ADOPTUSKIDS TO HONOR CASEWORKERS FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

Salt Lake City, Utah, December 8, 2008 – AdoptUsKids announced today that Kimberly Anderson of the Salt Lake City Division of Child and Family Services is the December winner of their Caseworker of the Month award. This award is part of a national initiative celebrating caseworkers for their dedication to children and families nationwide. Greg and Karen Daniel, adoptive parents, of Nashville, TN, nominated Kimberly Anderson for this award. Excerpts from their nomination can be found along with this month's award announcement at www.adoptuskids.org and www.adopte1.org.

Thousands of foster, adoptive and kinship families across the United States rely on their caseworkers every day to connect them to vital services, offer support and guidance, and ensure the safety, permanency and well-being of children in the foster care system.

Nearly 300,000 children in the United States enter the foster care system each year. Over half of these children will return to their parents, while the remainder of them will stay in the foster system awaiting identification of an alternate permanent family. Currently there are 496,000 children in the foster care system. Approximately 130,000 are waiting for a permanent family. Over 20,000 children “age out” of the system each year without being adopted. About half of the children in foster care are children of color, with older African American boys waiting the longest for adoption.

The Daniel family stated, “Kim Anderson's willingness to go far beyond her job description has made this adoptive experience go so smoothly and has renewed our hope in the entire process.”

Reflecting on this recipient of the Caseworker of the Month initiative, AdoptUsKids’ Project Director, Kathy Ledesma said, "The personal interest that Kim Anderson has demonstrated in helping the Daniel family to achieve their dreams of adoption is exemplary."

After being nominated for this award, Ms. Anderson said, “The Daniel family has given the boys a chance for a forever family, and there are not enough words of gratitude that can be expressed for this miracle.”

The Collaboration to AdoptUsKids

The Collaboration to AdoptUsKids is a multi-faceted, five-year, federally funded project. Its mission is to assist States and Tribes in their efforts to recruit and connect foster and adoptive families with waiting children throughout the United States. The Collaboration is managed by the Adoption Exchange Association (AEA) based in Baltimore, Maryland, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Children's Bureau. For more information, call AdoptUsKids at (888) 200-4005.

The Salt Lake City Division of Child and Family Services

The purpose of the Salt Lake County Department of Human Services is to make a positive difference in the lives of Salt Lake County residents. For more information, call (801) 468-2034.

Contact:

Kate Kirkpatrick

kkirkpatrick@adoptuskids.org

(717) 545-5251