Hill Ceremony and Gala Event Recognize Outstanding Contributions to the Advocacy of Adoption and Foster Care
* 186 Members of Congress select 174 local Angels in Adoption from across the country.
* CCAI honors Miami Dolphins quarterback Daunte Culpepper, hip-hop legend Darryl "DMC" McDaniels, and documentary film and grassroots movement Invisible Children as National Angels for their work for orphans on a global scale.
* CCAI is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization dedicated to raising awareness about the tens of thousands of orphans and foster children in the United States and the millions of orphans around the world in need of permanent, safe, and loving homes through adoption; and to eliminating the barriers that hinder these children from realizing their basic right of a family.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) recognized 174 Angels in Adoption(TM) today at a Capitol Hill ceremony and a Gala in Washington, D.C. These individuals and organizations, representing 49 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico were selected by 186 U.S. representatives and senators for their outstanding contributions to the advocacy of adoption and foster care.
"Since adopting my own son, Ted, I have seen first-hand the power of adoption and have worked to make adoption easier for American families," said Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-MN), who serves as the 2006 President and Congressional Director of CCAI. "My late wife Jo and I adopted Ted when he was three weeks old and he has brought us such joy. He is now 32 years old and a father of two."
John and Holiday Hays, from Oberstar's own district in Minnesota, have been named Angels in Adoption(TM). The Hayses have 13 adopted children, 10 of whom are diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Not only have these two people opened their hearts and home to welcome these children, they also have worked as tireless and passionate advocates for adoptive families with FASD children.
"Our goal is to raise awareness of the millions of orphans and foster children in the United States and around the world that are in need of permanent, safe and loving homes and to remove the legislative barriers that keep them from finding forever families. CCAI congratulates our Angels in Adoption for their heroic work on behalf of the world's neediest children." said Deanna Carlson Stacy, CCAI's executive director. "These individuals have made deep sacrifices to change a child's life forever by giving them a permanent family and it is an honor to recognize them."
In addition to these local heroes, CCAI selected and honored three national Angels in Adoption for their substantial nationwide efforts in promoting the welfare of orphans and foster children. This year's national Angels are:
* Daunte Culpepper, starting quarterback for the Miami Dolphins,
* Darryl McDaniels, hip-hop legend and former member of the group Run DMC,
and
* Invisible Children, a documentary film and grassroots movement.
Previous National Angels in Adoption(TM) have included First Lady Laura Bush, Muhammad Ali, Jane Seymour, Bruce Willis, the late Dave Thomas of Wendy's, and Steven Curtis Chapman.
Dove Award winning recording artist Mark Schultz and National Angel Darryl McDaniel performed at the Gala. McDaniel performed his remake of the song "Cats in the Cradle," which was written about his own personal adoption story.
The Angels in Adoption(TM) Gala is held every year to increase public awareness and honor those who have strived to improve the lives of orphans worldwide and children in the U.S. foster care system. Established in 1999 as a press conference to honor outstanding individuals, the program has developed into a yearlong campaign with ever increasing participation. Each year more than 160 members of Congress participate, making it the largest Congressional event for child welfare in the United States. Over the last eight years, more than 900 Angels in Adoption have been recognized by Congress.
About CCAI
The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization dedicated to raising awareness about the tens of thousands of foster children in this country and the millions of orphans around the world in need of permanent, safe, and loving homes; and to eliminating the barriers that hinder these children from realizing their basic right of a family. CCAI was created in 2001 by the active co-chairs of the bicameral, bipartisan Congressional Coalition on Adoption (CCA) to more effectively raise Congressional and public awareness about the issue of adoption. Senator Larry Craig, Senator Mary Landrieu, Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite, and Congressmen Jim Oberstar currently serve as both the Congressional directors of CCAI and the co-chairs of the CCA.
The Angels in Adoption(TM) program is CCAI's signature public awareness program, which provides an opportunity for all members of the U.S. Congress to honor the good work of their constituents who have enriched the lives of foster children and orphans. The Angels in Adoption(TM) are selected by their member of the U.S. Congress and are chosen from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Territories. Each year, more than 160 members of Congress participate, making it the year's single most significant Congressional event pertaining to child welfare in the United States. Since the program's inception in 1999, members of Congress have awarded more than 900 Congressional Angels in Adoption(TM) from all 50 states and invited them to attend the extraordinary awards banquet in their honor. This year more than one hundred and eighty members of Congress will participate.
The Angels in Adoption(TM) program is made possible through the generous support of sponsors including Founding and Premier Sponsor Freddie Mac Foundation. For more information about CCAI and the Angels in Adoption(TM) program, visit http://www.ccainstitute.org/.
Source: Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute
CONTACT: Amanda Bucher of PCG, +1-202-466-7391, for Congressional
Coalition on Adoption Institute; or Chelsea Buffington of Congressional
Coalition on Adoption Institute, +1-703-288-9700
Web site: http://www.ccainstitute.org/
