On Friday, Nov. 21, a normally serious Collier County courtroom had folks squeezed into every bench as applause, cameras and matching T-shirts surrounded the families gathered there.
In celebration of National Adoption Month, twelve children were officially welcomed into their new families.
Among the new parents was Madisyn Andrea, a young, single kindergarten teacher who became a mother for the first time.
Andrea first met her daughter as a volunteer cuddler in the local hospital’s NICU.
“She was only a couple days old when I first met her and held her, and then when I took her home, she was three weeks old,” Andrea said. “She was named and then left, basically.”
She said she chose to adopt as a single parent after realizing she didn’t want to put motherhood on hold.
"I just was tired of waiting around for the right person," she said. "Once I got into my career and I was able to provide for myself and someone else, I decided that this was the journey I was going to take."
The courthouse hallways were packed with extended family, friends, caseworkers and even courtroom staff excited for the big day. The room was so full that supporters had to rotate into the courtroom for each hearing.
One of the families celebrating was Rodrigo Gamboa’s, who arrived with his wife and children wearing matching white T-shirts printed with the names of each family member.
The newest addition, Sophia, was originally placed with them as a foster child. Before moving forward with adoption, the couple consulted their small, but mighty panel of “tiny consultants”.
“Before we even made [a] decision between my wife and I as to whether we were going to even consider adopting her, we actually asked each one of the children individually, how do you guys feel about having Sophia as a sister?” Gamboa said. “And unanimously, it was hands down. ‘Yes, she's already our sister. You better let her keep being in part of our family.’”
Although Friday’s event celebrated permanency, foster care officials say Collier County continues to face serious challenges. Fewer than 100 foster homes in the county are currently accepting children, according to Chandler Dickerson, case manager supervisor with the Children’s Network of Southwest Florida’s Camelot division.
“They don't realize that these kiddos are dealing with a lot of trauma. So, they might initially have these kiddos and there's this honeymoon phase, but then they're going to get a lot of pushback from these kids because they've oftentimes not been wanted,” Dickerson said. She added that the agency provides hands-on training and encourages more families to consider fostering.
“These foster parents or caregivers are really the true heroes, because they are assisting these kids and loving them,” she said.
The day offered a welcome change of pace for Judge Elizabeth Krier, who presided over the adoptions.
"Judges mostly see lots of things that are sad or depressing," she said. "The community has stepped up and opened their hearts."
After the court proceedings, families gathered downstairs for cookies, photos and a visit from a Disney princess. Andrea gave her daughter a new last name and hopes the day marks the beginning of a new secure future.
“I want her to know that she is always going to be loved unconditionally, no matter what challenges she faces in the future, she'll always be safe."
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.
