Every child needs and deserves a safe and loving home, a family to provide support, stability, and hugs. But for hundreds of thousands of children in America, tragic circumstances have robbed them of this basic right.
Fortunately, there are “angels” among us, caring and generous people who open their homes and their hearts to these children through adoption. They are found throughout America, including here in Maine. A remarkable couple from Cape Elizabeth will be honored in Washington, D.C., along with angels from every other state, for their commitment to children in need.
Each year, members of Congress have the privilege of recognizing members of the community who have truly made a difference in children’s lives through adoption with “Angels in Adoption” awards. This year, as a member of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, I have nominated Jaimie and Belinda Erskine of Cape Elizabeth for their truly inspiring efforts – the adoption of three children, all with heartbreaking starts in life and challenging special needs.
Their story as adoptive parents of Geoffrey (age 14), Andy (age 8) and Grace (age 5) is a story of love, patience and inspiration. Jaimie and Belinda served as foster parents for each of their children prior to adoption.
The Erskines were first introduced to adoption when Jaimie met six-year-old Geoffrey while working at a local day care. Geoff’s biological father had died tragically, and his mother and other family members had been unable to care adequately for Geoff. Jaimie and Belinda worked through foster care to take Geoffrey into their home, and spent many years climbing through the peaks and valleys of Geoff’s recovery from abuse and neglect.
Next, Jaimie and Belinda brought three-year-old Andy into their home. Andy had also suffered extreme neglect and was unable to speak more than two words or interact with others when he arrived. Jaimie and Belinda worked patiently to help Andy recover from significant developmental delays and associated cognitive and speech challenges.
Grace came into the Erskine’s family at 22 months old, suffering from such extreme malnutrition that she had developed rickets and could not walk. Jaimie and Belinda painstakingly fed Grace nutrients using a medicine dropper until she was able to use a bottle and develop the reflex to be fed with utensils.
Today, Geoff, Andy and Grace are thriving in their loving home. Jaimie has worked to inspire others to consider foster parenting, and he has testified before the Maine Legislature to reinforce the need for continued funding for foster care. For many years, Jaimie has also participated as a teacher and trainer in a course for new foster parents offered jointly by local adoption and foster care agencies. Jaimie and Belinda have shown tremendous capacity to give of themselves for their children. For them, giving back to others is a tremendous joy. As Jaimie said in a recent television interview: “Every day is something different, every day is an adventure. It is an incredible experience.”
Now in its 10th year, the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute’s Angels in Adoption Program has recognized more than 1,400 individuals, couples, and organizations for their extraordinary contributions on behalf of children in need of homes. They range from the nationally known, such as Laura Bush, Bruce Willis, and Muhammad Ali, to your neighbors. They are united in the belief that there are no unwanted children, merely unfound families.
It gives me great pleasure to provide such well-deserved recognition to this wonderful Maine family. It is extraordinary people like Jaimie and Belinda who are making a difference to a growing number of children.
It is for this reason that I was pleased to be a cosponsor of the Adoption Promotion Act which was signed into law in 2003. This legislation reauthorized and improved the Adoption Incentive Program, created as part of the 1997 Adoption and Safe Families Act.
The Adoption Incentives Program, which rewards states for their efforts to unite foster children with permanent, loving families, has been a great success. Since the program’s inception, adoptions in our country have increased by 64 percent. But the need still is great. Of the approximately 500,000 children in the foster care system nationwide, there are some 175,000 children who are eligible for adoption but are still waiting for permanent homes, including nearly 800 in here in Maine.
Many older children wait for years to be placed with an adoptive family, if they are adopted at all. I was, therefore, pleased that the Adoption Promotion Act included a new incentive to encourage the adoption of older children. Older children also need a stable and loving environment so that they can grow up to be happy, healthy, and productive adults.
It is efforts such as those being made by the “Angels in Adoption” program and the Adoption Promotion Act that are raising public awareness of the ways that committed individuals can help children through adoption and foster care. And it is the example set by angels like Jaimie and Belinda Erskine that will inspire others open their homes and hearts through adoption.