Ms. O'Neal's Story

Lynette and Lisa* are bright young sisters who needed help. They had been in several different foster homes when the courts decided they needed a “forever family.”

In an effort to find one, their caseworker registered them with the AICI’s Adoption Listing Service (ALS). And before 60 days had passed, we helped link them with a loving adoptive mother, Ms. Raylanda O’Neal.

While the girls’ listing with the ALS was relatively straightforward, Ms. O’Neal’s route to getting connected with the girls included a little personalized help from AICI.

Ms. O’Neal had always liked the idea of adoption but wasn’t sure how to pursue it until she saw a public service announcement from the AdoptUsKids family recruitment campaign. She called the number on the TV and was connected with the Illinois Recruitment Response Team Member and AICI Resource Worker Olga Dotson-Landingham.

Ms. O’Neal said she had trouble phrasing her questions, but Olga always understood. Olga helped her sort out if she was ready for adoption, and then helped her get licensed. When the licensing process ran into bumps, Olga helped overcome them. “There are no words for Olga,” said Ms. O’Neal. “She was more than outstanding.”

When licensing was complete, Olga proposed matches with children who were listed with the ALS. That’s how Ms. O’Neal found out about Lynette and Lisa.

Ms. O’Neal called the girls’ caseworker and was pleased to learn that a one-parent family would be considered to meet the girls’ needs. When she had called workers about other children, they had been seeking families with two parents.

Lynette and Lisa’s worker liked what she learned about Ms. O’Neal and thought she could provide a good home. After a series of successful preplacement visits, the girls have moved in with Ms. O’Neal. Now it’s simply a matter of waiting on court dates and paperwork for the adoption to become a reality.

Ms. O’Neal said she and the girls are happy. She’s working to give them opportunities they’ve wished for, such as dancing and gymnastics lessons. The family recently celebrated six months of living together by having a pizza party that included many of their extended family members.

Ms. O’Neal said she would recommend AICI’s services to anyone, especially if they get to work with Olga, who not only provided lots of expertise but personal support when things became difficult or frustrating. “She was with me every step of the way, through all the joys and the tears.”

* not their real names

This story was originally published in the 2008 edition of our annual report.