The Oros family with Rep. Rothman at the Angels in Adoption ceremony in Washington, DC (l. - r.): Alexandra, John, John, Alquon and Anne Oros, Rep. Rothman, Lauren Pederson.
Kathleen Russo with Rep. Ferguson at the Adoption ceremony in Washington, DC (l. - r.): Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-MN), Kathleen Russo, Rep. Ferguson (R-NJ), Sen. Larry E. Craig (R-ID) and Sen. Mary L. Landrieu (D-LA).
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(Paramus , NJ) October 6, 2006 - Ridgewood resident Anne Oros and Kathleen Russo of Kenilworth received 2006 Congressional Angels in Adoption awards at a national ceremony on September 20 in Washington, DC. Each year, members of Congress select individuals, families or organizations from their home states that have demonstrated a commitment to improving the lives of children in need of homes. U.S. Representative Steve Rothman (D-NJ) honored Mrs. Oros, and Representative Michael Ferguson (R-NJ) honored Ms. Russo.
Mrs. Oros and her husband, John, have been foster parents with Children's Aid and Family Services for eight years, serving as tireless advocates for children with special needs, particularly on behalf of babies born to drug-addicted mothers. Prior to joining the agency, they were a foster family with Bethany Christian Services, an adoption agency in New Jersey, for three years. Mr. & Mrs. Oros have cared for seven foster children since joining Children's Aid and Family Services, and are currently nurturing a 9-month-old infant and 3 ½-year-old boy. Further, Mrs. Oros provides support and guidance to new foster families, as well as respite care to their foster children. Mrs. Oros is the mother of three adult children, John, Daniel, and Alexandra.
Ms. Russo is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and serves as the program director of Pre/Post Adoption Counseling Services at the NJ Adoption Resource Clearing House (NJARCH), a statewide, one-stop adoption and resource service in South Orange that is part of Children's Aid and Family Services. In fact, every month more than 6,000 people visit the website www.njarch.org to learn about the different facets of adoption. Ms. Russo supervises six clinicians that provide clinical services to adoptive families seeking help. She has tremendous commitment to these families and children, as she is an adoptive mother, too. Ms. Russo has been with the agency for more than seven years, and previously was director of clinical services.
The Angels in AdoptionTM awards are sponsored by the Congressional Coalition of Adoption Institute (CCAI), a non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the tens of thousands of foster children in the United States, and the millions of orphans throughout the world, in need of permanent, safe, loving homes through adoption.
Children's Aid and Family Services is one of the largest regional, nonprofit human services organizations serving northern New Jersey. The agency is fully accredited and has more than 100 years of experience in building futures for children, families, and communities. Its mission is to help children, families, and communities to heal, to learn, and to grow. For more information, call 201-261-2800 or visit www.cafsnj.org.
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