[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 15 (Wednesday, February 25, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E227]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                TRIBUTE TO FAMILY CONNECTIONS ADOPTIONS

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. GEORGE P. RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 25, 1998

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Family 
Connections Adoptions for over 15 years of devoted service to the 
community. Family Connections Adoptions helps families adopt children 
with special needs from all over the globe.
  Family Connections Adoptions began in February, 1983. In 15 years the 
agency has placed over 1400 children, about half of which have been 
from California. The rest have been from developing countries--India, 
Korea, Thailand, South America, Vietnam, Romania, Ethiopia, China, 
Russia and others. The agency began by serving families in three 
countries with an office in Modesto, California. The service area has 
expanded gradually and now covers the whole state of California. There 
are branch offices in Sacramento, Fresno, and Oceanside.
  The children range in age from infancy to fifteen years. The children 
are of every race and ethnic background. All of the children have been 
``waiting children,'' which means that they have some special needs. 
These special needs can consist of medical challenges which include 
blindness, deafness, missing limbs, cerebral palsy, heart problems, 
cleft lip and palate, hydrocephalus, failure to thrive, severe asthma, 
fetal alcohol syndrome, and drug addiction. Some of the children at 
Family Connections have been free of medical challenges but their age, 
large sibling group, or minority race kept them waiting for an adoptive 
family.
  The family who adopt through Family Connections vary in age, income, 
education, race, and family size. Couples who have been married two 
years and singles are welcome to apply. For some, the adoption is a 
first child for the family. For others, the new addition joins a family 
with other children. The common factor all families share is their 
desire to nurture a child.
  Many of the agency staff are adoptive parents themselves and they 
relate to adopting families with warmth and understanding. Family 
Connections has a commitment to children who wait for permanent, loving 
homes and to the families who long to open their hearts and homes to 
the waiting children.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I pay tribute to Family 
Connections for their contribution to child adoption. It is the care 
and devotion displayed by Family Connections that warrant this 
recognition. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Family 
Connections many more years of success.

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