A Lifetime of Love

Annu

al R

epor

t 201

4

Adoption Means...

- 2 -

Michael F. Rifkin, CFP, CRCP President Morgan Stanley

Melissa Codkind Initiatives Events Vice President Bruce D. Davis, Jr. Vice President Niska Gas Storage

Andrew P. March Vice President Accenture

Seth Goldblum Treasurer CMF Associates

Patricia Daly Secretary

Bryce E. Graham Chubb Group of Insurance Companies Chair, Nominating

E. Mady Prowler Chair, Programs Temple University

Ken Mullner, Executive DirectorCenter Board of Directors

Officers

Clarence D. Armbrister Girard College Phil Barnett PECO Energy Company

Bob Bechtold RPB Consulting Sheri DeMarino Wendphil, LLC

Allan B. Frank The Hackett Group

Angela D. Giampolo , Esq. Giampolo Law Group

Ernestine Harris GlaxoSmithKline

Joanne Jackson Wawa, Inc.

William R. Levy Brown Brothers Harriman

Susan Casey Lowry, LEED AP Jones Lang LaSalle

George T. Magnatta, Esq. Saul Ewing LLP

Elizabeth Mell Mell Consulting LLC

Mike Morgan

Joyce M. Mosely

Christian Noyes Penn Capital Management

Michael D. Soileau Comcast Andrew Wiest AC Lordi Consulting

Dr. Chuck Williams Lincoln University

Kelly Wolfington Kelly Wolfington Associates

Kurt C. Wulfekuhler Peter Advisers LLP

- 3 -

Dear Friends,

We are so excited to share terrific news about the Center’s expanding influence as a national leader in adoption.

Our vision of spreading child-waiting features across the country has become a reality. The feature—which we’re calling “Wednesday’s Child USA”-- began in the first city—San Francisco—in early 2015 and the second one will debut in Baltimore in early June.

As many of you know, the Center has been so pleased with the success rate of Wednesday’s Child Philadel-phia that, with the blessing of our Board of Directors, we began the complicated process of moving it to cit-ies where significant numbers of children are waiting to be adopted.

The introduction of these features comes as a result of extensive research and planning by the Center, nu-merous conferences with adoption agency administrators in the targeted cities, training social workers about how to select, prepare and interview children and negotiating with television stations to interest them in carrying the features.

The Center’s goal is to add three cities each year, bringing recruitment opportunities to hundreds of children now in foster care who want to have permanent families.

At the same time, the Center, for the first time in more than a dozen years, will be participating as a sub-con-tractor in a federal grant, working with the New Jersey Department of Children and Families. The project—NJ-CARES-- calls for intensive recruitment for specific children—those who have been waiting the longest in the child welfare system for a permanent family. Goals are to learn what the barriers to permanency are; to reduce the amount of time the children wait to be adopted; to reduce the number of older adolescents who age out of care without an adoptive family, and, finally, to create a model for successful intensive recruitment.

And now, turn to the back page of this Annual Report. There you’ll see children ranging in age from eight to fifteen.You’ll be struck, as we are, by their smiling faces that tell us, no matter their age or circumstances, how much they want to belong to a family. These are the images that are frozen into our minds as we continue to find innovative ways to create families for the many children who count on us. With your help, we will give them the “lifetime of love” they deserve.

Greetings from the President and Executive Director

Michael F. Rifkin Ken Mullner President Executive Director

- 4 -

The media market is changing rapidly with social media playing a more prominent role in disseminating the Center’s message to prospective adoptive parents, to donors and to adoption professionals. The Center communicates to these audiences through blogs which often show how adoption has touched people’s lives, how events are planned and the reasons for supporting certain adoption policies; through Facebook postings which frequently publicize traditional media features and events, and through tweets which highlight adoption facts and spread the word about the Center’s work and plans.

At the same time, the Center maintains its strong presence in traditional media—newspa-pers (three in New Jersey and two in Philadel-phia), magazines, television and radio. In the Delaware Valley, where more than 1600 children wait to be adopted, the Center continues to have an unprecedented presence in media—a weekly column in both the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Tribune; Wednesday’s Child, a feature which runs several times a week on NBC10 and every Wednesday on KYW (CBS) Newsradio, and a monthly feature on a radio

station in the Susquehanna Valley. Stories and photographs about the Center’s leadership and special events appear in the news frequently. The Philadelphia Inquirer ran a story about a boy, 17, who had lived in seven foster homes be-fore he was adopted, through the Center’s efforts. The Center told the Inquirer reporter, “These kids—especially those who are older—don’t ask for the newest video game or smartphone. They ask for basics—a mom to talk to about their homework, a dad to play ball. To go on a vacation. They want what other kids have.”

The Mission of the Adoption Center is to expand adoption opportunities for children living in foster care throughout the United States and to be a resource to families and to agencies who seek the permanency of caring homes for children.

The children served by the Center are not the healthy infants usually associated with adoption. Most are school-aged; many have physical, emotional and/or mental challenges. Others are siblings who need to be adopted together. Nearly half the children—from toddlers to teenagers—are from minority cultures. Now living in foster care—in individual or group homes—the children need what all children need…the love and security that only a permanent family can provide. The Center works to find those families.

Public Awareness and RecruitmentMedia

Larry Kane, KYW Newsradio, and children awaiting adoption

Vai Sikahema, NBC 10, and child waiting for a home

Services of the Adoption Center

- 5 -

Each year the Center orchestrates several adoption events where prospective adoptive parents can meet and mingle with children waiting for families.

Some events focus on older youth; others include children of all ages. The success rate is significant.

Wendy’s Wonderful Kids is making a difference for thousands of children—one child at a time. The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption awards grants to public and private adoption agencies to hire adoption professionals who implement proactive, child-focused recruitment programs targeted exclusively on moving America’s longest-waiting children from foster care into adoptive families. The Center has two recruiters assigned to a caseload of Delaware and New Jersey children. In FY 14, two children from the program were adopted.

SWAN Older Youth Match Parties

For the sixth consecutive year, the Center received funding from the Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network (SWAN) to host match parties for Pennsylvania teens. In FY 14 the Center hosted two parties, one in Philadelphia, the other in Pittsburgh. Forty-two teens and 25 families attended with potential matches for 63% of the youth.

New Jersey Match Parties

Four match parties for New Jersey youth were held between July 2013 and June 2014. Thirty-three youth and 40 families attended the

events, funded by the New Jersey Department of Children and Families.

Matching Events

Wendy’s Wonderful Kids

- 6 -

Philadelphia Program

The Wednesday’s Child Philadelphia program, sponsored by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption continues to be a success. Forty-five new waiting child features and two success stories aired on NBC10 with a total of 1838 inquiries. This program has a 61% success rate.

Connecting...

Waking Up to a Smile

Louis and Jocelyn started their adoption journey with the intention of adopting an infant or young child. However, after four years, they decided to consider older children. Their adoption agency told them about Mykal and when they learned he had been featured on NBC10’s Wednesday’s Child they watched the segment more than 100 times! “It was like seeing the child we learned about on paper come to life,” Jocelyn said. The couple knew that he would be their son.

Visits were difficult because they lived in DC and he was in Delaware, but the journey each weekend was worth it, they said. One of the first questions Mykal asked when he visited them was whether he could change his name when he was

adopted. At finalization, he decided to take the name Jordan.

Now, 11 years old, Jordan is doing well in school and is taking Arabic as his foreign language. He attended the School of Rock summer camp and is improving his drumming. The family enjoys spending time together and loves to travel.They have already been to Hawaii, St. Thomas, North and South Carolina and New York City.

“This more than I dreamed of,” Jordan says. “The best part of having a family is waking up to a smile from them every day.”

The Center hosts online services that engage the community and spread the word about waiting children.

AdoptSpeak, the Center’s online community where professionals, potential adopters, judges, legislators, birth parents, adoptees and others with an interest in adoption share information and communicate with each other. The Center’s blogs, published three times a week, give the Center a human face; they have featured children, described adoption events, reviewed books and movies, and explored why those interested in adopting should consider the children in foster care as well as infants or children from other countries.

AdoptMatch is a site where adoption agencies profile themselves, and potential adopters are matched with those agencies that seem most appropriate. The adopters are also able to rate their experience with the agencies in terms of friendliness and customer service. Monthly webinars are held to introduce more agencies to the project.

AdoptLearn, features the Center’s online course, Foster Family to Forever Family, which allows those interested in adopting to receive appropriate training in the comfort of their own homes at their own pace. It is especially valuable to those who are already fostering a child and are exploring adoption.

- 7 -

3800 families throughout the United States and 1482 from New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware inquired about and received current information about adoption.

2111 additional families expressed interest in children from match parties, from AdoptUSKids, the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program, Wednesday’s Child, newspaper articles, radio and television.

Information and ReferralHow Children Found Families During FY 14, 50 children in the Delaware Valley found permanent homes because of the Center’s recruitment and matching efforts.

• 14 children who recently attended the Center match parties now have homes.

• 36 children were adopted through NBC10’s and KYW’s Wednesday’s Child and other

media recruitment.

Children Finding Permanent Homes in FY 14 Ages of Children Race/Ethnicity

Outreach to the LGBT Community

Did you know that numerous studies, including those of the American Psychiatric Association, reveal that children raised by gay or lesbian parents grow up as well adjusted—sometimes even better-adjusted—than those growing up in a home with heterosexual parents?

Our experience over 42 years confirms our conviction that families from the LGBT community are inter-ested in adoption and raise their children with love, guidance and sound values. That’s why the Center’s outreach to the LGBT community has grown stronger over the years.

Its Adoption Cafes bring information and a welcoming message to those LGBT individuals who are consid-ering adoption, and offer panel discussions to companies and businesses through their diversity groups.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

19-21 years old 11-18 years old 6-10 years old 0-5 years old

Number of Children

African-American,

64.0%

Hispanic, 12.0%

Caucasian, 16.0%

Bi-racial, 8.0%

- 8 -

Financial Statement for the National Adoption Center

- 9 -

Financial Statement for the Adoption Center of Delaware Valley

- 10 -

Special Fundraising Events2013 Golf Classic

The Center’s Golf Classic was a great success, attracting 100 golfers and

raising nearly $60,000 to help find families for children living in foster

care. The fun-filled day at Whitemarsh Valley Country Club featured a

luncheon, $10,000 putting contest, a chance to win a Mercedes with a

hole-in-one, an open bar and an awards dinner and live auction.

Title Sponsor Wendy’s team at the Golf Classic

Adoption Hall of Fame honorees Jay and Bridget Devine with their children J. P. and Meg

The National Adoption Center’s 2014 GalaCelebration of Family

The 2014 Celebration of Family was held at Philadelphia’s Crystal

Tea Room. The night featured a circus theme with entertainment

from the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts. Guests enjoyed the

interactive entertainment, delicious food stations and live and

silent auctions featuring exciting items including sports tickets

and vacations. Jay and Bridget Devine, longtime supporters of

the organization, were honored as NAC’s 2014 Adoption Hall of

Fame inductees. The event raised $150,000!

Next year’s gala is scheduled for Thursday, April 23rd, 2015 at the

Ballroom at the Ben.

- 11 -

Individual Donors (July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2014)

Alan & Janet AbelTim AbellChristopher AckerClarence & Denise ArmbristerAnthony AugustineSharene AzimiJeff BaglyJohn BarnesPhil BarnettEric BartholomewBob & Susan BechtoldGary BechtoldAnn & Mark BiadaJames BlackStephen BlommerGretchen BondKaye BraunShannon BreuerEllen & Albert BrownIngrid BrownThomas C. BrowningRobert BuccoThomas & Sue BurtJames CarrollRichard ChivesDebora Lee ClowerMelissa & Mitchell CodkindMark & Megan ConnollyCarl CooperBrian CroweDan CuneoRobert & Patricia CurreyPat DalyBruce & Sue DavisBrian DecesaerRichard DecesaerCarl DellmuthSheri DeMarinoMichael DevineDave & Ann DevineMichael & Cathy DevineAnn Devine

Gary DevitoVikram DewanPaul & Mary DonohueEileen DonovanPeter DoonerDavid & Gail DormanMichael DunganRobert DuttonTimmy DysingerJoel EdelsteinErnest & Myra EskinLynn EvansRobert & Susan FaheyWilliam FantLynne FarringtonAnthony FavorosoJohn FerryRonald & Jean ForbesThaddeus FortinCraig FoxRobert FoxDon & Jacquel FrancisAllan & Carol FrankMarc FranzoniDonna FrenchKate GalletlyJudith GarfinkelHope GayMike GeissmanJean E. GendronElly GerhardtStuart GoldblumJenny & Peter GoldkampDonald GoldkampMarie GoldkampMichael GoldkampCynthia & Neil GoldsteinPeter & Laurie Burrows GradBryce GrahamSteve GrandizioColleen Guiney & Gerard Murray

Patrice GuineySue HamiltonJeffery HammondTerrie HardinLouise A. HavensCarol HenkleGregory HessStanley & Gloria HochmanJoe HoffmeierRich HolmanJohn & Graceann HoopesJames & Deborah HuberHsiao-Ling HungBobby Rose & Maryanne IsmaelJoanne & Ivan JacksonCarolyn JohnsonSean JohnstonLou KahnSylvia & Randle KaudersKathleen KellyRegan KellyJ.J. KerrLee S. KerseyAnn KerstetterSheldon & Joan KinbarDel & Georgette KinneyJoshua KleinGary KnockJill KnudsenJason KoteckiSheila LabrecqueLance & Stephanie LahrDan LannonVictor LattoreBrian & Amanda LauzonIris LevineBill LevyFrank B. LewandowskiGabrielle LipkinPaul & Conny LockwoodMichael Lombardi

Frances LongstrethRich & Rachel MachaFrank MackAnthony MaginnisGeorge MagnattaDaniel MaldonadoEmily MannionJohn & Regina MapesMarcia MarkinBrian McAllisterRosemary McAllisterDennis McAndrewsWilliam McBrideJames MeadeTom MeehanGuy & Kathryn MercerLou MeyerKen MileyMiller FamilyMartin MillisonAnthony D. MirendaKimberly & Thomas MoonLaura Moore Joyce MosleyMullen FamilyKen MullnerMaureen MurphyKevin MurphyNancy NewmanR. Barrett NooneDaniel O’DonnellKelly O’LearyJoyce OliverThomas OverholtJanis PageJohn & Sue ParksAnthony PascalPatrick PaulNelson PeltzMichael PetersMark PickardJustin Pint

- 12 -

Individual Donors continued)

Steven & Mary SchmitzMaria SchrederSam ScottAngela ScottFrank & Kathleen SeidmanElliott SeifMark W. ShawStephen ShepardBrian SimeHugh & Catherine SmithMary SmithRoy SnareMichael D. SoileauDavid & Lisa SomelofskeGerald & Joni SpivackClaudia Springer

Ken PolettiMaury Povich & Connie ChungAna ProscenoE. Mady ProwlerJohn PurnellBridget RahrMichele & Mathew ReberRuth ReedTodd ReimertKelly ResingerMike RifkinAnthony RomeoMarcia and Ron RubinChristopher RuggieroJoe RuggieroEdward RyanJohn Ryan

Valerie StanleyCeleste StellabottBrody StevensMike StrandJohn StrattonHenry SumnerDonald SuttonBill SwahlPatricia ThomasTed TopakasChris VanniMike & Stacy VaralloWayne VaughnMarina VogelMike VogelBrett WallaceLauren Wampler

Gail & Steve WamplerChris WassonGregory WebsterClaire & Norman WeinerAimee WeiseCoakley & Antonia WhiteRich WilkinsonDonald WilliamsSamuel WojnilowerKelly & Richard WolfingtonLynn WolfingtonKurt WulfekuhlerBruce YoungRichard YoungJoseph ZitoAnthony ZorteaThomas Zug

Donors of Goods or Services (July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2014)

6abcAdrienne ImburgiaAdventure AquariumAndrew MarchAquatic and Fitness CenterBikram YogaBob BechtoldBruce and Suzanne DavisCBS3Chadds ford WineryChanticleer GardensChubb Group of Insurance CompaniesCoca-ColaCoco Key Water ResortComcast SpectatorCooke and BerlingerCrowne Plaza Cherry HillCrowne Plaza West PhiladelphiaCurrie Hair Skin NailsDanny GarciaDelaware Theatre CompanyDevon Seafood GrillDiscovery MuseumEmbassy Suites Philadelphia AirportField House Sports BarFrank Lewandowski

Hagley Museum and LibraryHBO SportsHarlen Globetrotters Heaven and Earth SalonHolt’s Cigar Company, Inc.Hotel MonacoHyatt Regency PhiladelphiaInitiatives EventsJoanne and Ivan JacksonJon & Christine RobbinsKYW Newsradio 1060Laurel Hill CemeteryLilly PulitzerLongwood GardensLori FalconLucky StrikeMaury PovichMelissa CodkindMLB Player’s TrustNational MechanicsNBC10Nick Puios PhotographyPalace SkatingPeople’s Light and Theatre CompanyPhiladelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau

Philadelphia Rock GymPhiladelphia SoulPhiladelphia Wings QVCRadiceRebecca MarcusSesame PlaceSonesta PhiladelphiaTemple Owls ClubThe BorgataThe Chamber Orchestra of PhiladelphiaThe Four SeasonsThe Inn at PennThe Prime RibTyler ArboretumWake Up YogaWalnut Street TheatreWestin PhiladelphiaWhipped Bakery Whitemarsh Valley Country ClubWilma TheaterWilmington Blue RocksYangmingYeung Choi ChoZhung Wai-Jian

- 13 -

Playful and humorous, Adrianna, 8, delights in exploring her creative side. She loves to dance and dreams of dancing on Broadway some day. Very flexible, she adjusts well to change and looks forward to new challenges.

Brandon, 14, likes to stay busy. Very athletic, he plays baseball, bowls and partcipates in the Special Olympics each year. He would thrive in an active forever family that would support his many interests and hobbies

Mia, 12, enjoys swimming and going to amusement parks and beaches. Animals are very special to her and she hopes to work or volunteer at an animal shelter. She loves soccer and aspires to play professionally.

Benson, 9, likes trying new things. He loves playing with matchbox cars and proudly shows off his racing track, which he builds into different shapes. Other favorite acitivities include bas-ketball, soccer and video games.

Elvis, 15, is passionate about fishing, his favorite way to relax. He also enjoys watching comedy movies, listening to heavy metal music and spending time with animals. He hope to become a fisherman or a veterinarian.

Jonathan, 15, is personable, charm-ing and very polite. Dancing and play-ing football are his favorite pastimes. He hopes to become a paleontologist or a member of a professional football team in the future.

- 14 -

Foundation and Corporation Donors(July 1, 2013- June 30, 2014)

State and Municipal Contracts

Municipal:

Highmark Inc.IBM Employee Services CenterIndependence Blue CrossInitiatives, Inc.J.J. White IncorporatedJacob’s LadderJosam CompanyJust GiveKeystone IndustriesKreischer MillerLaffey-McHugh FoundationLaRosa & Associates, LLCLawrence Saunders FundLincoln Financial Group Foundation, Inc.M, LLCMargaret G Jacobs Charitable TrustMcAllister TowingMcKernan, McKernan & GodinoMerck FoundationMorgan StanleyMorison Cogen LLPNational Penn BankNeumann UniversityPECO EnergyPepper Hamilton LLPPerna Frederick LLCPhiladelphia Convention & Vistors BureauPhiladelphia EaglesPhiladelphia Zoo

Plymouth Square Associates PVR PartnersRittenhouse FoundationRittenhouse Square Flower AssociationRobert J. Kratz & CompanySalah FoundationSaul Ewing LLPSchwab CharitableSecond Chance FoundationSelf Reflection CoachSisters of St. Francis of PhiladelphiaJoseph K. Skilling TrustSpringfield Country ClubStradley Ronan Stevens & Young LLPThe Haverford Trust CompanyThe George W. Rentschler FoundationThe Joe Hand Charitable FundThe Philadelphia FoundationThe Seybert FoundationThe William and Diana Romney Gray Family FoundationThomas Skelton Harrison Foundation United Way of the Greater TriangleUnion Packaging, LLCWawa, Inc.Wells Fargo FoundationWendy’s of Philadelphia Advertising Co-op, Inc.

AgileCatAllstate Giving CampaignAmoroso’s Baking CompanyBoeing Employees’ Good Neighbor FundBP Environmental Services, Inc.Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.Caroline J Sanders Charitable TrustCBIZ, Inc.Chubb Group of Insurance CompaniesComcast CorporationConnelly FoundationCozen O’ConnorCSR Inc.Delaware Community FoundationDevine and PartnersDilworth Paxon LLPEvolve IP, LLCExelon GenerationFidelity Charitable Gift FundFirstGivingFirstrustbankFourjay FoundationFranklin Square Holdings LPGiampolo Law GroupGive With Liberty DonationsGlobal Packaging, Inc.GPX Plymouth Office Properties, LP.Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce

- 15 -

“A Perfect Match”

“I never thought it would happen. I never had faith that I would be adopt-ed,” Jasmine said. But that was before the 16-year-old met Lisa and Chris.

The couple first met Jasmine at the home of Lisa’s mother, who was a foster parent to the teenager. One day while at her mother’s home, Lisa overheard Jasmine’s adoption worker telling her about the many ways of recruitment that would help her find a forever family. That evening Lisa spoke to her husband about the possibility of adopting Jasmine. Lisa was sure they would be a perfect match because she had seen Jasmine on NBC10’s Wednesday’s Child where she talked about the kind of family she wanted.

When Lisa and Chris told Jasmine they wanted to adopt her, she was so happy that she immediately began calling the couple mom and dad. Now the three are a family and they enjoy doing things together. “We laugh and joke all the time,” Jasmine says. “It makes me happy.” In the 10th grade, she is doing very well and has many friends. She is a member of her school’s chorus, and also is a Girl Scout.

Jasmine now has faith that good things can happen and dreams can come true.

“It Was Love at First Sight”

Marquise was featured on NBC10’s Wednesday’s Child in 2010, when he was eight years old. At that time he was interested in becoming a police officer so he was thrilled to have the opportunity to visit the NJ State Police Museum. He and Wednesday’s Child host Vai Sikahema were given a tour of the facility and also watched a simulated crime scene showing how detectives solved the crime. Later, Marquise shared with Vai his desire to have a permanent family with loving parents and a place to call home.

Three years later, Matthew and Sheena who were looking for a child to adopt turned to NBC10 to aid in their search. They found Marquise’s feature and immediately decided to pursue him. “We knew what we were looking for.” Sheena said. “We wanted an older child. When we saw Marquise on the web-site, we started training to become foster-to-adopt parents. When we met Marquise, it was love at first sight. We liked his smile and his attitude.”

Marquise also instantly felt connected to the couple and the adoption was finalized a year later. Sheena says he is very polite, helps with the household chores, opens doors for her and brings in the groceries. Matthew and Marquise share many of the same interests, including sports and video games. Marquise is thrilled that his wish for a permanent family has been realized.

Matthew and Sheena plan to open their home to adoption again in the near future.

1500 Walnut Street, Suite 701 • Philadelphia, PA 19102 215/735/9988 • Fax 215/735/9410

www.adopt.org • nac@adopt.org

Just a few...

...of the 1,600 children in foster care in the Delaware Valley waiting for permanent homes

Ryan, 14Jasmine, 17Parrish, 13

Daequan, 11 and Quason, 13

Angel, 14

Israel, 9

Tyrek, 13

Kiya, 11

Kevin, 14 Natasha, 13Eric, 8Jade, 11Jhanviey, 15