Friday, October 2, 2009

ARCHDIOCESE — A Catholic woman from the Cincinnati area, Carole Adlard, has been named a 2009 Angel in Adoption for her outstanding advocacy of adoption issues. The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), which orchestrates the Angels in Adoption program, honored Adlard along with more than 190 “angels” at an awards ceremony and gala event in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 30.

A member of Holy Cross-Immaculata Parish in Mt. Adams, Adlard was honored for conducting 23 years of adoption education.

Carole Adlard (Courtesy photo)

“I felt the adoption process was lacking,” Adlard explained,  “In order to improve the practice of adoption, I formed an adoption educational agency called Adoption Option.”

Adoption Option has since become a catalyst for a broad array of adoption activities in southwestern Ohio, including an infant adoption video-based curriculum that is used by schools, agencies and pregnancy testing centers throughout the United States; an adoption mentoring program for unwed pregnant teenagers; an adoption mediation program for birth and adoptive parents; a professional adoption education program that educates medical and mental health professionals on how to provide factual adoption information in non-directive ways; and an adoption media initiative that conveys accurate adoption information to make communities more adoption literate and adoption friendly. Adlard has spoken on adoption at national conferences including those held by National Neonatal, National Infant Adoption, National Right to Life and the Common Ground Network for Life and Choice.

“I have seen God’s hand in adoption more than any other aspect of my life,” Adlard said. “God works very hard to see His children placed in just the right home and circumstances. I am excited about receiving the award because they have arranged for the Angels in Adoption winners to learn more about the efforts of the federal government related to adoption; to learn of issues pending before Congress; and, most importantly, I will be meeting with members of Congress. These meetings will give me the opportunity to advocate for adoption. Adoption education and support has been and continues to be my life’s passion.”

The Angels in Adoption program is CCAI’s signature public awareness campaign and 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 in the United States and abroad. Adlard was nominated by U.S. Representative Jean Schmidt.

In addition to the more than 190 local angels from around the country, several national angels will also be recognized at the ceremony for their dedication and commitment nationally and internationally to child welfare on a grand scale. Former national angels include former First Lady Laura Bush, Patti LaBelle, Jane Seymour, Muhammad Ali, the late Dave Thomas, Steven Curtis Chapman, Bruce Willis, Alonzo Mourning and Marcus Samuelsson.

CCAI is a 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. It 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. CCAI’s goal is the elimination of the barriers that hinder these children from realizing their basic right of a family.