What's next for them?
Dr. Susan McConnell founded Let It Be Us to be the bridge between families who want to adopt and children waiting for adoption through foster care.
Part 1 - Our Chicago: Let It Be Us adoption through foster care
She and her husband have three adopted children.
"We're in our eleventh year of work. We were founded to provide solutions for foster care and adoption. We now work directly with DCFS, under a contract statewide to provide adoptive resources for children who are waiting," said McConnell.
Patrick Macellaio is a Let it Be Us board member. He was adopted at birth.
"I was raised always knowing I was adopted. My brother and I are sixteen days apart. We were adopted from different families," Macellaio said.
Part 2 - Our Chicago: Let It Be Us adoption through foster care
He explained that he had a great experience and was "afforded a beautiful life; a wonderful education."
McConnell said it's "extremely rewarding" to be a foster or adoptive parent.
"Placement is very important. So rather than putting a child in the next home, we place a child in the best home. We work with caseworkers throughout the state, whether they work with a private agency or with DCFS. We allow them access to our technology through our customer service. And so every child is given access to all of the families who are waiting so they are placed in the best home," he said.
For more information:
https://letitbeus.org/