Originally posted by: The Palm Beach Post

Children have the best chances for success – the greatest opportunities to achieve their full potential – when they can grow up in strong, stable, loving families.

It’s why I’m so passionate about the work of Children’s Home Society of Florida (CHS), why I’ve chosen to invest in their mission of building bridges to success for children.

I was fortunate to be adopted through CHS into a loving family as an infant. I know that not every child waiting to be adopted is so fortunate. Here in Palm Beach County, we have more than 70 kids who fall asleep every night dreaming of the day they’ll be welcomed into a forever family through adoption.

These kids have been through a lot. Most are older, many have brothers and sisters whom with they want to be adopted. The majority have been in foster care for many years. They’ve experienced disappointment and frustration over and over again.

These children don’t give up and neither does Children’s Home Society of Florida.

Last year alone, CHS created forever families for 181 Palm Beach children. The support for these children and their families doesn’t end at the time of adoption; often times, it’s only beginning.

Statistics show that as many as 25 percent of adoptions nationwide experience some type of disruption, meaning these kids can be uprooted and thrust into uncertainty yet again.

That’s why Children’s Home Society of Florida is focused on comprehensive adoption support for families. They work closely with kids and families before the adoption occurs to make sure it’s the right fit for everyone, and they connect the family with a wealth of local resources, from adoption support groups to counseling, specialized parent education, social supports and more.

Why is this so important? Because these families are truly unique, and they are incredibly special.

Often, the trauma that children have suffered before entering foster care – and the actual trauma of losing their birth family, regardless of the situation – can manifest in emotions and behaviors, and it’s crucial that these kids and their adoptive families have the counseling, support and access to proper resources so they can understand how to work through challenges together.

That’s the support that Children’s Home Society of Florida provides.

While CHS celebrates every family brought together by adoption – and they’ve brought together nearly 50,000 since being founded in 1902 – they understand the journey continues long after the adoption ceremony.