Angels in - Pound Pup Legacy

children on their level.” Over the past three years,
12 children have been placed in adoptive homes
through the exposure gained from being with
Renee on Wednesday’s Child. Once the child is
adopted, Renee continues to follow up with the
children who have been on the program. Renee’s
commitment to the children in the Truckee
Meadows is an example of dedication, compassion,
and positive community activism. “She is a creative
and enthusiastic “Angel” for the children in our
community who are looking for a permanent home
through adoption.
New Jersey
Eileen Crummy
Representative Mike Ferguson
Ms. Crummy was a Department of Youth and
Family Services caseworker in 1975 and today is
responsible for all adoption services in New Jersey’s
public child welfare system. She has overseen and
implemented the mandates of the Adoption and
Safe Families Act and has successfully advocated for
an additional Adoption Resource Center office to
concentrate on the placement of children who need
newly recruited adoptive families. She was the
driving force behind Adoption House and proposed
an Adoption Resource Clearing House which will
provide adoption advocacy, education, information
and referral services. She is most deserving of the
Angel in Adoption Award.
Janet Farrand
Senator Jon Corzine
Janet Farrand has been a foster parent for 15 years
and adopted two of her foster children, both of
whom have special needs. Knowing the challenges
that foster and adoptive families confront, Janet has
used her personal experience as a parent to help
other families face those challenges, not only as a
mentor, but also as a state-level advocate. Having
served as the President of the Morris County Foster
Parents’ Association, Ms. Farrand developed a
program that provided innovative support strategies
to foster parents including respite care and
mentoring. She also is a member of the New Jersey
Adoptive Families’ Association, where she used her
knowledge to help structure and implement several
state laws affecting such families. One of her most
important efforts was the tuition-waiver bill for
youth aging out of foster care. Signed into law on
July 17, the tuition-waiver bill will give foster
children free tuition at New Jersey county and state
colleges and vocational schools. Furthermore, Jane
has been influential in the creation of foster parent
certification and is a member of the Staffing and
Outcomes Review Panel that makes
recommendations to the New Jersey Division of
Youth and Family Services regarding issues affecting
New Jersey’s foster and adoptive families. Through
her work as a parent, mentor, and advocate, Janet
Farrand has not only successfully changed the lives
of her own children, but also the lives of thousands
of New Jersey families. I am proud to name her my
2003 Angel in Adoption .
Pamela Hasegawa
Representative Rodney Frelinghuysen
Pamela Hasegawa is an untiring, effective advocate
for adoptee rights; one who enjoys the respect of
the entire adoption community for her work in the
field. As an adult adoptee, Pam has made it her life
work to serve adoptees and their families, creating
bridges and unifying all parties involved in the
adoption process. As a member of the New Jersey
Adoption Services Adoptive Advisory Committee,
Pam advocates for increased recruitment activities
on behalf of New Jersey’s children who are awaiting
adoption. Her empathy and compassion constitute
an invaluable service to those who need and benefit
from her involvement. Her work has been
recognized by the Inter-Agency Council on
Adoption, an advocacy group for the children of
New Jersey.
Additionally, Pam has remained, for over 30
years, a tenacious and enduring presence in
Trenton, where she speaks out for legislative reform
to the adoption process in New Jersey. She founded
the Adoption News Service and created an informal
network of supporters for adoptee rights and
adoption reform throughout the country. Her work
is instrumental in keeping this network informed on
legislative initiatives and coverage of adoptee rights,
adoption reform, safe haven laws, oversight of state
adoption practices and family meetings between
birth parents and their children. Pam is truly one of
the great unsung heroes of adoption. For these
reasons, it is my honor to select Pam Hasegawa for
the 2003 Angel in Adoption Award.
Monsignor James J. McGovern
Representative Christopher Smith
I would like to take this opportunity to select
Monsignor James J. McGovern, Pastor of Our Lady
of Good Counsel Church in Moorestown, New
53