Kinship Centeralt Senior Family Recruiter Kim Felder expresses her commitment to permanence for children in a very personal way. Mother to seven adopted and two birth children, Felder and husband Carl also help educate other adoptive parents, and the entire family is involved in advocacy for adoption.

Felder was nominated by Congressman Gary Miller (CA-42) for the prestigious Angels in Adoption Award for her 20-year unparalleled career in adoptive family development. She received the award at a September 30 ceremony in Washington D.C. The annual Angels in Adoption recognition allows members of the U.S. Congress to honor significant achievements by child welfare professionals, and outstanding Kinship Center staff are regularly among those recognized. Shown here: Senator Mary Landrieu, LA, (at left) who chairs the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, presented the award to Felder.

During her career, Felder has shepherded thousands of children into permanent homes, including some of the hardest-to-place adolescents, sibling groups and children with severe medical disabilities. Her aggressive efforts include taking the time to know each waiting child and exhaustive research to match those unique needs with the right family. Felder’s devotion to detail ensures a high level of success and she is held in the highest regard by the counties she works with.

“I have been blessed to pursue my life’s goal of helping children obtain the right to a permanent, loving family,” says Felder. “I cannot think of anything more important or rewarding.”