Page 8
December 06, 2023
Making Contributions to Providing Permanent Homes
ODHS
Congratulates
Oregon
Adoption
Advocates
The Oregon Department of
Human Services (ODHS) con-
gratulates adoptive parents and
foster care advocates Brian and
Josie Parker who received the
national Adoption Excellence
Award for family contributions.
The Children’s Bureau at the
Administration for Children and
Families (ACF) awards recog-
nize individuals, families and
organizations who have demon-
strated excellence in making
contributions to providing per-
manent homes for children for-
merly in foster care. The Parkers
have been resource and adoptive
parents with ODHS Child Wel-
fare since 2007. Resource par-
ents provide foster care as well
as other supports to children and
biological families.
They have also written, illus-
trated and self-published more
than 20 books reflecting their ex-
periences. Their books, many of
Adoption Excellence Awardees Brian and Josie Parker with children
which focus on stories about chil-
dren in foster care, include children
who identify as LGBTQIA2S+
and youth who have experienced
trauma. Their books are included fare offices across the state.
in the Oregon Post Adoption Re-
“It is gratifying to see the Park-
source Center library and provide ers who have helped so many
support for children in Child Wel- children and families receive this
national recognition,” said Child
Welfare Director Aprille-Flint
Gerner. “The Parkers bring aware-
ness to the critical role of people
of color in adoption from foster
care, contributing to the local
community with positive messag-
es about adoptive families. Their
books help families process their
challenging circumstances and
represent kids of color experienc-
ing foster care and adoption.”
ODHS recognized the Park-
ers in 2018 with a Certificate
of Recognition Award for their
commitment to children. After
receiving the award, the Parkers
provided a statement:
“We hope that our lives have
served to make fostering and
adoption more visible and to
de-stigmatize the lives of foster/
adoptive kiddos and families.
People deserve to see that the
fostering process can be a sup-
portive, healing, and redemptive
journey. We have made this a fo-
cus in not only our lives, but also
in the books we create."
The Children’s Bureau ac-
knowledged the Parkers' contri-
bution to the community through
their family-owned book design
and publishing company, Be-
lieve in Wonder. The Adoption
Excellence awards are presented
each year in Washington, D.C.
during National Adoption Month.
The Parkers were among eight
awardees honored at an event led
by ACF Acting Assistant Sec-
retary Jeff Hild, and Children’s
Bureau Associate Commissioner
Aysha E. Schomburg.
For your light bulbs & parts to
repair or make fixtures
Web: www.sunlanlighting.com
E-mail: kay@sunlanlighting.com
3901 N. Mississippi Ave.
Portland, OR 97227
503.281.0453
Fax 503.281.3408