive family for one of these children is microscopic compared to the amount of money we spend to keep him/her in foster care. We once again urge our local, state and national leaders to make investment in adoption a priority, not a last resort.

Our goal next year will be to identify “forever families” for 100 children who currently languish in foster care. We thank you in advance for your support!

Wendy's Wonderful Kids Spotlight

Hi everyone! My name is Crystal Allen and I am the Center’s Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Recruiter for Southern New Jersey, as well as an Adoption Coordinator.
The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is a nonprofit 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to dramatically increasing the adoptions of the more than 150,000 children waiting in North America's foster care systems. Created by Wendy's founder, Dave Thomas, who was adopted as a child, the Foundation works to fulfill its mission by implementing result-driven national signature programs, awareness initiatives and advocacy efforts.

Wendy’s Wonderful Kids is a signature program of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption that combines the fundraising of Wendy's and its customers; aggressive grants management of the Foundation, and the talent of experienced adoption professionals throughout the nation and in Canada to move children from foster care into permanent, loving adoptive homes. As a WWK Recruiter for Southern New Jersey, I recruit for 14 of the most amazing children and youth in the DYFS foster care system, using child-specific recruitment strategies. Each of my blog post will be dedicated to a child that I work with.

Jay, an engaging, creative and inquisitive youngster is a bundle of non-stop energy. He loves to ride his bike and scooter, play sports and involve himself in any activity that requires vigorous playing. Is it any wonder, that his favorite animal is the Cheetah! Jay loves to play the saxophone and is in the school band. He also sings in the choir. Jay makes friends easily, but feelings of loss and low self-esteem sometimes interfere in his interaction with peers and adults. Jay must be closely supervised around other children. Jay continues to deal with issues of loss, past trauma, impulse control and trust. Enrollment in a specialized academic program where Jay receives one-on-one support is assisting him in accomplishing academic goals. He is making progress in school. Jay would do best in a patient, highly structured, loving home that will support his therapeutic, emotional and educational needs. Being an only child or having older teenage siblings is highly recommended.

If you would like information on Jay or the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program, please do not hesitate to contact me at callen@adopt.org or 215.735.9988 Ext. 346.