Seeking Rural Families for Waiting Kids.
Adoption in Ohio’s Heartland (AOH) is Bellefaire’s focused effort to identify families in rural Ohio who can provide permanency for children waiting in public welfare systems. AOH brings to five north-central counties—Holmes, Coshocton, Tuscarawas, Carroll, and Harrison—a concentration of services needed to:

• Raise the number of available adoptive families
• Increase the number of children placed
• Provide post-placement support.

Communities Are Key.
AOH builds on existing community resources and draws on experience we have gained through previous projects funded by Adoption Opportunities grants. Local agencies, community leaders, and residents play vital roles in supporting the belief that children grow best in loving, permanent families.

AOH Delivers Awareness and Support.
AOH program elements include radio and print advertising and our presence at community events—all aimed at recruiting adoptive families. To encourage and support adoptive individuals, couples, and families AOH offers:

• Culturally sensitive training
• An Adoptive Family Resource Directory
• Parent-to-parent mentors
• Post-placement/finalization follow-up
• Faith-based initiatives.

Our Goal: More Homes for Waiting Children.
Our objective for the first five years of AOH is to increase the number of families in Ohio’s rural communities who will provide loving, permanent homes for waiting children. We are planning to expand AOH to additional Ohio regions, further spreading the message that children are waiting. The program is funded by a five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

To learn more, call the Adoption Center at Bellefaire JCB.
Cleveland area: 216-932-2800
Toll free: 800-205-8534
Or email infoADP@bellefairejcb.org