For Immediate Release
November 21, 2008
CONTACT: Ryan Reszel 608-266-9000
Department of Children and Families, Adoption Resources of Wisconsin and Jockey Being Family Honor New Families on National Adoption Day
Cyrus Behroozi, the Administrator for the Division of Safety and Permanence in the Department of Children and Families joined Debra S. Waller, Chairman and CEO of Jockey International and founder of Jockey's corporate citizenship initiative Jockey Being Family, Colleen Ellingson, CEO of Adoption Resources of Wisconsin, and other Milwaukee community leaders to pay tribute to 16 newly adopted children and their families during a ceremony at the Milwaukee County Children's Court Center.
"Families make the commitment and the choice to adopt children for many different reasons," Behroozi said. "Some of you have been foster parents for many years. Others have stepped forward to adopt a young relative. Whatever the case, all of you have made the commitment to care and opened your hearts to a child in need of a loving home."
Before the adoptions became official, Behroozi and Waller gave each of the 16 children a personalized backpack. Ellingson, First Lady Jessica Doyle and DCF Secretary Reggie Bicha filled the Jockey Being Family backpacks with age-appropriate toys and games Tuesday at Jockey International headquarters in Kenosha.
"The adoption process can be an emotional one for both parents and children," Waller said. "Everyone's excited to have a new, loving and caring family, but, as with any change, there are adjustments during the transition. These backpacks will give parents and kids an opportunity to learn, play and grow together during this transition in the days and weeks after officially becoming a new family."
Staff at Adoption Resources of Wisconsin made phone calls to the families of the newly adopted children, ensuring that each backpack was catered to the personal interests of the child.
"Each one of these children brings unique talents and abilities into their new families, and we wanted the contents of the backpacks to represent their individual personalities," Ellingson said.
For more information about adoption, please visit the ARW or DCF websites at www.wiadopt.com and www.dcf.wisconsin.gov. Find out more about Jockey Being Family at www.JockeyBeingFamily.com.
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