For the media
Connecting children and families
AdoptUSKids is a project funded by the US Children’s Bureau to raise awareness of the need for foster and adoptive families and support the efforts of states, tribes, and territories to find families for children and youth in foster care.
We offer the country’s most comprehensive free photolisting of children and youth in foster care who are awaiting adoption. Families who register on adoptuskids.org can search for children based on criteria including age, gender, location, and conditions, and read detailed narratives describing their interests and needs. These families also post their own profiles, which can then be searched and viewed by caseworkers searching for families for children.
There are 4,500 children and 2,600 families registered on adoptuskids.org.
Read more about AdoptUSKids.
National adoption recruitment campaign: “You can’t imagine the reward”
The US Children’s Bureau, AdoptUSKids, and the Ad Council work in partnership to create a national multimedia public service advertising campaign each year that raises awareness about the need for foster and adoptive families.
This year’s multimedia campaign features new videos that showcase rewards of adopting a teen from foster care and how the relationships of adoptive teens and parents grow through steady love, support, understanding, and the little moments that strengthen a family’s bond.
Each PSA ends with “You can’t imagine the reward,” reminding prospective parents that teens in foster care can help them grow in unexpected ways and showcasing the many moments that make adopting a teen rewarding.
This annual campaign is now in its eighteenth year.
Read the press release announcing the launch of the current campaign on September 20.
Donate media space
Lending donated media space to this awareness campaign will help us find adoptive families for the children and youth who need the support and stability of a permanent family. Contact Mary Zost at The Ad Council.
Meet our experts
Bob Herne, national project director, AdoptUSKids
Bob has more than 30 years of experience in the field of human services. Before joining AdoptUSKids, he most recently served as CEO of Sierra Forever Families in Sacramento, CA.
Bob has a master’s degree in social work and is nationally recognized for his work in the youth permanency movement. He has taught at the Catholic University of America and is a 2013 recipient of the North American Council on Adoptable Children’s Adoption Activist Award.
Melissa Otero, national campaign director, AdoptUSKids
Melissa Otero has more than 20 years of advertising, marketing, public relations, and media experience. In her current role, she leads efforts for the national adoption recruitment campaign and spearheads the national speakers bureau.
Before joining AdoptUSKids, Melissa worked for The Ad Council, directing national media campaigns for leading private and public organizations.
Volunteer speakers bureau
AdoptUSKids identifies and prepares families, youth, and professionals throughout the country to share their stories, experience, perspectives, and knowledge of adoption and foster care at public events and with the media. Read some of our families’ and young people’s stories on our blog.
Contact our national campaign director to request information or an interview.
In the news
- Little Black Book discusses this year’s ad campaign and underscores the need for families for teens in foster care. (September 2022)
- Media Village shares about the campaign and describes the organizations behind creating it. (September 2022)
- Fox 59 news segment highlights teen adoption and new AdoptUSKids national ad campaign. (November 2020)
- Good Morning San Diego KUSI News story discusses myths and reality of adopting teens from foster care. (November 2020)
- Scary Mommy blog post and video: "This Mom Adopted a Teen and It Changed Everyone’s Lives for the Better." (November 2019)
- People reports on AdoptUSKids’ new public service ads and the number of teens in foster care who are waiting for families. (November 2019)
- Fox 7 Austin story features AdoptUSKids National Project Director Bob Herne and a young man who was adopted as a teen. (October 2019)