Thanksgiving offers us an opportunity to gather with our loved ones and give thanks for our many blessings. Above all, it is a time to reconnect with members of our family, some of whom we may not have seen since the previous Thanksgiving.  However, for hundreds of thousands of children in America, the joy of partaking in this annual tradition is out of reach because unfortunate circumstances have robbed them of the affection, support, and stability of a family.  Many of these children have never had access to a safe home with a family to cherish and support them.  But among us are "Angels," who are eager to give generously of themselves and to provide loving homes in order to improve the lives of some of these children. 

Some of these angels live in Maine, and one family from Auburn was recently honored for their commitment to children.

Each year, Members of Congress recognize members of the community who have truly made a difference in children's lives through adoption with "Angels in Adoption" awards.  As a member of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, I was honored to nominate Bill and Teresa Legere for their continued efforts to further child welfare and adoption.  When the Legeres were in Washington, D.C. for the "Angels in Adoption" national awards ceremony, I congratulated them for all they have done, not only for their own adopted children, but also for the adopted children they have aided around the world.

Bill and Teresa Legere, members of the East Auburn Baptist Church, first became interested in adoption while working in orphanages while on medical missions in Romania.  In 2002, an adoption agency matched the Legeres with a young girl who, they subsequently learned, had two sisters.  Not wanting to separate the sisters, Bill and Teresa adopted all three girls, who were some of the last orphans to leave Romania before its government closed the country to international adoptions

In 2008, the Legeres unexpectedly lost their eldest daughter, Grace, in a tragic accident.   Out of that heartbreak, Bill and Teresa formed the Foundation for Hope and Grace, a non-profit devoted to aiding children around the globe, including India, Ecuador, Haiti, and the United States.  Originally, the purpose of the foundation was to assist orphaned children, but the Legeres' mission gradually evolved to seek to end the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of children worldwide.  The Legeres help these vulnerable children by empowering local leaders and communities and promoting programs that provide healthcare, education, and life skills.

In addition to improving the lives of countless children through their important work with the Foundation for Hope and Grace, Bill and Teresa continue to give back to their immediate community and family.  In 2010, the Legeres expanded their family to include two more adoptive daughters from Uganda.  When the U.S. Embassy failed to provide the necessary immigration documents, they were forced to remain in Uganda for eight weeks until my office was able to contact the government and resolve the issue.  And just last year, the Legeres adopted another girl from Russia, bringing their total number of adopted children to five.

There are currently more than 535,000 children in the foster care system at any given time in the United States and an estimated 50 million orphans worldwide.  I was pleased to be a cosponsor of the 2003 Adoption Promotion Act, which extended and improved the Adoption Incentives Program.  This program rewards states for their efforts to unite foster children with permanent, loving families, has been a great success. Since its inception, adoptions in our country have increased. There are, however, still thousands of children nationwide, including hundreds in Maine, in the foster care system who are eligible for adoption but are still waiting for permanent homes. 

Many older children wait for years to be placed with an adoptive family, if they are adopted at all.  The Adoption Promotion Act also encourages states to place greater emphasis on finding permanent homes for older children. Older children also need a stable and loving environment so that they can grow up to be happy, healthy, and productive adults.

It is efforts such as those being made by the "Angels in Adoption" program and the Adoption Promotion Act that are raising public awareness of the ways that committed individuals can help children through adoption and foster care.  And it is the example set by wonderful people like Bill and Teresa Legere that will inspire others to think about adopting.