March 21, 2024
Kinship Care What is ‘kinship care’? Sometimes, parents become unable to care for their children due to substance use, incarceration, financial struggles, lack of family planning, deportation, death, and more. It’s at these times when relatives are asked to raise…
February 2, 2024
Greenlight Honors Black History Month February is Black History Month. Greenlight Family Services recognizes that black youth and families too often face greater challenges within the child welfare system. We are here to help. Love is the foundation of every…
November 20, 2023
Adoption Day 2023 On Friday, November 17, 2023, the sound of pitter-pattering steps filled the halls of the Circuit Court of Cook County. These happy feet belonged to the children of seven families appearing at court to finalize their forever…
September 15, 2023
Adoption vs Guardianship Adoption and guardianship are legal terms that are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct meanings and implications. The main difference revolves around whether or not you need to terminate the biological parents’ rights to their children….
August 11, 2023
Back-to-School for Grandfamilies As the back-to-school season begins, it is essential to remember the thousands of grandparents across Illinois who are the caregivers that will be sending off their grandchildren to school. It is an important time to recognize the…
May 31, 2023
National Foster Care Month May is National Foster Care Month, a time to recognize the thousands of children and youth in foster care across the United States who are waiting for a loving, permanent home. According to the Department of…
May 15, 2023
Older Americans Month May is Older Americans Month, a time to celebrate and recognize the contributions of older adults in our communities. This year’s theme, “Aging Unbound,” encourages us to rethink aging and the possibilities that come along with it….
January 20, 2023
A Fresh Start At the beginning of the new year, you might have set some goals for yourself, decided to try out a hobby, or chosen a different career path. For some adults, this is the year they will embark…
November 30, 2022
Exciting Illinois Adoption Updates An Unforgettable Adoption Day To kickoff the Chicago Adoption Day festivities on Friday, November 18, 2022, Greenlight Family Services’ CEO Dr. Maria Nanos LCSW, Phd, joined Chief Judge Timothy Evans and Cook County Board President Toni…
November 15, 2019
By Sarah Thompson, LCSW Why was I placed for adoption? Didn’t my birth parents love me enough to keep me? What did they look like? I asked myself these questions during my childhood in Western Nebraska, where I was raised….
July 10, 2019
Since 2017, Greenlight Family Services has been designated by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption as an Illinois partner for Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, a signature program of the foundation that brings children waiting to be adopted from foster care one…
February 14, 2019
“It Was Challenging, It Was Exciting, and It Was Worth It” As Told By Felicia Stratten Adoption begins in your heart. When Felicia Stratten and her husband Sean decided they wanted to expand their family, they envisioned adopting a 5-year-old…
January 29, 2019
By Katie Friend, MA Adoptions Listing Service and Inquiry Unit and Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Adoption Supervisor Katie Friend says after 25 years in social work, building trusting and genuine relationships with our most vulnerable youth is not only important but…
January 29, 2019
By Ashley Reed, Greenlight Attorney-At-Law Why would anyone delay his or her retirement and step back into the role of raising children? The answer is simple for grandparents raising their grandchildren: the children are worth it. The reality of grandparents…
