The Adoption Project honored four leaders this week whose support of public policies to improve the adoption and foster care systems is making a real impact in the lives of children and families in Tennessee.
Each of the 2024 Champions for Adoption and Foster Care was recognized for advocating for or helping advance legislation, policies, and programs that build strong families through adoption and foster care.
Damon Hininger, who returned as chair of the annual event, was one of the evening’s honorees. “I have been touched by adoption directly and indirectly and have witnessed the difference it can make in the life of a child. I have been honored to chair this event and play a small role in advancing the important work of The Adoption Project,” Hininger said.
"We have been blessed by many great supporters and partners who have helped us with this transformational work,” said Jeremy Harrell, president and CEO of The Adoption Project. "This week celebrated four individuals whose passion for helping children and families has led to action and is helping us make Tennessee the best state to build strong families through adoption and foster care."
The following individuals were honored:
Senator Dawn White | Senator Dawn White is well known as an advocate for children and families in her capacities as an educator, a volunteer for CASA of Rutherford County, and as a member of the Tennessee General Assembly. Sen. White has been the co-sponsor of several important pieces of legislation that impact the most vulnerable, including a bill that made improvements to the state’s Safe Haven law.
Representative William Slater | Representative William Slater’s personal experiences have deepened his passion for adoption and foster care policy reform; he is a lifelong educator, and he and his wife have seven grandchildren, two of whom joined their family through adoption. The vice-chairman of the House Education Administration Committee, Rep. Slater has carried several bills that improve the lives of children.
Emily Chapman Richards | Emily Richards is a lifelong advocate for adoption and child welfare, serving as an advisor and ambassador for Show Hope, a non-profit organization co-founded by her parents, Mary Beth and Steven Curtis Chapman, and as a consultant working to advance child welfare reform and elevate strategies that promote timely and ethical solutions to permanency for children living outside of parental care. Emily is a member of the advisory council for The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) and a policy committee member for The Adoption Project.
Damon Hininger | Damon Hininger has helped lead the Tennessee business community’s support of The Adoption Project over the last two years, and serves on the organization’s Founders Committee. In addition to The Adoption Project, Hininger, the president and CEO of CoreCivic, has given back to and served various community organizations, including Men of Valor and the Middle Tennessee Boy Scouts.
Previous honorees include Governor Bill Lee, Senate Speaker Pro Tem Ferrell Haile, Representative Mary Littleton, and former First Lady Crissy Haslam.
Click here for The Adoption Project’s 2024 Impact Report to learn more about legislative and policy changes helping build stronger families through adoption and foster care in Tennessee.
ABOUT THE ADOPTION PROJECT - The Adoption Project is a non-profit 501(c)4 organization focused on adoption-friendly public policy. We are working to build a policy model that destigmatizes placing a child for adoption, streamlines the adoption process, fosters strong bonds and permanence for families, and encourages support for birth parents so that every child finds a family. Visit AdoptionFriendly.org.
