Foster Care & Adoption E-News

November 2014

The Hubbard Family Story Continues!

Kathy and Doug Hubbard recently won Children’s Bureau’s Facebook contest for tickets to the 5th Annual Celebrity Chefs & Wine Tasting event in October. We were thrilled to find out they were foster/adoptive parents and asked Kathy to share their journey with Children’s Bureau that began 25 years ago. This is the continuation of their story from last month.

How did you find Children’s Bureau and why did you choose to adopt through this agency?
We found out about Children’s Bureau by signing up with Child S.H.A.R.E. in 1989. We attended a Sunday School Teachers Convention and noticed the booth and immediately started the process to become a resource family (foster parents). We are SO thankful that we found Child S.H.A.R.E. and that they led us to Children’s Bureau. We really didn’t know anything about foster care and we could have so easily just signed up with another agency. We know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that our foster care adoption journey has been directed by God.

Tell me about your experience with Children’s Bureau.
Children’s Bureau has been supportive and encouraging every step of the way. Each of the social workers has been professional and dedicated – we have always been well supported with each child who has come into our home. We are so thankful for Children’s Bureau.

Tell me about the children you have adopted.
Angelica came to us in 1991 as our first foster child. She was two months old, but the size of a newborn. She was diagnosed with Shaken Baby Syndrome and showed evidence of broken bones. The birth parents visited consistently and did everything they were asked in order to have Angela join them. At age two, Angelica was reunified with her birth parents. Six months later, Children’s Bureau received a phone call from the birth mother telling them that Angelica was in the hospital and that the birth mother wanted her to come back to live with us. This did not happen. Angelica was sent to another foster home. After one year, we were able to visit her. Children’s Bureau helped us to begin the process to have Angelica re-join our family and at three-and-half years old Angelica came home for good! She was adopted in 1996 and today she is a beautiful, loving 23-year-old young woman.

Mr.& Mrs. Hubbard went on to foster/adopt five children from the foster care system.  Stay tuned for the next chapter!

“A Home for the Holidays” Airs on December 19th at 8:00 p.m. on CBS.  Watch for Kelly and Jared Williams and their family’s story!

Get ready to shed a couple of tears when CBS’ “A Home for the Holidays” airs this season.  This year, Jennifer Hudson and Train will appear along with Earth, Wind & Fire, Katharine McPhee, Ashley Monroe, Dan & Shay and Jillian Michaels to share heartwarming stories of foster care and adoption.

The 16th Annual “A Home for the Holidays” special features uplifting stories about children from foster care and the inspiring families that adopted them, each of which is enhanced with performances by some of today’s most popular artists.

Four families will be spotlighted, including the Valenza-Gee, Hunt, Nolin, and Williams families (from Children’s Bureau).

Kelly and Jared Williams, of Anaheim, had two biological sons before adopting their daughter, Mara, in 2006. “Being a parent was so rewarding, and our sons Drew and Jordan were very supportive of our decision to adopt,” says Jared. “We fell in love with Mara. Her situation was heartbreaking. She didn’t know how to speak because no one had talked to her,” says Kelly. Mara thrived in the care of the Williams family, and today is a talkative 12-year-old excelling in school.

For more of their story, visit www.www.allforkids.org and read the Fall 2014 Newsletter!

We Thank All Foster & Fost-Adopt Families!

Children’s Bureau would like to take this moment to thank all of our families for their ongoing involvement and commitment to the children and families that we serve.

You are greatly appreciated every day!  We have the utmost respect for your hard work, patience and compassion.

Thank you!

Children’s Bureau’s Staff

Be Inspired!

Check out this video of Resource Families we helped to create. Their stories are different but each one is filled with an unconditional love for a child that changed their lives forever.

Get Rewarded for Referring a Resource Family!

Just a reminder that Children’s Bureau offers a $500 referral fee for each family our certified families refer.  $250 is paid at the time of certification and a second $250 is paid at the time a child joins their new family!  This is our way of thanking you and encouraging you to continue to recruit families who have the ability, willingness and resources to protect and nurture the needs of children.  We have PRIDE in our families and look forward to having you join us.

Also, many thanks to those of you who have referred family, friends, co-workers, church congregations, etc. to learn about our program.  Your effort is greatly appreciated and has a true impact on the lives of children in need.  Keep those referrals coming as we continue to have children in need of a safe and nurturing family.

Please forward this email to someone whom you think would be interested in becoming a resource family!

Children need families today…a referral you make could save a life and impact generations to come.

Info Meetings Monthly for Potential Resource Families

Every child deserves a place to call home, and to have a safe, loving and permanent family.

Children’s Bureau has openings for resource families who will care specifically for children during the reunification process with their parents. There are also 111,000 children currently in foster care who are unable to return to their families of origin. Children’s Bureau is seeking strong, caring resource families to consider foster-adopting these children. Families are also needed for al ages from babies to toddlers, school aged,teenagers, older children and sibling sets. The agency holds monthly information meetings in five locations: Los Angeles (Magnolia Family Place), Valencia, North Hollywood, Carson and Palmdale (see side list of meetings).

Children’s Bureau encourages individuals (single or married) who are interested in helping children find the love, stability and support a family can provide, to contact Children’s Bureau. Qualifying families receive training, certification and support throughout the process of fostering and foster care adoption.  For more information, call (213) 342-0168, (800) 730-3933 or in Palmdale (661) 208-4212 or visit www.www.allforkids.org.

For 110 years, Children’s Bureau has been a nonprofit leader in the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect. More than 28,000 children and families are helped each year throughout Southern California with services that include school readiness, parenting classes, family resource centers, support groups, mental health counseling, foster care, foster-adoption and more.