The Cradle's Enewsletter is published 8 times per year. Here are some of our favorite stories from past issues:

Stories

Cradle Babies - Class of 2009 This video features photos of just some of the families whose dreams came true in 2009, thanks to the support of generous friends like you! Please enjoy their happiness, knowing that your generosity made all of this possible.  Read more »

Remarkable Cradle kids July 2009 eNewsletter Garrett, Tessa and Tristan are just a few of the Cradle children whose families received a Siragusa Scholarship this year.  This fund enables The Cradle to award scholarships of up to $1,500 annually to Cradle families who have a child or children with special needs.  Read more »

Planning a Homeland Visit: Q&A with Judy Stigger Judy Stigger, LCSW, is Director of International Adoption at The Cradle, and an adoptive mother herself. Judy has spent many hours interviewing and counseling adoptive families about homeland visits. Judy offers some excellent advice on the very important preparation both parents and children should do before, during and after a homeland visit.  Read more »

In Search of Banyan Roots: Our Homeland Journey May 2009 eNewsletter The first time Cradle mom Catherine Nelson traveled to Vietnam, it was on one of the first flights out of the US after the attacks of September 11, 2001.  Seven years later, Catherine and her daughter Grace made that return trip to the country that gave Grace her identity. Read more »

Celebrating A Year of Joy May 2009 eNewsletter Darren and Sherece Thompson adopted their twins, Faith and Jacob, through The Ardythe and Gale Sayers Center for African American Adoption on January 22, 2008.  The family returned to celebrate the twins’ first “Gotcha’ Day” one year later at The Cradle.  They visited with staff, shared photos, and honored their birth family’s decision to give them the blessings of these beautiful babies. Read more »

Cradle Babies Giving Back - Winter 2008 newsletter Seven-year-old Cristina proudly presented The Cradle with the contents of her piggybank, asking that the $28.32 be used to help her fellow "Cradle babies."  "I feel proud to give to the place that was my first home. I will have special memories of The Cradle in my heart." Read more »

A Cradle Day To Remember - Winter 2008 newsletter One baby was born in Korea. One was born in Guatemala. And four were born in Illinois and waiting for their forever parents in The Cradle Nursery.  It was a record-breaking day for The Cradle, and a microcosm of the many different ways The Cradle works with birthparents and adoptive parents. Read more »

Baby boom - Spring 2008 newsletter With the ability to care for up to twenty infants and an average census of seven, The Cradle Nursery is a busy place on most days. But on the day these photos were taken, there were a record-breaking 16 infants being cared for in the Nursery. Read more »

Double Happiness - October 2007 newsletter When Barbara and Mark received the long awaited call from their Cradle counselor telling them their referral had come in, they had to hear the news three times before it sank in. Read more »

Cradle Babies - A message of thanks View a video celebrating a few members of The Cradle’s class of 2006-2007. Watch  video »

Judy's Story - December 2006 newsletter On June 10, 2002 I received a letter in the mail that would change my life as I knew it. I sat in my kitchen that sunny morning and read a letter from a woman in California who wrote that she believed we were related. Read more »

Meet some of The Cradle staff and volunteers

Marie Chalmers April 2010 eNewsletter A person who is seeking assistance through The Cradle’s Post Adoption Services Department will likely first speak to Marie Chalmers.  At The Cradle for the past seven years, Marie has fielded literally thousands of phone and e-mail inquiries from people touched by adoption.  She is the warm voice on the end of the line who listens compassionately to callers’ concerns, and the knowledgeable staff member who carefully explains the Post Adoption services that are available.  Read more »

Bryan Carter February 2010 eNewsletter In December, The Cradle Foundation welcomed Bryan Carter as our new Resource and Community Development Director.  Bryan is working with families who adopted children through the Ardythe and Gale Sayers Center for African American Adoption, to help promote the program and the need for African American adoptive parents, create networking opportunities for our families, and raise funds for The Sayers Center.  In addition, Bryan and his wife Joan are the proud parents of Cradle baby Elaina, who will turn 3 on February 27!  Read more »

Jane Page July 2009 eNewsletter July 17th marks Jane Page’s 30th anniversary at The Cradle and awards her the title of longest serving current staff member.  Jane’s official title is Clinical Director of Adoption Services.  Over the years, she has worked with hundreds of Cradle families and has witnessed major changes within the organization.  To honor this amazing milestone, we asked Jane to share with us her reflections on her career in social work and her three-decades-long relationship with The Cradle.  Read more »

George Mitchell Spring 2009 eNewsletter Any Cradle baby who spent time in The Cradle Nursery during the last sixteen years has likely met George Mitchell. George is Director of Building Operations at The Cradle, and one of his responsibilities is driving to hospitals throughout Illinois to pick up infants and bring them back to The Cradle Nursery while their moms undergo counseling through our Birthparent program. George is a “jack of all trades” at The Cradle, and even has a special nickname among The Cradle nurses. Read more »

Victoria Brooks The Nursery operates 24/7, so my hours don't always fit into a typical 9-5 schedule. Each morning I check on any health issues, assessment needs, hospital pick ups, routine appointments or staffing issues. I may be following up with different specialists for certain babies. I also may be speaking with prospective adoptive parents about a particular infant's needs. I work with the adoptive and birthparent counselors so they understand the baby's conditions.. Read more »

Tasha Pierce I am a Cradle baby! My parents took me home from The Cradle Nursery when I was one month old.  A while ago I saw an ad for the ALP position and it seemed very interesting to me.  My biggest challenges are the adoptive parents who feel they don't need training. The challenge for me is how to convey to them that the courses have substantive material and will be resources that can be used over and over again. Read more »

Noreen Burke As Project Manager for ALP, I'm responsible for planning and managing course development. I coordinate and review the work of subject matter experts and internal/external course reviewers. The courses cover topics, such as fostering attachment with your adopted child, understanding the adoption tax credit, and creating a Lifebook to tell your child’s story. A complete list of courses and descriptions can be found on the website. Read more »