New Family Created Through Foster Care Adoption

Ana and her parents Lori and Ryan North traveled a long road on the way to becoming a family. But on March 25, it was all official. A judge officially recognized the bonds they had already forged in their hearts.

Ana’s early years were marked by many challenges. Her biological parents faced many difficulties in caring for her and her three older sisters, who went to live in foster care. Lori and Ryan North had been married for several years and felt led to build a family through adoption.

The Norths and Ana came together through Volunteers of America’s Adoption Program, which Lori directs. Our organization works hard to unite older children in foster care, as well as newborns, with forever families. In our state, hundreds of foster kids are eligible for adoption and may wait years to find parents. Many grow to adulthood and never experience what it’s like to be part of a loving family. As an adoption professional, Lori fully understood the plight of older children needing homes and wanted to help. Ana came to live with Lori and Ryan a couple of years ago. They grew closer and gradually overcame the inherent difficulties of forming family ties. They decided to move forward with the adoption which became official March 25.

There are many myths about foster care adoption, but one truth is clear. Children of all ages need loving parents, and, for foster kids, these are in short supply. At Volunteers of America, we work every day to help more children such as Ana find happy endings.