Congressman Dave Reichert

Washington, Oct 4, 2007 -

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Dave Reichert (WA-08) has nominated Mike and Debby Jansen as 2007 Angels in Adoption for their outstanding efforts to help drug-addicted newborn babies find a home. Over the past nine years, Mike and Debby have opened their home and their hearts to eight newborns, all born to drug-addicted mothers. The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), which orchestrates the Angels in Adoption program, will honor the Jansens, along with more than 180 Angels from across the nation, at an awards ceremony and gala event tonight in Washington, DC, October 4, 2007.

“Mike and Debby are a remarkable couple,” said Reichert. ”They are truly deserving of this honor for their work and sacrifice to provide children across our state with the gift of family. They have tirelessly worked with the Pediatric Interim Care Center (PICC) to bring hope to the littlest victims of drug abuse. This dedication and eagerness to provide a loving home for some of our neediest children is very rare. Two of my own grandchildren were adopted from PICC after being born to drug-addicted mothers. Both babies were weaned from their respective addictions to meth and heroin and are now healthy and thriving. The Jansens have not only made a difference in the lives of their seven – soon to be eight – adopted children, but their kindness and compassion continues to inspire others. These children are living proof that early intervention works.”

The Pediatric Interim Care Center in Kent, Washington, provides specialized, 24-hour care for drug-exposed and medically fragile newborns. PICC brings babies safely through withdrawal from drugs, including heroin, cocaine, methamphetamines, methadone, and prescription drugs. The pioneering program also facilitates visitation for families, provides caregiver training, and follows the babies after they leave, and offers and a range of community outreach and education services.

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. Former “National Angels” include First Lady Laura Bush, Jane Seymour, Muhammad Ali, the late Dave Thomas, Steven Curtis Chapman, and Bruce Willis.

“Our goal is to raise awareness of the millions of orphans and foster children in the United States and abroad that are in need of permanent, safe and loving homes, and we congratulate Mike and Debby for their role in helping us to achieve this goal,” said Deanna Carlson Stacy, CCAI’s executive director.  “Thanks to Congressman Reichert, Mike and Debby will receive the recognition they deserve for their tireless effort in the mission of helping these children realize their basic right of a family.”

The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute 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 the elimination of 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. For more information visit http://www.ccainstitute.org/