Courtesy photo
Cynthia Lapidus Honored as Angel in Adoption
Submitted by Sheila Riccardi
Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) celebrated Cynthia Lapidus from Scotch Plains, NJ as a 2024 Angels in Adoption® Honoree for her outstanding advocacy for adoption issues. The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), which coordinates the Angels in Adoption® Program, honored Cynthia on September 11, 2024, at their annual celebration. Cynthia is an employee of the New Jersey Adoption Resource Clearing House (NJ ARCH), a program of Children’s Aid and Family Services.
Cynthia was recognized for being a passionate leader in adoption personally and professionally. After earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Elizabethtown College, Cynthia launched her career in adoption. She worked with several agencies in New Jersey before joining the New Jersey Adoption Resource Clearing House (NJ ARCH), a program of Children’s Aid and Family Services. Her role as the Warm Line and Training Specialist allows her to share her extensive knowledge of adoption information and resources with empathy to all who contact the program. Additionally, Cynthia teaches numerous adoption-focused parenting workshops through NJ ARCH.
Cynthia’s passion for adoption extends into her family life. After giving birth to two children, she and her husband adopted their youngest child from South Korea in 2004.
“Cindy lives our mission every day and has helped hundreds of children find loving families throughout her 30-year career. She has changed the trajectory of their lives forever,” says Shavonda E. Sumter, President and CEO of Children’s Aid and Family Services. “All of us at the agency are delighted that she was selected for this well-deserved honor.”
About Angels in Adoption®
The Angels in Adoption® Program is CCAI’s signature public awareness event and provides an annual opportunity for all members of the U.S. Congress to learn of and recognize the great work of their constituents who have enriched the lives of vulnerable children and families in the United States and abroad. This year, 57 Angels from 34 states are being honored through the 26th Annual Angels in Adoption® Program. Read the full list of honorees at ccainstitute.org/programs/view/angels-in-adoption-honorees
CCAI is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization dedicated to raising awareness about children and youth in the United States and around the world in need of permanent, safe, and nurturing families. Founded in 2001 by the Co-Chairs of the Adoption Caucus – the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, which is the largest bipartisan, bicameral caucus in the U.S. Congress – CCAI works with the caucus to eliminate policy barriers that hinder children from realizing their basic right of a family and more effectively raise congressional and public awareness on permanency as it related to adoption, foster care, and child welfare.
About Children’s Aid and Family Services
Children’s Aid and Family Services is a leading nonprofit human services organization serving northern New Jersey. The agency is fully accredited and has served the community for 125 years. Its mission is to strengthen families and empower individuals – children and adults alike – to reach their fullest potential. For more information on Children’s Aid and Family Services, call 201-261-2800 or visit cafsnj.org.
