Adoption

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Adoption

About 135,000 children are adopted in the United States each year.  For many parents-to-be, adoption is the only option.  Kim Perez, president and CEO of The Cradle, joins Dana and several parents who have experienced some form of adoption to discuss the benefits and break down some of the stereotypes.

“Adoption’s all about family,” said Perez. “And being involved in work as a mother myself that builds and strengthens families is something that I’m very proud to share with child.”

As a mother who chose to have her son adopted at birth, Lisa Hamrin knows first-hand the difficulty in making that decision.  After an unplanned pregnancy, she turned to The Cradle to make sure she was giving her son the best possible life.

“We ended up moving forward and finding an amazing family,” said Hamrin.  “There are moments that I’m sad that he’s not with us, moments that he’s not experiencing his siblings.  But then I think, ‘Lisa, what a blessing he is to his adoptive parents, what a blessing he is to John and I.'”

The Cradle

Based out of Evanston, Illinois, The Cradle is renowned as one of the foremost adoption agencies in the country, having placed more than 15,000 children in homes since opening in 1923 and is the only agency in the nation with an on-site nursery.  Other services the organization offers include:  post adoption support, counseling sessions, parenting workshops, “Our Children” initiative, and “Ask the Expert Adoption Counselors.”

A core value of The Cradle is open adoption, where both the birth and adopting families have the opportunity to get to know one another before and after placement and may include the birth parents having contact with their child including letters, phone calls and visits.

About Dana

Dana Davenport is a Naperville resident who is passionate about life.  Originally from the northern suburbs of Chicago, she is now a Naperville resident and a graduate of Spelman College and the University of Chicago Law School.  An attorney and mother, Dana divorced in 2015, unleashing a new lease on life.  She has a live radio show on intellectualradio.com on Wednesdays at 9pm and is excited to bring that show to television audiences on Naperville Community Television each month.

Previously, Dana has appeared on “He Said She Said” with Wanda Bee, “The Drive at 5” with Roman, and “Jaw Jackin” with Bob and T.C., and she was a relationship advisor on the “Gift of Gab Show” with Gabby Smith.