CANADIANS AMONG 2005 NACAC AWARD WINNERS(July 28, 2005) Each year the North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) recognizes outstanding achievements in adoption and child welfare. The Adoption Council of Canada offers special congratulations to these Canadian recipients of 2005 awards, to be presented at the NACAC conference in Pittsburgh PA, Aug. 3-6, 2005:
LECETA GUIBAULTLeceta Guibault will receive an "Adoption Activist" award for her many and wide-ranging contributions to adoption. Leceta and her husband Jean live in Joliette, Quebec and are the proud parents of two children—a 14-year-old daughter, Kahleah, adopted from Guatemala and an 11-year-old son, Tristan, from Colombia. In the mid-1990s, Leceta helped found the support group International Adoptive Families of New Brunswick—a group that is still going strong. She is also a valued board member of Fédération des parents adoptants du Quebec (since 1996) and the Adoption Council of Canada (since 1999). She helped with the National Adoption Conference held in October 2004 in Saint John, N.B., and presented a workshop there with Kahleah. She is a strong promoter of open adoption and maintaining cultural connections for adoptees, as well as support for birth and adoptive parents. Her many articles on intercountry adoption and visiting the birth family abroad are collected at "Heart of Adoption", http://www.familyhelper.net/heart/lcg. Leceta is also a moderator of the Canadians-Adopting email list TORONTO STAR / MINISTRY / HELEN ALLEN / VICTORIA LEACHThe Toronto Star and the Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services will receive the Corporate Award for Special Achievement in Adoption. Founded in 1892, the Toronto Star is Canada’s largest daily newspaper, reaching over 2.7 million readers weekly. Since 1971, it has been running the “Today’s Child” column, featuring a waiting child’s picture and profile, and for the past few years has run the column without charge. “Today’s Child” started in June 1964 when Helen Allen—a veteran reporter for the Toronto Telegram—boldly launched the premier column. Questioned at the time by skeptical Children’s Aid Societies, but supported by Ontario’s provincial government, the pioneering column was an instant success. During its first few years, about 80 percent of the children featured in the column were adopted. When the Telegram folded in 1971, the Ministry of Community and Social Services hired Helen as an information officer and assumed full funding for the “Today’s Child” column. While at the Ministry, Helen worked closely with Victoria Leach, an adoptive mother and Ontario’s adoption coordinator. The two were a formidable team when it came to promoting adoption for waiting children. Both Helen Allen and Victoria Leach will receive Special Achievement Awards. Appearing in the paper monthly, “Today’s Child” is estimated to have helped thousands of children find adoptive families. The Ministry also hosts “Today’s Child” online, at http://www.children.gov.on.ca/CS/en/programs/Adoption. WINNERSHere is the complete list of 2005 NACAC Award Winners
NACAC started in Montreal 31 years ago and meets in Canada every five to six years. It was held in Ottawa in 1992, in Toronto in 1997 and in Vancouver in 2003. The next NACAC conference will take place in Pittsburgh PA, Aug. 3-6, 2005 with the theme "Joining Together for Children". The annual meeting brings together adoption professionals, parents and potential parents from across the U.S. and Canada. NACAC has a joint Canadian Issues Task Force with the Adoption Council of Canada, and has done research on adoption subsidies in Canadian provinces. For more information: North American Council on Adoptable Children, 970 Raymond Ave., #106, St. Paul MN 55114, 651-644-3036, info@nacac.org, http://www.nacac.org/conference.html. FOR MORE INFORMATIONArticles by Leceta Chisholm Guibault, http://www.familyhelper.net/heart/lcg Canadians-Adopting, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Canadians-adopting. Email list. Canadian Adoption Assistance Profiles, http://www.nacac.org/subsidy_provincialprofiles.html. NACAC. "How to Find Subsidies for Domestic Adoption", http://www.adoption.ca/news/050415subsidy.htm. ACC article. Fédération des parents adoptants du Québec, [Quebec Adoptive Parents Federation], 42 boul. du Seminaire, St-Jean-sur-Richelieu J3B 7M6, 514-990-5307, fpaq@quebecadoption.net, http://fpaq.quebecadoption.net. International Adoptive Families of New Brunswick, 20 Sloat St., Fredericton E3C 1M4, 506-453-1866, jmcadam@nbnet.nb.ca. |
ABOUT ACCBased in Ottawa, the Adoption Council of Canada is a federally chartered, charitable organization which aims to inform and educate Canadians about all aspects of adoption, and encourage the adoption of children needing permanent homes. Interested in domestic adoption? Consult Canada's only national photolisting web site, "Canada's Waiting Kids", http://www.canadaswaitingkids.ca, run by the Adoption Council of Canada. It shows photos and profiles of children in the care of Canadian child welfare agencies and waiting for permanent adoptive families. For definitions of adoption terms, go to http://www.adoption.ca and click "Glossary". Source: Adoption Council of Canada, www.adoption.ca Copyright 2006 Adoption Council of Canada. Reproduction permitted, if credited "Source: Adoption Council of Canada, www.adoption.ca". Please make a request to reprint, so we can track where ACC news items are used. Send your request to acc@adoption.ca. |
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