Washington, D.C. –January 15, 2010 – Voice for Adoption (VFA), a national advocacy organization that raises awareness about adoptions from foster care, today announced the election of two new board member agencies, EMQ Families First and Latino Family Institute.

EMQ Families First, California, does whatever it takes to help children in crisis and their families. They are recognized for innovative mental health treatment, foster care and social services that help families recover from trauma, abuse and addiction, and rebuild their lives. EMQ Families First fights for sustainable change and advocates for improvements in the local, state and federal systems that serve children in need. David Newell is the Vice President, Regional and Foster Care and Adoption Services, for EMQ Families First. Mr. Newell will represent the agency on the VFA Board of Directors.

Latino Family Institute (LFI), California, is a fully licensed non-profit adoption, foster care and family support agency in Southern California. Their focus is to develop and support Latino families. LFI offers a full range of services designed to prevent families from becoming involved with the child welfare system. LFI helps to reunify families already separated, and when this cannot be achieved, they help to create new families through adoption. They also support high-risk families who have been impacted by substance abuse, HIV or AIDS. Maria Quintanilla is the Executive Director of Latino Family Institute. She will represent the organization on the VFA Board of Directors.

“The addition of EMQ Families First and Latino Family Institute to the Board of Directors of Voice for Adoption is exciting. VFA will benefit from the knowledge, diversity and experience of the two agencies, as they have worked extensively with foster children and adoptive families,” said Nicole Dobbins, Executive Director of Voice for Adoption.

About Voice for Adoption
Voice for Adoption develops and advocates for improved adoption policies. Recognized as a national leader in special needs adoption, VFA works closely with federal and state legislators, as well as other child welfare organizations, to make a difference in the lives of the 129,000 children in foster care who are waiting to be adopted and the families who adopt children from foster care.

If you would like more information about Voice for Adoption or if you have any questions, contact Nicole Dobbins, 202-210-8118 or voiceforadoption@gmail.com.