National Adoption Awards

Every November, during National Adoption Month, Voice For Adoption honors individuals and organizations that have made a difference for children and families involved with the United States child welfare system.  This year, we’re also pleased to be adding awards for a special family and young adult who have used their voices to champion the needs of these kids. 

In 2021, The five awards which individuals and organizations are eligible for are:

1. The Drenda Lakin Memorial Award honors a state, nonprofit organization, or individual for continuing service to families who achieved permanence through adoption, guardianship, or relational permanence. This award honors an entity or individual whose program provides valuable support and services to families who have achieved permanence for children in the child welfare system through adoption, guardianship, or relational permanence.

2. The Breaking Barriers Adoption Award honors a state, county, tribal child welfare agency, or dedicated individual that has worked to reduce barriers to permanency for children in foster care. Award recipients have demonstrated success in reducing or eliminating geographic barriers to permanency and/or addressing systemic barriers that have created a disproportionate representation of children/youth in foster care, including children of color, older youth, and LGBTQ+ youth.

3. The Family Advocacy Champion Award honors a family that has chosen to use their experiences within the U.S. child welfare system to advocate for and promote permanency, including adoption, guardianship, relational permanence, or reunification in their city, state, or region through legislative testimony, participation on boards or task forces, interaction with the media, or other public outreach.

4. The Using My Story for Positive Change Award honors a youth who has been in the child welfare system, who uses their voice to advocate for and promote changes to practice, policy, or law within their city, state, region, or at the national level to improve the lives of foster youth and promote the connection of every child to safe, loving, and permanent families.

5. The Legislative Champion Award honors members of Congress and their work in a bipartisan manner on behalf of children in foster care and families that help them find permanence. This award is not always awarded annually, depending on Congressional activity and advocacy priorities.


We ask that when you send in a nomination, you also include a summary letter (no more than two pages please) explaining why your nominee should receive one of these awards. We encourage case examples, data and/or achievements made by the nominee to be included in your recommendation letter. We also ask for the nominee's name and contact information.

Know someone you want to nominate? Click here to do so.

The deadline to apply is October 11th, 2021.

Winners of the 2020 National Adoption Month Awards

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In recognition of their efforts to provide valuable adoptive family supports post-adoption finalization, the Drenda Lakin Award recipient is: Bridge Meadows

In recognition of their diligent efforts in overcoming barriers, including age, geographic and special needs, to find permanent families for children waiting to be adopted, the Breaking Barriers Adoption Award recipients are: Rebecca Sharp, the Statewide Clinical Director at Will Glen Academy, Tracy Rogers, the Statewide Adoptions Program Coordinator, Louise Johnson, the Director of Division of Children, Adolescents, and Their Families.

In recognition of using their foster care experiencee and voice to advocate for and promote changes to practice, policy, or law within their area to encourage and promote every child’s connection to safe, loving, and permanent families, the Family Advocacy Champion Award recipient is: The Scheer Family

In recognition of their use of their experiences in the child welfare system to advocate for and promote adoption, guardianship, relational permanence, or reunification in their area through legislative testimony, participation on boards or task forces, in task forces, interaction with the media, or other public outreach the Using my Story for Positive Change Award recipient is: Mayda Berrios

Past National Adoption Award Winners 

2019 Drenda Lakin Memorial Award Winner Vermont Department of Children and Families & Lund Family Center

2019 Drenda Lakin Memorial Award Winner Vermont Department of Children and Families & Lund Family Center

The 2019 Drenda Lakin Memorial Award & the Breaking Barriers Award.

The 2019 Drenda Lakin Memorial Award & the Breaking Barriers Award.

Past winners include:

  • 2019 Drenda Lakin Memorial Award Winner Vermont Department of Children and Families & Lund Family Center

  • 2019 Breaking Barriers Award J. Eugene Balloun

  • 2018 Drenda Lakin Memorial Award Winner Adam Pertman

  • 2018 Breaking Barriers Adoption Award Winner Gail Johnson Vaughan

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  • 2017 Drenda Lakin Memorial Award Presented to Heather T. Forbes

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  • 2017 Breaking Barriers Adoption Award Presented to Ampersand Families

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  • 2017 Drenda Lakin Memorial Award Awardee, Pamela L

  • 2016 Adoptions Across Boundaries Award Winner, Adoption Advocacy of South Carolina 

  • 2016 Drenda Lakin Memorial Award Presented to Pamela L. Wolf of Harmony Family Center, Inc.

  • 2015 Drenda Lakin Memorial Award Winner, Concerned Persons for Adoption

  • 2015 Adoptions Across Boundaries Award Awardees, Anita Light & Carla Fults

  • 2014 Drenda Lakin Memorial Award Presented to State of Missouri’s Children’s Division

  • 2014  Drenda Lakin Memorial Award Presented to A Better Chance for Our Children in partnership with The State of Delaware’s  Division of Family Services

  • 2013 Adoption Across Boundaries Award Awardee, Dixie van de Flier Davis

  • 2013 Drenda Lakin Memorial Award Presented to Adoption Rhode Island

  • 2012 Drenda Lakin Memorial Award Awardee, Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute

  • 2012 Drenda Lakin Memorial Award Presented to Adoption Network Cleveland