BRIDGING THE GAP
for 65 years
1960s
Photolisting
In the 1960s, MARE developed a pictorial newsletter, the first of its kind in the nation, to profile the children waiting for adoption. This newsletter eventually became the MARE Photolisting® manual, with hundreds of profiles and pictures of waiting children, available for viewing in nearly 400 libraries and agencies state-wide. The service has been copied throughout the United States and Canada and became the primary means by which prospective parents learned about hundreds of waiting children.
1970s
Sunday's Child
In the 1970s MARE began its long-standing collaboration with the Boston Globe in publishing “Sunday’s Child.” This transformed the public’s perception of adoption and the children who need permanent homes.
1980s
Adoption Meet & Greets
In the late 1970s into the early 1980s, MARE collaborated with other agencies to develop adoption parties, a fun activity-filled event designed to give children a chance to interact with prospective parents in a low-key atmosphere.
1981
Wednesday's Child
The success of the Sunday’s Child features in educating the public and recruiting families for specific children led to the creation of the TV feature “Wednesday’s Child” in 1981. News Anchor Jack William’s of WBZ-TV-4 has interviewed and showcased more than 900 children on the weekly Wednesday’s Child feature since 1981; more than 550 of those children have been adopted.
2000s
Heart Gallery
In the 2000s, MARE began its annual Heart Gallery, a photographic exhibit of portraits of waiting children. Permanent Heart Gallery exhibits are hosted at the four Jordan’s Furniture stores, while a traveling exhibit brings the portraits and information about adoption from foster care to high traffic venues, including shopping malls, train stations, hospitals, and museums around the state.
2006
Wendy's Wonderful Kids
In 2006, MARE was awarded a grant from the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, to establish a Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Program in Western MA. This staff person works exclusively with a caseload of approximately 15 youth that have been waiting for an adoptive home the longest. The focus is on finding a permanent connection or family resource for a child, including exploring people from his or her past.
2008
Video Snapshots
In 2008, MARE began a video snapshots program, producing videos of waiting children and having them available on the MARE website.
Building Connections with Communities of Color
Addressing inequities for children of color in the foster care system is one of our top priorities. One of the best ways to achieve greater equity for these kids is by recruiting more families of color into the adoption process. This year we’ve focused on building connections in communities color, most especially by creating a brand-new position to focus exclusively on this important work: an Outreach and Support Coordinator for Black and Latino Families.
Training and Support for Families
Strengthening and supporting families in the adoption process is critical to creating stable, permanent adoptive placements. This year we provided 10 sessions of training on trauma-informed parenting to over a hundred families, giving them the tools they need to parent youth who have experienced foster care. We also provided families with new trainings and resources on trans-racial adoption, equipping them to provide racially aware and culturally competent placements for children of color.
The Neighborhood
We know there are a ton of people who care about youth in need of adoptive homes who aren’t in a position to adopt. That’s why we launched The Neighborhood this year! It’s a brand new community of supporters and do-gooders that provides action items for raising awareness, getting involved, and making a difference for kids in foster care.
Teens
Over 25% of all placements this year were teens! How did we do it? We brought a focus on older youth to every aspect of what we do: events featuring older children, new partnerships to work with youth over the age of 18, and an emphasis on each of our staff members’ caseloads to recruit for children over the age of ten.
LGBTQ+ Youth
This year we hosted our first ever LGBTQ+ matching event, using a unique model that put the voices of these youth front and center – resulting in 50% of the youth who participated now being matched with a prospective adoptive family. We’ve also improved our data collection methods to make sure we are authentically representing the youth we serve and how they wish to be presented.
Children with Disabilities
An autistic teen who had been in foster care most of his life. A blind quadriplegic young boy. A seven-year-old with ADHD and developmental delays and a young man with sickle cell anemia and learning disabilities. What do all these kids have in common? They are amazing young people usually overlooked by potential adoptive families who all found forever families thanks to our Specialized Recruitment Coordinator!
Our focus on children with disabilities paid dividends this year with multiple placements. Not only that, but other child welfare agencies across the country are sitting up and taking notice – looking to us as a model for how to better these youth.
.jpg)
74% program services
15% fundraising
11% management & general
