Murray Announces Selection of Jim Theofelis as a Congressional “Angel in Adoption”

Photo | Murray Visited the Mockingbird Society

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S Senator Patty Murray today announced that Jim Theofelis of Seattle has been chosen as Washington state’s Congressional Angel in Adoption for 2005.

“I want to congratulate Jim Theofelis on being honored as our state’s Angel in Adoption,” Senator Murray said. “His efforts as an advocate for vulnerable children have done so much to improve the lives of youth in Washington state. His passionate commitment and selfless service are a credit to our state, and our nation.”

The Angels in Adoption are selected by their member of the U.S. Congress and are chosen from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. United States Representatives and Senators selected more than 180 Congressional Angels in Adoption for their outstanding contributions toward the welfare of children in the United States foster care system and orphans around the globe.

These Angels in Adoption have worked to raise Congressional and public awareness about the tens of thousands of foster children in the United States and the millions of orphans around the world in need of permanent, safe, and loving homes. Chosen from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, the Angels in Adoption were awarded for their exceptional work as adoption champions resulting in many of these children realizing their basic need of a family.

Jim Theofelis has nearly thirty years of experience working with youth in a variety of roles ranging from direct service to senior management. He is a national and regional trainer and consultant to human service organizations, schools and faith-based programs. He is well respected as an innovator in developing quality programs for Washington’s most vulnerable children and youth. In 1999 the Washington State Legislature passed The HOPE Act (Homeless Youth Prevention/Protection and Education), which has improved the services available to youth in Washington who are now homeless but are eligible for the Foster Care System. Jim Theofelis wrote and facilitated The HOPE Act into passage.

The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to raising awareness about the tens of thousands of foster children in this country and the millions of orphans around the world in need of permanent, safe, and loving homes; and to eliminating the barriers that hinder these children from realizing their basic need of a family. CCAI was created in 2001 by the active co-chairs of the bicameral, bipartisan Congressional Coalition on Adoption (CCA) to more effectively raise Congressional and public awareness about the issue of adoption.

Each year, more than 160 members of Congress participate, making it the year’s single most significant Congressional event pertaining to child welfare in the United States. Since the program’s inception in 1999, members of Congress have awarded more than 720 congressional Angels in Adoption from all 50 states and invited them to attend the extraordinary awards banquet in their honor. This year more than one hundred and eighty members of Congress participated.