Adoption Award Recipients

The 2020 AFABC Adoption Award recipients were announced at our virtual Annual General Meeting on September 23, 2020.

Every year, we recognize individuals and organizations for their significant contributions to the adoption and permanency community. These individuals and organizations are some of our biggest advocates. They help us make a difference in the lives of waiting children and youth, and for all adoptive families in British Columbia. This year, there are seven very deserving recipients of AFABC Adoption Awards.

Adoption Champion Award
This award is given to recognize the hard work and dedication of an individual volunteer or group of volunteers who have made an outstanding personal contribution to AFABC.

Bob Armstrong

Bob donated his time and considerable skill to facilitate AFABC’s strategic planning sessions. His commitment to ensuring that the process was thorough, and the skill with which he facilitated sessions has resulted in a strategic plan that will shape a successful future for the organization. The AFABC board and staff are grateful for Bob’s generosity and his dedication to making certain that every voice was heard.

Deanna Jones

AFABC recognizes Deanna’s years of volunteer service and support to families in the Kamloops area. The time and dedication she puts into running Wiggles and Giggles and organizing events for families and parents demonstrates a passion for helping families survive and thrive. Deanna’s empathy for families in crisis and willingness to listen and share resources reflects an ongoing commitment to helping families and kids succeed. Her dedication to volunteering in the community to help guide families pre and post permanency alongside her own adoption journey is outstanding.

Adoption in Action Award
This award recognizes a business or organization that acknowledges and promotes adoption in the workplace.

Home Depot

This year the award goes to Home Depot for its Adoption Financial Assistance Benefit, available to employees to help with the expense of adopting a child.

Spirit Award - Individual
Recognizes an individual donor who has made significant and meaningful cash or in-kind donations to AFABC.

Brady & Liz Josephson

Brady Josephson is a next-gen expert in digital fundraising. He is also a new dad who encountered AFABC when he and his wife adopted a baby boy. When AFABC reached out, Brady agreed to become a strategic fundraising advisor when we were ready. In the meantime, AFABC were the fortunate recipients of over $3,500 that the Josephson's raised in honour of Brady’s birthday.

Spirit Award - Corporate
This award recognizes an organization or business that has made a significant and meaningful financial or in-kind contribution to AFABC.

Goodwin & Mark LLP (Herman Cheung)

Herman Cheung has worked with Family Services for many years now, providing legal information and being generous and flexible with his time.  Thank you to Goodwin & Mark and to Herman for the support that has had a long-term impact on our ability to deliver services to the adoption and permanency community.

Helen Mark Excellence in Adoption Award
This award recognizes an individual or organization's outstanding contribution to adoption and/or the well being and needs of adoptive families and their children. This award is reserved to recognize those whose passion for adoption and permanency is reflected in their life's work. 

Maria Bailey

Marie is a Permanency Planning & Adoption social worker for MCFD who has spent her career working with determination, compassion, and thoughtfulness in all that she does toward finding permanency for children in care.

Special Recognition Award
Given at our discretion to an individual or organization that deserves special recognition for their outstanding contribution to AFABC and the adoption and permanency community.

Deloitte Canada LLP

We are thrilled this year to recognize the Deloitte team (led by Jay Kiew) who conducted the situational analysis that lay the foundation for our new strategic plan. We are incredibly grateful for Deloitte’s generosity, and the team’s skill and dedication.

Past recipients

2019

Adoption Champion Award:  Renata Ward, Dale Mernett and Amy Pon
Spirit Award - Corporate:  Broadway Camera
Spirit Award - Individual:  Brian Anderson
Special Recognition Award: Elli Tonn
Helen Mark Excellence in Adoption Award: Karen Madeiros

2018

Adoption Champion Award: Tara Hultin
Spirit Award - Corporate: Social Venture Partners Vancouver
Spirit Award - Individual: Sonja Weissenbacher
Helen Mark Excellence in Adoption Award: Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond
Helen Mark Excellence in Adoption Award: Brenda McCreight, Ph.D., RSW

2016

Adoption Champion Award: Sandra Banks, Insight Support Services
Spirit Award - Individual: Treena & Kevin Innes
Spirit Award - Corporate: The Victoria Foundation
Special Recognition Award: Tracy Sherlock, Lori Culbert, The Vancouver Sun
Helen Mark Excellence in Adoption Award: Anne Clayton

2014
Adoption in Action Award: Deloitte Canada
Adoption Champion Award: Deanna Jones; Drew Savage
Spirit Award - Individual: Peggy Howard
Spirit Award - Corporate: John Hardie Mitchell Family Foundation
Special Recognition Award: Pieta Woolley and The Tyee

2013
Adoption in Action Award: Port Metro Vancouver & International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Local 517
AFABC Champion Award: John Aquing
Spirit Award - Individual: Ian Telfer & Nancy Burke
Spirit Award - Corporate: Accent Inns
Helen Mark Excellence in Adoption Award: Sandra Scarth

2012
Adoption in Action Award: BC Assessment
AFABC Champion Award: Carrie & Gerald Hohnstein
Special Recognition Award: Catherine Pope
Special Recognition Award: Global TV BC

2011
Adoption in Action Award: Certified General Accountants Association of Canada
AFABC Champion Award: Lyn Mogren
Spirit Award - Individual: Trisha Tyrell and Bret Gagnon
Spirit Award - Corporate: Raymond James and Ross Birney
Helen Mark Excellence in Adoption Award: Lalum'utl' Smuneem Child and Family Services