Voice for Adoption

VFA Annual Adoption Awards

VFA's Two Annual Adoption Awards

Voice for Adoption's annual awards focus attention on the crucial need for strong post-adoption support services for adoptive families and overcoming interjurisdictional barriers to adoption of children from foster care.

  • The Drenda Lakin Memorial Award for Continuing Service to Adoptive Families Award honors a state, nonprofit organization, or individual whose programs provide valuable adoptive family support after adoptions are finalized.
  • The Adoptions Across Boundaries Award is presented to a state or states that have made diligent efforts in overcoming geographic barriers and have a proven track record of best practices in placing children across state or county lines.

These awards are presented at our annual Adoptive Family Portrait Project reception that takes place in November (National Adoption Month). 

Previous VFA award recipients include:

Adoption Across Boundaries Award

  • State of Louisiana
  • West Virginia
  • Utah Division of Child & Family Service
  • Colorado Department of Human Services
  • South Dakota Department of Social Services
  • Deborah Goodman, Oklahoma Adoption Program Manager
  • Texas Department of Family and Protective Services  
  • Oregon Department of Human Services  

Drenda Lakin Memorial Award

  • Center for Adoption Support and Education (CASE)
  • Sylvia Franzmeir
  • Statewide Adoption Network of Pennsylvania
  • Adoptions Together
  • Dr. Joyce Maguire Pavao, Center for Family Connections
  • Lauretta “Pat” Sims, DePelchin Children’s Center
  • Family Focus Adoption Services

We thank the above individuals, organizations and states for their hard work on behalf of waiting children and adoptive families.