Spence-Chapin's Celebrates 20 Years of Adoption in China

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Jun 1, 2012) - Spence-Chapin Adoption Services is celebrating 20 years of adoption in China. The organization will be hosting an event tomorrow, June 2, 2012, at the Museum of Chinese in America (www.mocanyc.org) and the Golden Unicorn Restaurant (www.goldenunicornrestaurant.com) to honor the families formed through this adoption program and key individuals who have made this possible.

Since 1992, in partnership with the China Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption (CCCWA), Spence-Chapin has place over 600 children from China in loving homes in the United States.

Tomorrow we will be honoring four individuals and one organization, each of which has had a profound impact on the lives of hundreds of children born in China who are now growing up in the United States with their adoptive families.

BEI BEI GU Founding director of the New York Chinese Cultural Center (NYCCC) (www.chinesedance.org) established 1972.

FLICKA VAN PRAAGH Director of International Programs (1992 - 2000) and coordinator of the China Adoption Program (2000 - 2004) at Spence-Chapin Services to Families and Children.

XIONG YAN Spence-Chapin adoption representative in China from 1992 to 1997 and current coordinator of our two Granny Programs in Xi'an and Ankang, China.

ZHAO HUA Spence-Chapin adoption representative in China since 1997 and our current liaison with the Chinese Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption.

THE CHINA CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S WELFARE AND ADOPTION (CCCWA) is the government agency responsible for processing all adoptions from China. Located in Beijing, the CCCWA was established on June 24, 1996 by China's Ministry of Civil Affairs.

SPENCE-CHAPIN (www.spence-chapin.org) traces its roots back to 1908 when two independent nurseries for orphans were founded in New York City. They joined in 1943 to become Spence-Chapin Services. In 1946, its highly respected African-American program was started, and in 1975, the agency launched its first international adoption program. The agency focuses on finding adoptive homes for infants and young children in need of families both in the greater New York-area and around the world. It offers free services and counseling to pregnant women throughout New York City, Long Island, and Northern and Central New Jersey, and adoption counseling services to all adoptive families through its Adoption Resource Center. Spence-Chapin is accredited by the Council on Accreditation and authorized by the United States Department of State as one of the agencies authorized to conduct Intercountry adoptions under the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption.

Documents and/or Photos available for this release:
Spence-Chapin CHINA20 Celebration
Spence-Chapin China Adoption Papers
Spence-Chapin China Adoption Booklet
To view supporting documents and/or photos, go to www.enr-corp.com/pressroom and enter Release ID: 330855