Maine Woman Honored as ‘Angel in Adoption’
WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2002–Four years ago, Jan Riddle and her husband, Rob, brought home a six-month-old baby boy whose only possession was his dirty blanket.
“The case worker gave me twenty dollars to get him through the night,” Riddle, of Belfast, said. “He didn’t come with anything – not even a paper bag.”
The judge ordered the infant back after 10 days. Riddle reluctantly placed his new belongings in a garbage bag for him. It was a moment Riddle would never forget, and it became the inspiration for her work with foster children.
Although glittering banquets are commonplace in the nation’s capital, it’s not every day that adoption heroes are nominated for an award by their members of Congress. Riddle was one of 277 honorees at the annual Angels in Adoption ceremony sponsored by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) Tuesday night.
The event gives congressional leaders a chance to spotlight people from their state or district who make key contributions toward highlighting adoption and foster care.
Riddle, nominated by Sen. Olympia J. Snowe, R-Maine, was celebrated for her Kits for Kids program. She attended the gala with her eight-year-old daughter Kelleigh, and recently adopted her four-year-old son, Sean, who came to the family from the foster system in 1998.
Kits for Kids provides each foster child with a “KidPack” filled with essential items like toiletries, clothes, and a stuffed animal. The care pack also contains a children’s book by Riddle called “Sam Has a New Home Just Like You.”
Riddle was a guest on the Rosie O’Donnell Show in May to talk about her book, which is available only to Maine foster children, without charge. Since her appearance, Riddle has received over 2,000 e-mails of support for her program.
“Jan’s work has helped many frightened children through their first night in a new environment,” Snowe said in a written statement.
Kits for Kids started as simple donations from friends and relatives but soon became a community effort. The duffel bags, once filled with used clothes, are now packed with new items, thanks to donations and monetary gifts.
Nearly 550,000 children in the United States are in the foster care system, according to the CCAI.
Published in The Kennebec Journal and The Morning Sentinel, in Maine.
