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.

The Ohio House of Representatives' vote on HB 352 to establish the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Study Commission marks an important step forward in addressing childhood trauma.

Adoption Network Cleveland extends its sincerest gratitude to CAECP for their generosity and steadfast support. Their decision to invest in our mission amplifies our collective efforts in advocacy, education, and support for all those touched by adoption. With heartfelt appreciation, we thank CAECP for their partnership and their dedication to making a meaningful difference in the lives of so many. We promise to put their funds to good use. Thank you for a job well done, CAECP!

The task of locating family members can seem daunting. Still, through collaborative efforts and meticulous research, the goal is to provide accurate and concise information to those searching for their roots.

Abby joined Adoption Network Cleveland as the Family Support Coordinator in January 2024. In this role, she is responsible for providing responsive support and opportunities for parents, caregivers, and youth in adoptive, foster, and kinship families.

Join us in celebrating the invaluable contributions of Black authors, creators, and educators this February—and all year long. In honor of Black History Month, we are highlighting profound works covering adoption, foster care, and kinship care by Black researchers and storytellers. If any of these books spark your interest, consider purchasing from a Black-owned bookstore.