Nora and Leon’s Story
Our Family’s Adoption Story: Guided by Love and Loss Adoption has always been in our hearts. After having three biological children, we felt called to grow our family through adoption. Our journey ultimately began after the heartbreaking loss of our oldest daughter, Kathleen, in 2023 from complications of a rare genetic disorder. In the months […]
Kate’s Story
Communities That Understand Their Stories Children who are adopted—whether through foster care or directly into families—need more than homes; they need communities and schools that understand their stories. Parenting an adopted child begins with humility: the courage to admit you don’t know everything. That simple truth opens the door to learning and building the support […]
Rob’s Story
November is National Adoption Month, a time to celebrate families created through adoption and to remember the thousands of children in foster care still waiting. But adoption is not the final chapter. For children who come from foster care, the papers may change their address, but their past remains part of who they are. What […]
Susan’s Story
I first held our son Zamir when he was four years old. His new big sisters, Aliza and Hallel, and I traveled to his orphanage in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, arriving during nap time. We watched through a window as a caregiver drew a child from a top bunk and brought him to us. That evening […]
Connected by Purpose
Welcoming New Voices to the iCARE Board We Are Thrilled to Welcome Two New Board Leaders to iCARE4 Adoptive And Foster Families We are honored to welcome Kate Garassino to the iCARE Board of Directors and Jocelyn Fetting, BSW to the iCARE Advisory Board — two extraordinary leaders whose lived experience, professional expertise, and deep […]
From the Founder – November 2025
A Season of Belonging: Stories that Remind Us Why Connection Matters November is National Adoption Month—a time to honor the love, resilience, and creativity of adoptive, foster, and kinship families. At iCARE, we celebrate connection every day, knowing that family is built not by biology, but through trust, care, and shared joy. This month, we’re […]
Shaping Policy That Heals – November 2025
Training at the Heart of Excellence in Child Welfare This November 2025 National Adoption Month, we are standing in a moment of possibility. Across education, child welfare, and mental health, leaders are recognizing that true healing happens when systems work together. Policy that heals brings our efforts into alignment—so every child, caregiver, and educator experiences […]
Where is the training
Where Is the Training for Adoptive, Foster, and Kinship Kids in Schools? Every year, I log in to complete the mandatory substitute teacher training—unpaid hours required just to have the privilege of stepping into a classroom. The modules cover important topics like emergency bleeding and anaphylactic shock, and even practical items like the color tags […]
Shaping Policy That Heals – October 2025
Seeing the Whole Picture Using the Children’s Adversity Index to Support Adoptive, Foster, and Kinship Families Families are where children heal. For those who have experienced early adversity—whether through separation, loss, foster care, or adoption—the stability of a permanent home offers belonging, love, and the chance to grow. But these children often carry invisible backpacks […]
From the Founder – October 2025
Love Without Limits: Celebrating Families with Children with Down Syndrome October gives us the gift of celebrating National Down Syndrome Awareness Month—a time to honor the unique joy, perspective, and love that children with Down syndrome bring into the world. This month, I am especially excited to share the voices of two families close to […]
