Looking for fall programming that brings your community together around one social issue? Thousands of children in the American foster care system today are awaiting forever homes. Adoptive and foster parents provide security and stability to children and give them the opportunity to learn, grow and achieve their full potential. Advocating for these youngest members of our society is a wonderful cause to rally your community around. November is National Adoption Month, and with it comes many programming opportunities and ideas, including bringing an engaging author who can lend a powerful voice to the children who need to be heard, now more than ever.
Regina Calcaterra – Etched in Sand: The True Story of Five Siblings Who Survived an Unspeakable Childhood
Regina is an attorney in New York whose memoir is a New York Timesbestselling coming-of-age story of tenacity and hope. Regina and her four siblings persevered through an abusive and painful childhood only to find themselves faced with the challenges of the foster-care system and intermittent homelessness in the shadows of Manhattan and the Hamptons. Beautifully written, with heartbreaking honesty, Etched in Sand is an unforgettable reminder that regardless of social status, one can rise above their past if they have the desire and determination to succeed.
David Marin – This is US: The New American Family
David’s memoir tells the story of how he adopted three Mexican-American siblings abandoned by felons and shuffled among foster homes in Santa Barbara, Calif. His children, ages 2, 4, and 6 when David met them, are now healthy, happy teenagers. He speaks with passion about social services reform, foster care, adoption, discrimination, and raising children in multi-ethnic families. His book is a must-read for anyone considering adoption, becoming a foster parent, teacher or anyone wanting to understand our Adoption and Foster Care system. David is now the host of “Mister Mom,” a talk radio show about parenting.
Christina Baker Kline – Orphan Train
This #1 New York Times bestselling novel is about a young Irish immigrant who, as a child, is sent away from New York on a train that regularly transported unwanted and abandoned children from the East Coast to the farmlands of the Midwest. Moving between contemporary Maine and Depression–era Minnesota, Orphan Trainis a powerful tale of upheaval and resilience. Christina is an engaging, warm and generous speaker with exceptional reviews praising her presentation and ability to connect to her audience.Orphan Train remains on the NYT bestseller list and has educated thousands of readers about a piece of American history and the ongoing struggle of many children today.
Saroo Brierley – A Long Way Home
The miraculous and triumphant story of a young man who rediscovers not only his childhood life and home…but an identity long-since left behind. At only 5 years old, Saroo Brierley got lost on a train in India. Unable to read or write or recall the name of his hometown or even his own last name, he survived alone for weeks on the rough streets of Calcutta before ultimately being transferred to an agency and adopted by a couple in Australia. Despite his gratitude, Brierley always wondered about his origins. Eventually, with the advent of Google Earth, he had the opportunity to look for the needle in a haystack he once called home, and pore over satellite images for landmarks he might recognize or mathematical equations that might further narrow down the labyrinthine map of India. One day, after years of searching, he miraculously found what he was looking for and set off to find his family. A Long Way Home is a moving, poignant, and inspirational true story of survival and triumph against incredible odds.
