Congressman Schiff Honors John and Kathy Prosser of Glendale as Angels in Adoption
| Friday, September 18, 2009 | Contact: Sean Oblack (202) 225-4176 |
Congressman Schiff Honors John and Kathy Prosser of Glendale as Angels in Adoption
John and Kathy to be recognized at national event in Washington, DC Washington D.C. – Congressman Adam Schiff has selected John and Kathy Prosser as 2009 Angels in Adoption for their outstanding dedication as adoptive and fostercare parents. The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), which organizes the Angels in Adoption program, will honor the Prossers, along with more than 190 Angels, at an awards ceremony and gala event in Washington, DC on September 30th. “John and Kathy’s tireless dedication has enriched the lives of so many children in our community,” said Schiff. “They are tremendous advocates for foster care children and exemplify what it means to be Angels in Adoption.” John and Kathy Prosser’s contributions to the adoption and foster care field began more than two decades ago when John and Kathy began serving as foster parents in Los Angeles County. As the birth parents to two daughters, Mindy and Katie, the Prossers have welcomed 34 foster children into their home and adopted their daughter, Shelley, when she was 4 years old. When Shelley died unexpectedly as a young adult, the Prossers subsequently adopted her son Jacob, when he was three years old. They continue to be kept quite busy with Jacob and their four other grandchildren. The Prosser’s influence in the adoption and foster care field has extended outside of their home. Having served as the Board President for Child S.H.A.R.E. (Support, Hope, Advocay, Resources & Encouragement), a nonprofit agency working to find homes for abused and abandoned children, and most recently Board Vice President, John has been actively engaged as a community partner for more than two decades. Additionally, Kathy has actively spoken to various community groups and churches on foster care issues. The Prossers have influenced the lives of countless individuals and continue to do so through their personal example and dedication to the adoption and foster care field. 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 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 to eliminate the barriers that hinder these children from realizing their basic right 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. The Angels in Adoption program was established in 1999 as a Congressional press conference to honor outstanding individuals. Since then, the program has developed into a yearlong public awareness campaign culminating in an extraordinary awards Gala and celebration in Washington, D.C. CCAI does not receive any government funding and they rely on the generous support of foundations, corporations, and individuals to accomplish their mission. For more information visit http://www.ccainstitute.org/.