In November, Adoption Network Cleveland’s board welcomed five new board members: Denise Astorino, Tashyana Copeland, Cory Isler-Manzo, Nikki Lewis, and Andrew Mangels.

Adoption Network Cleveland needs YOU to become part of our public policy advocacy efforts! Let us know how you would like to contribute in the coming year by completing a quick survey so we can reach out on the issues you care about most!

Estes Turner has been a constant source of support, serving as a volunteer, donor, participant, and mentor since the early 1990s. Estes's commitment to helping others has been a gift, and we are honored to have had him participate in and help shape our community for so many years. Thank you, Estes!

This year, we are proud to recognize Sandy Croucher as our 2024 Volunteer of the Year. Sandy's dedication has made a real impact, helping to create a strong sense of connection and support among our members. Thank you, Sandy!

Lindsey Huling and John Zaranec complete their terms and retire from the Adoption Network Cleveland Board of Directors this month, but both will remain actively involved with the organization. Thank you, Lindsey and John!

As the keynote speaker of the 2024 Creating Futures Benefit & Silent Auction, Mark Cardwell shared his powerful journey with the guests. Mark was adopted at the age of five, after spending years in foster care, and he reconnected with his birth family decades later.

Each year, many workplaces run charitable giving campaigns through an organization such as United Way Services or simply through their Human Resources department. You can designate Adoption Network Cleveland as your charity of choice for a one-time gift or payroll deduction to support our programs and services all year long.

We are excited to announce our upcoming conference and invite you to respond to this Request for Proposals for workshops and presenters. Journeys of Discovery, An Adoption Network Cleveland Conference, will be held on Friday, March 21st, and Saturday, March 22nd, 2025.

September is recognized as National Kinship Care Month, a time to acknowledge and support families who have stepped in to care for their relatives’ children. In Ohio, approximately 124,000 children are being raised by relatives or close family friends, known as kinship caregivers.

“As a former single person who adopted two brothers from the foster care system when they were 5 and 6, I have knowledge of the complexities of adoption and foster care.” Cheryl shared. “My sons are now 28 and 29 and are out in the world, but we still have conversations about their identities and needs as adults."

Our newest team member, Russ Lang, is an individual whose journey through the foster care system is a powerful testament to his strength and perseverance. "Being an emancipated foster youth means a lot to me," Russ says. "I am not ashamed of having grown up in the foster care system; in fact, I am proud to say I did."

“We work hard to curate content from as many different angles of the adoption experience as possible so that we can learn from and understand each other better,” says Ty Cliffel, Director of Programs. “We try to balance content so that many perspectives and points of view are shared.”

The Family Resilience Fund was created to support vulnerable families and provides financial assistance to adoptive parents, foster parents, kinship caregivers, and parents who themselves were formerly in foster care during their youth.

While our regular meeting discussions flow with the input of participants, once a month a meeting takes a unique, single, special topic for a deeper facilitated discussion. Upcoming sessions cover a variety of subjects like positive self-talk, emotional perspectives during the holidays,

Every year, approximately 20,000 young adults age out of the foster care system in the United States—stepping into the adult world without the safety net of family and navigating life independently.