Angels in - Pound Pup Legacy

Jersey for the 2003 Angels in Adoption Award.
Throughout his life, Monsignor McGovern has been
an Angel in Adoption , working hard to bring
countless children and loving families together. He
has been a persuasive, compassionate, creative,
hands-on advocate for adoption. He is deeply
committed to promoting the loving, life-saving
option of adoption whenever possible.
In recognition of National Adoption Month in
2002, Monsignor McGovern commissioned the
design and production of a street banner to be
displayed for the entire month of November across
the main thoroughfare in Moorestown. Monsignor
McGovern literally had to “fight city hall” and
eventually won over the governing body and
received the needed permit. In conjunction with the
banner, posters promoting adoption were designed
and displayed in store windows, church halls, and
throughout the Moorestown community.
Monsignor McGovern also said a special mass to
honor and bless all the adoptive families in the Our
Lady of Good Counsel parish. Similarly, on Respect
Life Sundays, Monsignor McGovern has members of
the Our Lady of Good Counsel Advocates for Life
group speak about adoption at all of the masses. In
1999, Monsignor McGovern used the occasion of
his acceptance of the Trenton Diocesan Catholic
Charities’ Humanitarian Award not only to promote
adoption, but also to plead for a higher level of
funding and support for adoption services by
Catholic Charities. Given his strong background in
community and adoption services, Monsignor
McGovern is a perfect recipient for the 2003 Angels
in Adoption Award.
Debra Supnick
Representative Robert Andrews
Debra is a role model for adoption in our area. She
experienced the adoption process first hand, when
as a child she was placed by Department of Youth
& Family Services with 14 different families until she
was finally placed with her forever family. Having
gone through the adoption process, Debra decided
to be an advocate for adoption. Her life story was
featured on the CBS special “A Home for the
Holiday.” Invited by Senator Mary Landrieu and
Secretary Tommy Thompson, she has been a guest
speaker at several Congressional hearings.
Additionally, Debra has appeared on Good Morning
America, Gerald Rivera, Family Talk on CN8, CNN,
and NBC as a special ambassador of the joys and
rewards of adopting from foster care. Through all of
her work, Debra has become an inspiration to many
children and adults who have or are currently
experiencing the many aspects of adoption.
New Mexico
Frank and Donna Payne
Senator Jeff Bingaman
Frank and Donna Payne are well known in our
community for their generosity in service to children
who are in foster care and for opening their hearts
and their home to become a forever family to three
children. The Payne’s have been licensed as foster
parents for 17 years and have provided a safe and
nurturing environment to over 100 children. Frank
and Donna have three children of their own.
They became licensed by the New Mexico
Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) in
December of 1986 and consistently cared for
children in their home through May 31, 1994 when
they became Treatment Foster Parents with another
agency. The Paynes had fostered two African-
American children for three years and one of the
siblings for nine months. They were supportive and
cooperated fully with the agency’s plan to place
these children in an adoptive home with a fourth
sibling. When the adoption disrupted, they looked
very seriously at the issues of raising three more
children and the added responsibility of reaching
out to the African-American community in order to
help the children grow with a healthy ethnic
identity. After careful consideration, Donna and
Frank requested in 1994 that the Department allow
them to adopt the three children who had lived in
their home. These are the three children with big
smiles who, along with their mother, were featured
last year on CYFD television spots for foster and
adoptive care. The children are now 13, 15, and 16.
The children and Donna volunteer to speak to
prospective foster and adoptive families and readily
share their personal experiences in becoming a
family.
Ken and Fran Sullivan
Representative Heather Wilson
Ken and Fran Sullivan began their work in foster
care in 1970 and since have adopted a three year
old who was their first foster care placement. In
1975, they began taking in newborn babies who
were waiting to be adopted. In 1979, they became
more involved in the foster care program by
working with state agencies and now primarily
serve as foster parents for drug-affected babies.
Since they have become active in adoptions and
foster care, over 400 children have been in their
home. They learned about therapy programs by
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