Children With Disabilities Deserve Love and Families Too

IN HONOR OF NATIONAL ADOPTION AWARENESS MONTH

Firefly Children and Family Alliance is a statewide initiative in Indiana to find loving, committed, safe, permanent families for children in foster care

BY SHALESTA PETERSON AND ERIN CARTER, FIREFLY CHILDREN AND FAMILY ALLIANCE

Rocky, 14:

If you love “The Lion King,” you’ve got to meet Rocky! He loves the songs and will sing along to each one He loves animals, especially dogs and dinosaurs Always wanting to be helpful, Rocky does well with taking care of animals or helping around the house Spiderman is Rocky’s favorite superhero because he helps others. If Rocky had one wish, it would be to have the same superpowers as Spiderman and be able to help others too! Rocky would do well in a single- or two-parent family with a supportive community who will ensure his social and emotional needs are met He needs a family who will show him affection and love while maintaining a consistent routine.

https://www.indianaadoptionprogram. org/profile/rocky-8605/

Miley, 16:

Miley is a creative young lady with aspirations of becoming a pop star! She’s a wonderful singer and loves showing off what she can do. Her favorite subject in school is definitely music, but she also enjoys art and English. Miley is a big fan of Asian culture: she loves everything anime, and her favorite foods are Japanese and Korean Miley would do well in either a one- or two-parent home and would do best as an only child Families need to be willing to take on any medical or therapeutic needs she may have in the future She will thrive with patience and communication, and with parents who take an interest in her hobbies

https://www.indianaadoptionprogram. org/profile/miley-8789/

Jace, 12:

Jace loves absolutely everyone and is a big-time hugger! He likes to be around others and has never met a stranger. If he can make you laugh with a silly face, he’s definitely going to try! Jace likes to help, so you’ll often catch him alongside you while you complete chores Jace would do well in either a one- or two-parent home without other children If there are other children, they should be older so Jace can receive plenty of attention He does best with consistency and structure. Parents who can show patience and are willing to make education a priority are ideal.

https://www indianaadoptionprogram org/profile/jace-9404/

Gracie, 12:

Gracie is a sweet girl with a huge heart! If you ask her what she’s proud of, she’ll quickly tell you “everything!” But what she’s really most proud of is that every Christmas she helps with charity drives to get presents to kids who wouldn’t otherwise have any. Her favorite pop artist is Taylor Swift; she could dance along to her songs all day!

Gracie is artistic and enjoys spending an afternoon drawing; it’s a great way to express how she feels. In school she loves when it’s time for reading class; “Clifford the Big Red Dog” is a perennial favorite Gracie would do well in either a one- or two-parent home and would love brothers or sisters She will thrive with parents who take an interest in her activities and are always there to support her

https://www indianaadoptionprogram org /profile/gracie-9378/

Enzo, 12:

Hands-on Enzo loves taking things apart and putting them back together! He’s great at following directions and doesn’t mind putting together something complicated as long as it looks cool in the end! He’s a great craftsman and enjoys making new, fun designs out of anything his imagination can come up with. He doesn’t mind helping out with chores and likes to feel useful around the house! Enzo would do well in either a one- or twoparent home and would love a forever family that came with older brothers or sisters he can look up to. He does best in a calm environment with parents who make communication a priority. Predictability is key to helping Enzo feel safe, so a family that can offer routine and structure is critical. https:// www.indianaadoptionprogram.org/ profile/enzo-9695/

Jordan, 12:

Jordan has a ton of energy and she’s always running around! She’ll race just about anybody and will usually leave you eating her dust! She loves the outdoors and could spend all day in the garden weeding or picking vegetables. She loves taking care of animals – when she’s around, they’re never lacking for attention! Jordan’s a tremendous athlete and excels at whatever she tries. Her favorite sports are basketball, volleyball, and soccer and she loves when people come out to her games to cheer her on! Jordan would do well in either a one- or two-parent home and would love brothers or sisters. She thrives with plenty of one-on-one time and parents who make sure she feels special and that her needs are met. https://www.indianaadoptionprogram. org/profile/jordan-9759/

Matthew, 16:

An adorable guy with a great smile and a big personality, Matthew likes to say hello by giving high fives! He’s at his happiest when he’s with people he cares about, especially if they are playing outside! Matthew will keep you on your toes! He likes to run, jump, and do cartwheels; once he’s worn out, he likes to wind down by coloring, playing with blocks or being read to. Matthew will thrive in a family with structure and supervision where praise and activity are abundant. He lights up whenever anyone praises him! Parents will need to make a lifelong commitment to Matthew.

https://www.indianaadoptionprogram. org/profile/matthew-9144/

Brooklyn 17:

Brooklyn loves to meet new people and visit new places! An explorer at heart, she’s outgoing and adventurous, and wants everyone to be included in her adventures! She’ll talk freely to anyone and is eager to tell others about happenings in her life. Brooklyn enjoys a good joke and playing friendly pranks; seeing others laughing and having fun makes her happy! She’d be delighted if you’d join her in activities like swimming, riding bikes, or completing puzzles. Loving and compassionate Brooklyn will thrive in a family where there is stability, structure, and routine. She would do well in a family where she is the youngest child and can receive one-on one attention.

https://www.indianaadoptionprogram. org/profile/brooklyn-8851/

Gabriel, 15:

Gabe is a creative young man who loves to have fun! He’ll find something fun to do no matter where he is, whether it’s playing a cool new app on his tablet, climbing trees, or jumping on the trampoline! He’s a huge sports fan (but can’t decide which one’s his favorite –he loves them all!). He prides himself on not being a picky eater and will try most foods – unless it comes from the ocean. He’s not trying that! Gabe would do best in a two-parent home without other children so he gets plenty of attention. He hopes for parents who are as active as he is and will want to do fun activities with him. https://www.indianaadoptionprogram. org/profile/gabe-8705a/

Zoey 16:

Zoey excels at sports, and works hard to improve her athletic skills every day. She’s hoping to join a softball team and can’t wait to meet a whole new group of friends! She also excels at volleyball and basketball and is always looking for new things to try. When it comes to learning, she prefers handson experiences where she really gets to work with something! Zoey would do well in either a one- or two-parent home and would appreciate at least one female figure to look up to and learn from. She would do well with brothers or sisters, as long as she gets plenty of one-on-one attention. Zoey hopes for parents who want to come to her sports events and cheer her on. https://www.indianaadoptionprogram. org/profile/zoey-9683/

Anthony, 16:

Anthony is an outgoing child who doesn’t know a stranger! He’s very curious about the world around him and loves reading books, particularly the “I Spy” series or science books. Take him to a bookstore and he’ll wander the aisles for hours in search of the right book! He’s also quite the gamer, especially “Subway Surfer.” Anthony loves being out in the community, so if there’s a farmer’s market or a festival going on, he’ll want to check it out! The ideal family for Anthony will be a two-parent household with no other children in the home. Parents will need to be patient, nurturing, loving, and affectionate. And of course, they’ll need to be engaged in their community and open to letting Anthony experience new activities and further develop his social skills. https://www.indianaadoptionprogram. org/profile/anthony-8763/

LaShawn, 9:

Silly and sweet LaShawn is so caring and loving to the people around him. You’ll never have to wonder if he likes you or not; he’ll make it very clear! He finds just about everything funny, so you’ll have no trouble making this guy laugh. He likes to spend an afternoon chilling out watching his favorite cartoons. His favorite color is red so it’s no surprise he loves fire trucks and hopes to be a fireman someday! His heritage is important to him, so LaShawn would do best in a twoparent, African-American home. He should be the only child in the home so he gets plenty of one-on-one time. Parents who make sure they take time out of their day to spend just with him would be ideal.

https://www.indianaadoptionprogram. org/profile/lashawn-9328/