AN `ANGEL' FOR ADOPTIVE FAMILIES

Charlotte Observer, The (NC)

CONGRESS MEMBER HONORS WOODWARD'S DECADES OF SERVICE

Author: EARNEST WINSTON, STAFF WRITER

Doris Woodward got busy in 1977 when she heard about a teenage mother in El Salvador who was having trouble caring for her baby girl.

Woodward, who lived in Maine at the time, shared the teenager's story with a group of women in her Bible study class.

Six months later, Woodward had facilitated the cross-country adoption with a couple from her church. Woodward went on to found Christian Adoption Services, now in Matthews, which is celebrating its 25-year anniversary.

She recently was chosen by Republican Rep. Sue Myrick as one of 175 Congressional "Angels In Adoption."

The nonprofit Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute held a ceremony in Washington, D.C., last month to honor the recipients. The "Angels In Adoption" program lets federal legislators recognize residents from their home states who have improved the lives of foster children and orphans.

"My goal is to place children in good, stable homes," said Woodward, who is 60. "Someone has to speak on behalf of the children every child deserves a good home, a good education, a good future, so he or she will become a good citizen, a good asset to society."

Woodward, a native of El Salvador, and her husband, Jim, the agency's executive director, oversee 50 adoptions a year. The couple also has adoption programs in Latin America and Asia.

Doris Woodward works closely with the birth mothers and adoptive families. Years after putting their children up for adoption, birth mothers pop in her office to chat.

Many birth mothers, ranging from 13 to 45 years old, choose adoption for a variety of reasons: parenthood is an emotional or financial burden; they do not get support from their families; or they want to attend college.

The toughest part of Woodward's 24-7 job: when a birth mother changes her mind and decides to keep the child that a family has already agreed to adopt; or when an infant dies after a family has been chosen.

Each year, the agency hosts a Christmas party and summer picnic for adoptive families.

When she started organizing adoptions, Woodward said she wanted to keep every child. Her husband objected.

Jim Woodward, 57, volunteered at the agency in the early years. His wife said the agency would not thrive without his help.

First licensed as

in Maine in 1979, the agency later began recruiting adoptive families in the United States and moved its office to North Carolina in 1989.

Today, the agency offers pregnancy and family counseling for birth parents in crisis. The agency plans to expand, and is looking for a Spanish-speaking social worker.

Julie McDermott, a former adoption consultant with the agency, said Doris Woodward would rather fly below the radar.

"I think she just feels that she's doing God's work and she doesn't need any praise or recognition," said McDermott, 27, who works at Southbrook Church in Weddington.

Debbie Senft, a case worker with the agency who lives in Winston-Salem, said the Woodwards see the agency as their ministry. Doris Woodward is constantly answering her phone - whether she's shopping at Wal-Mart, at dinner or vacationing.

Once, Senft said, a young lady tried to skip a retreat for birth mothers. She had told Doris Woodward she would attend, but when a van showed up at her door, the woman was still in bed. So Woodward walked in her house, got her out of bed and dragged her to the retreat.

"That's the kind of thing she'll do. She has a lot of nerve," Senft said.

Jamie and Tony Cioffi of Weddington adopted Kendall, who is 8 months olds, in February, after they tried unsuccessfully to have a second child. They had done their research and attended adoption expos, but never felt completely comfortable with the agencies they came across.

That all changed after Tony Cioffi learned about Christian Adoption Services while at work. They attended a seminar, and immediately clicked with the Woodwards.

"They are just dedicated to what they're doing," she said. "They make our children feel special. They make us feel special. I get very emotional when I talk about this. What they're doing is, they're creating families."

Earnest Winston: (704) 358-5108; ewinston@charlotteobserver.com

Doris Woodward

Age: 60.

Residence: Matthews.

Family: Husband, Jim; two adult children: son; Marc; daughter, Crista.

Occupation: Social work supervisor; co-founder of Christian Adoption Services, Inc.

Education: Bachelor's degree in education from Colegio Bautista in El Salvador; bachelor's in business administration from the University of Maine at Machias; bachelor's degree in social work from the University of Maine at Orono.

Hobbies: Traveling, walking and reading Christian books.

Hardest part of her job: "Telling the families that they have been chosen by a birth mother and they (the birth mother) changed their minds."

Future program: The agency will host a public awareness/fund-raising event on Nov. 11 at the Adam's Mark hotel in uptown Charlotte from 11:45 a.m.- 12:45 p.m. To preregister, call (704) 847-0038. The event is free and open to the public.

Caption:

CHRISTOPHER A. RECORD - STAFF PHOTO. Doris Woodward (center) goes over paperwork with husband Jim and paralegal Vonnie Bishop at Christian Adoption Services.