WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) recognized Dawn Curtis and the late Danny Curtis for their commitment to providing a loving home to children in need and making a difference for other families throughout the region. Boozman nominated the couple from Winslow, Arkansas for the 2020 Congressional Angels in Adoption award and talked with Dawn to celebrate this recognition via a Zoom meeting on Tuesday.
The Curtises have 12 children, including 10 they adopted from foster care, and have been advocates for adoption and the needs of children through their careers and personal lives.
“The Curtis family is an amazing example of putting love into action. Their personal commitment changed the lives of the children they brought into their family and serves as an inspiration for others as to the impact of foster care and adoption. I’m proud to recognize Mrs. Curtis and her late husband for their inspiring work on behalf of children and families in Arkansas,” Boozman said.
The couple first became adoptive parents after seeing a photo album of children in foster care at a booth hosted by the Arkansas Department of Human Services at a local Walmart. They fell in love with the picture of a four-year-old girl and learned she had three brothers. The siblings had been in the foster care system for three years and multiple homes when the couple adopted all four of the children.
After their first adoption experience, Dawn decided to follow her passion to work with children in foster care and obtained her master’s degree in social work. She went on to work for the Arkansas Department of Human Services and served in a variety of roles during her career, including as an Adoption Specialist. During these years, the family was approached to consider adopting others in foster care and eventually added six additional children to their home.
Danny worked for many years as a police officer and a bus driver while caring for his growing family. Danny and Dawn also visited Washington, D.C. on several occasions to advocate for adoption and children in foster care. The 12 Curtis children span 20 years of age and are all adults now, but the example and dedication of their parents continues to move everyone around them.
The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) coordinates the Angels in Adoption program and raises awareness about the tens of thousands of orphans and foster children in the United States, and the millions of orphans around the world in need of permanent homes.
“The Angels in Adoption program gives a platform to the families, advocates, and experts who so often serve quietly behind the scenes yet make a huge impact on behalf of children and families. Together with the Adoption Caucus, we are thrilled to shine a light on the extraordinary work of our Angels,” said CCAI’s Executive Director, Nancy Kay Blackwell.
Boozman annually nominates an Arkansan or Arkansas organization that has made an extraordinary contribution on behalf of children in need of safe and loving homes as an Angel in Adoption.