National Adoption Month

It’s make perfect sense that November will be a special month for the National Adoption Center.

In addition to being National Adoption Month, and following a thorough re-branding exercise, we will be launching our new website. The site will have a much more “national” feel to it, and will be viewable on desktop, tablet and mobile versions. We think you’ll be particularly impressed with the way it lovingly portrays the children and youth on whose behalf we work. November is also special because we will be taking significant steps in our initiative to expand our hugely successful Wednesday’s Child concept across the country. More to come on Wednesday’s Child USA! Lastly, November is special because so many beautiful children will find their forever families, perhaps more than any other month.

We thank you for your generous support and hope you’ll stay connected to the National Adoption Center.

Behind-The-Scenes with Wednesday's Child

My name is Jin and I am a Development Associate intern at the National Adoption Center (NAC). This is my 4th month of internship, and I have been learning about NAC’s mission, organizational structure, and functions. Mainly, I have worked in the Development Team by fundraising, creating marketing materials, working on special events, and using a database. But this week I had the opportunity to see what the Program Team does.

One of NAC’s functions is to increase awareness of children in foster care. One way they accomplish this is through the Wednesday’s Child Program on NBC10, where they feature children in foster care with Vai Sikahema, doing what the children like to do. I had the chance to be a part of a Wednesday’s Child taping. In this case Jasper, the child to be featured, enjoyed cooking.

My task for the day was to take pictures of the taping. The Wednesday’s Child Coordinator and I drove to Sur La Table in King of Prussia Mall. The activity for the day was making homemade pasta. We arrived on site and met the staff from NBC 10 and Vai Sikahema.

The kitchen in Sur La Table looked very professional. Stainless steel countertops, cabinets, large sink, large gas stoves, pots hanging from the vent, and tasting tables, it looked like a kitchen that would be on Food Network channel.

Jasper walked in soon after with two social workers. He was a quiet and gentle middle school student. After brief introductions, Angie, Vai, and Jasper crowded around the stainless steel countertop and began cooking.

They started by creating the dough for the noodles by mixing eggs, salt, olive oil, and flour.

Which turned into dough…

Jasper rolled out the dough into noodles.

Jasper added garlic, onions, and basil...

... to a pot, to make his own marinara sauce…

Dishing it all up, he topped the noodles off with cheese…

But he doesn't like marinara sauce, so he chose to have pasta with butter.

The pasta must have been good, because he finished the whole plate. Actually, we all got to taste his pasta and it was delicious. I can’t help but imagine that Jasper was proud of his own cooking. He didn't show it much, but I’m sure he was glad that we all enjoyed the food that he made with his own hands. 

As you can see, we finished the plate!

It was a meaningful time for me, because I was able to meet a child that I was helping. As a Development Associate, most of my time is spent at the office. The work I do indirectly benefits the children by supporting the organization financially. But sometimes that’s hard to remember at the office. So it was good to finally see a child that I have been indirectly serving.

But I imagine the day to be very meaningful to Jasper as well. He was eager to learn about cooking throughout the day. And Angie, the instructor, gave him helpful tips about cooking and let him do most of the work. Sometimes instructors are impatient and end up cooking in place of their students, but Angie stepped back and let Jasper enjoy cooking.

I hope that Jasper continues to explore, experiment, and grow in cooking, that it becomes a hobby, and maybe even a career. But more importantly, I hope that he finds a family that is committed to loving and caring for him, because he’s a great kid. (and look for his taping to air on NBC10 in Philadelphia soon!) 

Businesses in Historic Old City Philadelphia Help Foster Children Looking to be Adopted

For years we have teamed up with KYW Newsradio to air a program called Wednesday’s Child, hosted by broadcast journalist Larry Kane. Larry, who has been a friend to NAC for more than 25 years, asks the children about themselves and why it is important to them to be adopted. These special interviews are featured on the radio every Wednesday, multiple times a day, with the goal of finding permanent loving homes for these children.

The children who now live in foster care, come to Philadelphia to be taped for the interview, many come from significant distances. NAC has been asking for donations from businesses in Old City Philadelphia, where KYW's studio is located, in an effort to make the day memorable for the children.

We met one of our most enthusiastic partners in this effort last month. Evan Sharps, owner of Old City T-Shirts , is a man who knows all about creating an experience to remember. When Evan heard about the different types of children we work with - the importance of finding them a family, and the joy it would bring to give them a day filled with fun memories, he was quick to hop on board.

Evan has graciously committed to offering every child involved in KYW Newsradio’s Wednesday’s Child program an opportunity to make a custom designed t-shirt in his souvenir shop. Evan’s charming shop is unlike any other. Customers get the chance to choose from a colorful selection of shirts, pick out their own design, and watch their t-shirt instantly come together.

We cannot thank business owners like Evan enough for helping us create a fun and exciting experience for the children who count on us to help find them families.

Spread the support and drop into Old City T-Shirts to see what the hype’s all about!

If you are interested in donating to the National Adoption Center’s Philly Fun Package, contact Beth at: bvogel@adopt.org

Wednesday's Child - Wafiq

Meet Wafiq, featured last week on Wednesday’s Child. Like music? This guy knows all about it. Wafiq taught himself to play the drums and blew the minds of everyone at Elm Studio when he hopped on the set. Wafiq had a blast showing off his skills and spending some time with host Vai Sikahema and Dave Uosikkinen, the well known drummer and founder of The Hooters. Wafiq knows the importance of practice and can’t wait to start learning different instruments as well.

Aside from his love for music, this 7th grader is doing well in school, expresses an interest in his science classes, and is looking forward to possibly joining the school football team. Wafiq is an extremely friendly kid who does best with one on one interaction. When he’s not behind the drums, you can find Waqif rocking out on his Xbox, tossing around the football, or watching some laugh-out-loud comedies.

 

Like all other middle schoolers, Waqif knows the importance of having fun and being a kid. Waqif also knows the importance of family and talks a bit about what family means to him. Waqif says his dream is to be adopted. The most ideal family will be able to provide Waqif with the love, structure, and stability that every growing teen deserves. All families will be considered.

Watch Wafiq’s Wednesday’s Child feature.

Kahlisha and Felicia - Wednesday's Child

Freddie Mac Foundation's Wednesday's Child Philadelphia, is a weekly television feature on NBC10 that helps children living in foster care find permanent, loving, adoptive families. Last week 16-year-old twins, Kahlisha and Felicia, had a special visit to Power 99 FM studios to learn the ins and outs of the studio business and meet radio show personality Cappuchino. These two siblings were a joy to be around. Beginning with a tour of the studio, the teens were already excited. Meeting Cappuchino and learning how she runs the midday show was very cool -Kahlisha and Felicia even got some air time and were able to record a few speaking and even singing notes.

Their positive energy was irresistibly contagious - Kahlisha enjoys reading, listening to music, watching TV, and cooking. In school, she participates in cheerleading and track. Kahlisha hopes to pursue a career in broadcasting or become a couples therapist. Felicia has an amazing sense of humor and enjoys activities such as reading, blogging, watching movies, and attending sporting events. In school, she is a member of the lacrosse team. Artistic and creative, she dreams of becoming an actress or artist when she grows up.

Although the teens have different goals for the future, they share a common goal for the present. Kahlisha and Felicia yearn to be adopted and have definite ideas about what they want in an adoptive family. Kahlisha’s ideal family would be caring, understanding of teens, and non-judgmental. Felicia hopes a family would be supportive and helpful. Most of all, the siblings would like to be adopted together or at least be able to maintain contact with each other. All families will be considered.


To see the twins on Wednesdays Child, click to see the video.

To inquire about Kahlisha and Felicia, please contact Sheina at smartinez@adopt.org

The Fantastic Four

Freddie Mac Foundation's Wednesday's Child Philadelphia, is a weekly television feature on NBC10 that helps children living in foster care find permanent, loving, adoptive families. Last week, Kenneth, 12, Shakenya, 10 and twins Dominick & Deatrick, 9 were featured on the program and spent their day with Vai Sikahema, at Painting With A Twist as they were guided through a creative painting course. The siblings and Vai were provided with a canvas, paint and all other necessary art supplies. The painting course was an extremely entertaining and fun learning experience for them all.

Kenneth is in the 6th grade, Shakenya in the 5th grade and both Dominick & Deatrick are 3rd graders. All four siblings enjoy school and sports. The boys enjoy playing football while Shakenya enjoys cheerleading. Kenneth is the most social and can usually be found making someone laugh. Shakenya is very responsible and likes to speak on behalf of her brothers. Dominick & Deatrick tend to stick together most of the time when engaging in activities.

Kenneth, Shakenya, Dominick & Deatrick dream big of being adopted by a family that is willing to let them continue to grow and mature together. The children share the hope of living in a stable home with a loving forever family. The siblings desire parents that will be willing to spend quality time with them and allow them to participate in extracurricular activities. All families will be considered.

To see the children’s feature on Wednesday’s Child, click: View Video

To inquire about Kenneth, Shakenya, Dominick & Deatrick, please contact Sheina at smartinez@adopt.org

Crossing Paths

contributed by intern Michelle Johnson

As an intern here I had the opportunity to attend a Wednesday’s Child taping at the KYW Newsradio studio. What would happen at the taping is that a few children living in foster care would be interviewed about themselves and what they were looking for in a family. KYW Newsradio would then broadcast these interviews in hopes of finding forever families for these children and raising awareness about adoption in general.

That morning, I remember being so nervous. After working at the here for almost 4 months now, the previous notions and assumptions that I had about foster care had already been dismantled…but I still didn't really know what to expect. Coming from more of a sheltered background, I've never been exposed to people that have been through the type of situations that some of these children have experienced and that’s where most of my anxiety came from. I kept thinking how can I interact with them? Will I be able to relate to them in a way that comes off as sympathetic rather than as if I pity them? Will they be willing to open up to me?

When we first arrived I was immediately put into a room with three children and their social workers. Trying to be less awkward than normal, I just sat down after smiling or saying nothing more than “hello” to everyone in the room. I decided I would just listen to the interactions in the room since that would be much easier than engaging in conversation. But when I least expected it, I heard something that triggered a thought in my head. Before I knew it, I started talking with one of the kids. She had dreams of being a basketball player and had attended a game at Drexel University, the school I currently attend. Next thing I knew, we were engaged in one topic after another. It’s funny how a small comment can turn into great conversation. And here I was making the mistake of thinking we would have nothing in common. In that moment she wasn't just a child in foster care, she was a person.

Initially I thought that she was angry and wouldn't be willing to open up to me in such a small amount of time, based on her facial expression and body language. But once I had listened and we had made the connection, we had a great time. Although it’s so cliché, you truly cannot judge a book by its cover. It’s important to get to know people and base your judgments off of who the person actually is; not what they've been through or what they look like. Two people from two different walks of life can become the best of friends. All it takes is one moment when their paths happen to cross.

Wednesday's Child - Megan

Megan is a sweet and beautiful 15- year- old originally from Guatemala. Art, computers, listening to Spanish music, and basketball are just some of her favorite pastimes. In school, she gets along well with her peers and teachers. While Spanish is her first language, she has made great gains in learning to speak English. She is a friendly and helpful teen with a goal to some day work in a salon.

Hair wash, cut, blow dry and make-up are the things Louis Christian Wayne Robert Salon and Spa offered to Megan for her Wednesday’s Child taping. As assumed, she gladly accepted! Wednesday’s Child host Vai Sikahema was there to witness her turn even more into a beauty. She and Vai were able to chat with staff as they dedicated their time with her and listened to her amazing story of how she came to America and how she hopes to soon be adopted into a loving family.

Megan had an amazing day getting pampered Vai later sat with her to talk about the importance of family. Megan is actively involved in her recruitment process for a family. She would like to be in a family that will love her unconditionally. All families will be considered.

To view her original feature, click here.

To view an extended feature, click here. 

Behind the Scenes with Amanda

Greetings! My name is Amanda and I am a Program Intern here at the National Adoption Center. This internship fulfills the last requirement needed to obtain my degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Penn State University, but more importantly allows me to gain “real world” experience outside of the classroom. In the short six weeks that I have been with NAC I have learned so much about the field of adoption and what goes in to finding the perfect family for a child in foster care.

One family recruitment tool that is coordinated by NAC is “Wednesday’s Child.” I had the exciting opportunity to attend a Wednesday’s Child taping and meet Jose, the featured Wednesday’s Child for that week. I’m not sure why but I had expected something to set Jose apart from a typical teenager growing up in their birth family. I thought maybe he would look different or act different, or do something that would make it obvious that he lives in a foster home. Looking back, I feel embarrassed that I thought any of that. Jose was your average teenager; nose buried in his cell phone, listening to music on his head phones, and updating his Facebook status to let his friends know that he was at lunch with the Vai Sikahema. He was polite and very well-mannered. Nothing about Jose’s appearance or behavior indicated that he was going through one of the toughest things a child could face.

Unfortunately, I’m sure that many people have some of the same thoughts that I originally had about children in foster care. It just seems to make sense that a child who has been through such heartbreak and uncertainty in their short life might act bitter and mean. Lucky for me, I had the chance to be proved wrong by a sweet young man in foster care, and I am so thankful that I was blessed with that opportunity. Now I will make it my mission to let the rest of the world know just how amazing these children are.

Princess for a day, Queen for a lifetime

We kicked this month off right, with a special visit to Louis Christian Wayne Robert Salon & Spa!  The event's theme was “Princes for a day”, Queen for a lifetime”. At the salon, the stylists donated their time to four amazing, previously-featured Wednesday’s Children who still need of a forever family. The youth received treatment worthy of superstars beginning with hair continuing with make-up services.

The Delta Sigma Theta sorority assisted as part of their community day of service. The Sisters spoke with the young women to learn each individual's interests and hobbies. The goal of each Sister was to make sure that these youth know that they are beautiful, important and amazing.

NBC 10 was also there! They captured footage of this special day and interviewed each young woman about what family means to her. This will be broadcast on NBC 10 in the near future.

Capital Grille was next on the list of treats for the day. The restaurant's staff prepared delicious meals for all involved in this special day, while management picked up the tab! The Sorority Sisters then presented each young woman with a huge, personalized bag filled with goodies. When I spoke with the young women who participated that day, they were completely overwhelmed by the treatment they received. We'd we are grateful to all those who made this such a special day for these special young women!

Participating Youth

Cheilin, 18, makes friends wherever she goes. She is personable and very humorous! Cheilin has been diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy and uses a wheelchair to get around. In the future, she would like to be a psychologist.

Ashanti, 17, likes to cook and look good. She is very fashionable. Those who know Ashanti say she is bright and sensitive. Ashanti can be shy when meeting new people and does not like to be the center of attention.

Karimah, 15, loves to sing and dance. Church is really important to her. She is sweet and kind. In her spare time, she enjoys hanging on the couch watching football.

Cassandra, 13, loves to sing and dance. She is proud of the Spanish language she knows and likes to show it off. She is humble and likes to try new things.






Each of these teens has been featured on Wednesday’s Child. While they have not yet found a forever family, each is hopeful a family will step up soon. These youth represent the many more youth who deserve and are open to finding the love and care of a forever family.

Will you be that family?

Success Story - Lucas

Today we celebrate the adoption of Lucas, a teen whose dream came true when his foster parents, Nancy and David, adopted him this year!

Lucas was featured on Wednesday’s Child Philadelphia in 2008 and then again a year later. Wednesday’s Child Philadelphia, sponsored by the Freddie Mac Foundation, is a weekly child feature on NBC10 with former Philadelphia Eagle, Vai Sikahema.

Starting the journey to be only foster parents, Nancy and David welcomed Lucas into their home when Lucas was seven years old. They prayed he would find a home and agreed to have him until that goal became a reality. Seven years later, Lucas still had no permanent home.

In 2011, Nancy and David realized that their home was Lucas’ home and made it official in court! Lucas says he is still getting used to calling them mom and dad and corrects himself when he calls them by their names.

Vai met up with Lucas’ family to hear more about their great story. Lucas says he is so happy they adopted him. Nancy and David say they have been blessed to be the lucky couple to have Lucas permanently in their lives. Diagnosed with mild mental retardation, Lucas is for the first time in a regular education class. He is doing well and has many friends.

When Vai asked what their favorite family activity was, they all said simply playing cards and spending time together. So they pulled out a pack of Skip-Bo cards and Vai quickly saw why they liked that activity. The four shared laughs and stories and had a great time.

The Wednesday’s Child program, sponsored by the Freddie Mac Foundation, is a great recruitment tool. In fact, over 62% of the children featured on Wednesday Child Philadelphia now have a permanent home.

Wednesday’s Child Philadelphia - Featured Brothers - Darius & Shaquan

Meet Darius, 18 and Shaquan, 16! Darius has a genuine love for computers while Shaquan is an aspiring rapper with a passion for poetry and hip hop. While these two brothers have a diversity of interests, they share a love for one thing: basketball! In school, they both do very well and participate on the basketball team.

Darius and Shaquan recently got to spend the day with Wednesday’s Child host Vai Sikahema and the crew at Funplex! The boys spent the day living the dream of most teenagers: playing fun games and chilling out! Darius and Shaquan challenged Vai to a game of air hockey before they all raced around the go-kart track. Laser tag was also a hit! Basketball was the final event before the trio headed for lunch.

Darius and Shaquan’s day at the Funplex was a blast for everyone involved! Now the boys are looking to find a family that will adopt them together. If that’s not possible, then they at least want a family that will allow them to maintain their special sibling bond.

Will you be that family for Darius and Shaquan?

Wednesday's Child Spotlight on Kareem!

Meet nine-year-old Kareem! This outgoing and friendly young man has a passion for staying active and learning new things. In his spare time he enjoys playing with monster trucks, watching SpongeBob, and playing outside. In the third grade, Kareem performs well academically and gets along well with his instructors and peers. He particularly enjoys math and gym classes. Kareem aspires to be a fireman.

Kareem recently got a peek into the Fire Department world as he met up with Wednesday’s Child host Vai Sikahema at the Philadelphia Fire Academy for a day of fun, learning, and adventure. The two met with Lt. Gilliam, who gave them a tour of the facility. They then headed to learn to ride a fire truck, a stimulator of course. Kareem also learned about many of the tools firemen use to do their job. They then suited up, and worked on a mission to save a baby from a building. Kareem felt like a superhero! As they headed out, Commissioner Lloyd Ayers met with Kareem and encouraged him to be his best. He shared some history about the Fire Department and listened as Kareem shared his goals about some day joining the team.

Kareem’s day at the Fire Academy was definitely a success! Vai later sat with Kareem to discuss what he is looking for in a family. Kareem longs for a family to call his own, one that will be his forever, and that will love and support him as he becomes a “grown-up.” He also hopes for a family with siblings to play with. A family that is caring, loving, and supportive will give Kareem a solid foundation for the future.

Wednesday's Child Featured Children: Juwon and Tyrek

Juwon, 13 and Tyrek, 10, are brothers who share similar interests. Enrolled in regular education classes, they do well in school and get along with their teachers and peers. Aspiring musicians, they dream of one day playing in a band together. Juwon and Tyrek also like playing sports and watching funny movies in their free time.

As fans of music, Juwon and Tyrek met up with Wednesday’s Child host Vai Sikahema at the School of Rock. There they had a great opportunity to test their skills. Juwon loves the drums while Tyrek is a guitar player. They got a private practice session with a staff member at the school. After getting warmed up, the boys got on stage with Vai ready to rock! They also got to meet the kids in the school’s house band, who all reminded the brothers to keep practicing and encouraged them to follow their dreams.

The day was definitely a success! Vai later sat with the boys to talk about family. Both Juwon and Tyrek long for the day they will be adopted. They hope for a loving and caring family who live in a safe neighborhood. All families will be considered.

Will you be that family for Juwon and Tyrek?

Wednesday's Child Spolight: Frank

Frank is a dynamic 20-year-old with a great personality and a firm vision for the future. His goal is to own his own body shop and is preparing for it by taking part in his school’s auto mechanics program. In the meantime, he keeps busy with a variety of activities. He is passionate about sports and likes to spend time watching basketball, baseball and football games on TV. He also loves playing sports and participates in the Special Olympics in basketball, volleyball, softball and track and field.

Frank recently had the amazing opportunity to visit with the Philadelphia 76ers.  He was able to stand on the court to watch them practice before the game.  Mascot Hip-Hop and the Hare Raisers presented him with a huge bag filled with lots of goodies, including a personalized jersey. They also took time to shoot a few hoops with him.  Frank was very excited!  On the court, he met with former players World B. Free and Eric Snow. He then stayed to watch the game.  He was voted “Fan of the Game” and enjoyed watching himself on the JumboTron. 

The day was definitely a success!  Wednesday’s Child host Vai Sikahema later sat with Frank to talk about family. Frank longs for a family to call his own.  He has several months before he “ages out” of the foster care system.  Mildly developmentally delayed, Frank is learning to become an adult.  He is doing a great job in learning about finances and money management.  A supportive, patient, and loving family would help Frank on the right track to a good future. 

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?

Wednesday’s Child Philadelphia Spotlight - Aaliyah

Meet 12-year-old Aaliyah. This beautiful preteen can be described as fun, loving, and energetic.  Aaliyah likes to draw, jump rope, and dance. In the 6th grade, she does well in school and really enjoys art class.  In the future she would like to become a doctor or nurse so she can help others.        

Aaliyah recently met up with Wednesday’s Child host Vai Sikahema at Philadelphia’s Please Touch Museum for a day of fun and excitement.  Aaliyah had a great time pretending to be Vai’s doctor.  They did grocery shopping and toured the SEPTA portion of the museum. They played the large  piano and overall simply had a great time. 

The day was definitely a success!  Vai later sat with Aaliyah at the cafeteria where they shared a meal and spoke about family.  Aaliyah says race does not matter.  She wants a family that will love her, play with her, and encourage her dreams for the future. 

Will you be that family for Aaliyah?

Wednesday's Child Spotlight - Blair

Blair, 14, is an active and friendly teen who loves playing basketball and baseball. Blair gets along well with both his peers and instructors in his 9th grade special education class where his favorite subject is Math. He loves animals and hopes to develop this passion in to acareer as a K-9 Police Officer.

Blair recently spent the day with the New Jersey State Police K-9 Unit at their K-9 Academy where he had the opportunity to observe the extensive and ongoing training process that both officers and their canine partners must undergo in order to prepare themselves for the job. Blair observed and assisted with some basic walking drills where he called out commands to the officers and their canines. After watching the dogs perform numerous other drills, Blair watched as Vai put on the padded arm and acted as a decoy in the decoy training component
of the Academy.

After successfully completing his first day of Canine Training, Sgt. Charous and the rest of the team presented Blair with a t-shirt, water bottle, and a hat to remember his day at the NJ State Police K-9 Academy. Following the day of training, Vai and Blair discussed what Blair is looking for in a family. Blair is looking for a permanent home with a family who cares about and respects him. As an animal lover, Blair would also love a family that has pets.

For more information visit http://wednesdayschild.adopt.org/

The Many Sides of Wednesday's Child

As you know we organize Philadelphia's Wednesday's Child program with the generous support of the Freddie Mac Foundation and NBC10's talented producers, camera people and host, Vai Sikahema. We also rely on members of the community to donate their time and selves to making a child’s day special. We’ve had doctors who have gotten WC participants operating room access; sports teams who give tours, equipment, jerseys and a practice time; chefs who’ve shared techniques and skills and delicious food; and countless others. We get to hear their stories of why they have stepped up to help, but you rarely do. Below we have a letter from KJ Rose who met with the Wednesday’s Child youth for this week, Amber. Thanks to KJ and all those who have opened up their lives to our kids!

"Wednesday's Child" Testimonial

When I first got the call to participate in "Wednesday's Child", I believe my excitement was focused merely on the opportunity to give back.  However, I had no idea that upon meeting Amber, she would have such a profound impact on my life! 

I must admit that I initially thought that I'd have to sell myself as a recording artist to her considering my slight obscurity, but on the contrary she was more than elated to receive anything I had to offer.  We sang, laughed, and bonded in such a short amount of time and what struck me most was her Resilience!  Amber radiates from the inside out in a way that belies her story of being in the adoption system since the age of 6.  Music is her release and safe haven giving her an uncanny sense of Hope, which is the message that I believe resonates throughout my music as well.  This commonality led me to the realization that our introduction was not just a coincidence but Predestined.

Amber challenged me to be present in every moment and take nothing for granted.  During her interview she was asked of her ideal family and responded, "There's no perfect family, I just want one that needs ME and not one that I feel like I'm interrupting".

Amber knows her value and understands that she also has an assignment and a destiny to fulfill.  Although she graciously thanked me for my time, I was the one inspired - Thank YOU Amber!

Good Shepherd Mediation Program Honors 2010 Shepherds of Peace - Vai Sikahema

NBC 10 Sports host Vai Sikahema is an amazing person and not just because of his reporting! As the Freddie Mac Foundations' Wednesday’s Child Coordinator for Philadelphia for over 3 years, I have the priviledge of seeing him in action each week. Of all the things he is involved in, he always talks about how Wednesday’s Child is his favorite thing to do. He comes each week ready to meet a new child in hopes that the Freddie Mac Foundation Wednesday’s Child program will assist us in finding the child a forever home. Vai is active, engaging, and genuinely excited about his role as the Freddie Mac Foundation Wednesday’s Child host.

As a father of four children, he understands the importance of family. He is dedicated and passionate about learning about each child and often shares his experience at the tapings with other friends and family who may be interested in adoption.

On the shoots, he goes above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that the child is having a good time. Whether he’s learning to bake with a future chef, shooting hoops with a future all star player, going through a maze with a young child, or simply talking to an older teen about their dreams to have a forever family — Vai is dedicated to America’s waiting children.

We wish to congratulate him today upon being named one of the Shepherds of Peace by the Good Shepherd Mediation Program. He certainly deserves the honor.