Foundation Joins Congress to Honor Local and National Angels in Adoption

The Freddie Mac Foundation joined the Congressional Coalition for Adoption Institute (CCAI) in recognizing more than 185 Congressional Angels in Adoption^TM selected by their United States Representatives and Senators and three National Angels in Adoption^TM, at the Annual Angels in Adoption^TM Gala in Washington, D.C.

The Angels in Adoption^TM, honored for their outstanding contributions toward the welfare of children in the United States foster care system and orphans around the globe, have worked to raise Congressional and public awareness about the tens of thousands of foster children in the United States and the millions of orphans worldwide in need of permanent, safe, and loving homes. Chosen from all 50 states and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, the Angels in Adoption^TM were awarded for their exceptional work as adoption champions resulting in many of these children realizing their basic right of a family.

In addition, three "National Angels" were recognized for their adoption and foster care advocacy on a broader, global scale. This year's National Angels were Patti LaBelle, Grammy Award winning artist; Alonzo Mourning, Miami Heat – Founder of Alonzo Mourning Charities, Inc.; and Marcus Samuelsson, Critically Acclaimed Chef and Author. Former "National Angels" include First Lady Laura Bush, Jane Seymour, Muhammad Ali, the late Dave Thomas, Steven Curtis Chapman, and Bruce Willis.

The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to raising awareness about the tens of thousands of foster children in this country and the millions of orphans around the world in need of permanent, safe, and loving homes through adoption; and to eliminating the barriers that hinder these children from realizing their basic right of a family. CCAI was created in 2001 by the active co-chairs of the bicameral, bipartisan Congressional Coalition on Adoption (CCA) to more effectively raise Congressional and public awareness about the issue of adoption.

The Angels in Adoption^TM program is CCAI's signature public awareness program, which provides an opportunity for all Members of the U.S. Congress to honor the good work of their constituents who have enriched the lives of foster children and orphans.

With more than 190 Members of Congress participating in this program, it is the year's single most significant Congressional event pertaining to child welfare in the United States. Since the program's inception in 1999, Members of Congress have awarded more than 1,100 Congressional Angels in Adoption^TM.