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Media Contact: Jeanine Bedell, Director of Community Relations, Cell: 813-401-8565
NEWS RELEASE
USA OLYMPIAN AND FORMER FOSTER CARE ADOPTEE REESE HOFFA TO SPEAK AT NATIONAL ADOPTION DAY EVENT ON NOVEMBER 18 IN TAMPA.
TAMPA, Fla. –November 7, 2011 On November 18, 2011 at 9 a.m. Hillsborough Kids, lead agency overseeing the child-welfare system, and Camelot Community Care, which serves as a partner agency managing adoption cases and recruiting prospective adoption families for Hillsborough Kids will host "Celebrating Forever Families" in recognition of National Adoption Day. Four Circuit 13 Hillsborough County judges will finalize over 30 adoptions at the George E. Edgecomb Courthouse on this day.
USA olympian shot-putter, Reese Hoffa will speak at the event about his adoption journey. Hoffa was adopted from the foster care system at the age of five. He is dedicated to speaking about his gratitude for his adoptive parents while also sharing his personal struggles with the adjustment that came with being adopted. "My hope is that I can help families see things through the eyes of their adopted child," said Hoffa.
One special child who will be adopted is Anthony, the now seven-year-old child who in 2008 was the 100 th child to receive a heart transplant at All Children’s Hospital. Anthony is now being adopted by his medical foster parents who have been caring for him over the last four years. "We felt like God had been telling us to do it for a while and we decided it was time to listen," said Melody Rodriguez. Rodriguez says she has been praying with her husband about adoption since Anthony received his heart transplant.
Another special adoption to take place will be Payton a 13-year-old girl who experienced four failed potential adoption matches over a three year period. Thanks to a Wendy’s Wonderful Kids (WWK) child-focused recruitment model she has found her forever family. "Because I had the opportunity to get to know her on a one-on-one basis I could talk to the Andersens (adoptive parents -to- be) in-depth about her needs, history, what worked, what failed and why," said Susan Gicking the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Recruiter responsible for making the successful match.
CEO and President of Hillsborough Kids Jeff Rainey said, "Everything we do to serve children in Hillsborough County comes from a child-focused approach. Securing the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids grant has helped us to further extend that approach in our adoption recruitment. Our adoption team at Camelot Community Care works very hard to match every child with their forever family. Older children like Payton are historically more challenging to find adoptive homes for. The Wendy’s Wonderful Kids child-focused recruitment approach has proven to double or even triple the chance of adoptions for older children."
During the National Adoption Day event, families will have the opportunity to take their first family portrait together immediately following their adoption. The event will include activities such as face-painting and cornhole toss as well as refreshments.
"This is going to be a great day for everyone involved," said Rainey. "Every child deserves unconditional love from a caring family. For over thirty of our children and families this dream will come true on National Adoption Day."
Hillsborough Kids
Hillsborough Kids is the lead agency overseeing the child welfare system in Hillsborough County. The mission of Hillsborough Kids is to ensure the safety and permanency of abused and neglected children in foster care in Hillsborough County by providing comprehensive services that promote strong families. The vision of Hillsborough Kids is to ensure that every child lives in a safe, loving and nurturing family. Families interested in adopting can visit www.heartgallerytampabay.org or call (813) 643-KIDS.
Camelot Community Care:
Camelot Community Care is a Pinellas County, Fla- based non-profit social services agency serving children and families who are experiencing abuse and neglect within the home environment as well as mental health and substance abuse problems. Camelot provides services in Florida, Ohio and Texas to approximately 5,000 clients each day. Camelot Community Care’s mission is to develop and provide services, which enable children and families to realize their own potential. The philosophy of Camelot’s programs is to provide services that are family-centered, strength-based and individualized, specific to the needs of each client.
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