Dr. John Sweet, program director for the Church of God Smoky Mountain Children’s Home just received notice of an award recognition for the home’s work in meeting the needs of children.
United States Congressional Representative David Roe honored the Church of God Smoky Mountain Children’s Home (SMCH) as an Angel in Adoption™ and will be recognized at a national event in Washington, DC.
Congressman Roe selected SMCH for their outstanding advocacy of adoption and foster care issues. The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), which orchestrates the Angels in Adoption™ program, will honor SMCH, along with more than 190 Angels, at an awards ceremony and gala event in Washington, DC, September 30, 2009.
SMCH has a long heritage as residential care center, foster care program and an adoption placement agency. Their philosophy comes from a basic faith based belief that every child deserves a family; and they are committed to preserving and strengthening families.
The Angels in Adoption™ program is CCAI’s signature public awareness campaign and provides an opportunity for all members of the U.S. Congress to honor the good work of their constituents who have enriched the lives of foster children and orphans in the United States and abroad.
“The Angels in Adoption program is unlike any other program in the Nation’s Capitol. Because of it, over 1400 “Angels’ have come to share with Washington their adoption experience and left with a renewed excitement of all that adoption makes possible,” said Kathleen Strottman. “I learned one simple lesson from my time on the hill, knowledge is power. Angels in Adoption is meant to give Members of Congress the knowledge they need to use the power they have toward making the dream of a family a reality for every child.”
In addition to the more than 190 local angels from around the country, several National Angels will also be recognized at the ceremony and gala for their dedication and commitment nationally and internationally to child welfare on a grand scale. Former “National Angels” include First Lady Laura Bush, Patti LaBelle, Jane Seymour, Muhammad Ali, the late Dave Thomas, Steven Curtis Chapman, Bruce Willis, Alonzo Mourning, and Marcus Samuelsson.
The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) is a 501(c)3 nonpartisan organization dedicated to raising awareness about the tens of thousands of orphans and foster children in the United States and the millions of orphans around the world in need of permanent, safe, and loving homes through adoption. CCAI’s goal is the elimination of the barriers that hinder these children from realizing their basic right of a family. COGSMCH Program Supervisor Shannon Campbell and Adoption Specialist Melody Jones will be representing COGSMCH at the event.