HFS Adoption & Foster Care

03/28/2026

Some stories are just meant to come full circle. ❤️

We are so excited to introduce Irene Sharpe, our newest HFS Board Member — and someone whose connection to Holy Family Services runs incredibly deep.

In 1995, Irene and her husband John adopted their daughter Madeline through HFS. It was, in her own words, the greatest gift of their lives. Now, more than 30 years later, Irene is giving back by joining our Board of Directors and helping guide the mission that shaped her family.

From adoptive mother, to 200 Associates member, to Board Member — Irene's journey is a beautiful testament to the lasting bonds HFS helps create.

Please join us in welcoming her! 🙌

Read her full story here 👉 https://www.hfs.org/blog/news-features/from-adoptive-mother-to-board-member-meet-irene-sharpe/

When we welcomed Irene Sharpe to the Holy Family Services Board of Directors last September, we were not just gaining an experienced professional and thoughtful leader. We were welcoming home someone whose life has been deeply shaped by the very mission she now helps to guide.

03/26/2026

What a night! 💙

On March 14th, we gathered at Holy Family Catholic Church in South Pasadena for our HFS Alumni Gathering — and it was everything we hoped it would be and more.

Friends old and new came together to share memories, catch up, and celebrate the lasting bonds that HFS helps create. The warmth in that room was something special.

Thank you to every single person who joined us. You are the heart of this community. 🙏

Want to stay involved? We're building an Alumni Committee to help plan future events — and we'd love to have you on board! Contact Executive Director Julie Brown at [email protected] to learn more.

Read the full recap here 👉 https://www.hfs.org/blog/news-features/reconnecting-with-purpose-a-recap-of-the-hfs-alumni-gathering/

03/16/2026

🎉 A huge THANK YOU to everyone who attended the HFS Alumni Gathering on March 14th at Holy Family Catholic Church in South Pasadena! It was such a joy to reconnect and celebrate our community together.

If you’d like to stay involved and help plan future alumni events, we’d love to have you on the Alumni Committee! Please reach out to our Executive Director, Julie Brown, at [email protected].

Together, we continue to build a community rooted in love and service. ❤️

12/13/2025

We are so excited to share that Kelly Kelleher has joined the Board of Directors at Holy Family Services (HFS) Adoption & Foster Care!

Kelly and her husband always knew they wanted to grow their family through adoption, but navigating where and how to begin was overwhelming. After connecting with HFS — an organization with a mission they truly believed in — their journey to parenthood began, and “it felt meant to be.”

Today, Kelly not only shares her own adoption story but also celebrates the incredible work HFS does: supporting birth parents, adoptive parents, families navigating foster-to-adopt paths, and partnering with local communities and health systems.

Read her message: https://www.hfs.org/blog/family-stories/new-hfs-board-member-and-adoptive-parent-kelly-kelleher/

12/02/2025

🎁 This , help give the greatest gift of all — family.

Every child deserves to feel loved, safe, and home. 💛
This season, join HFS Adoption & Foster Care in making that possible.

Your generosity helps us:
✨ Connect children with nurturing, permanent homes
✨ Support and empower foster parents
✨ Bring hope to those waiting to belong

When you give, you're not just donating — you’re transforming lives and helping children find the love and stability they deserve.

👉 Join us this Giving Tuesday and make a lasting impact: http://weblink.donorperfect.com/hfs
Together, we can help every child find their way home. 🏡💛

10/03/2025

We’re excited to welcome Shannon Matta, MSW as HFS’s new Outreach Coordinator! 🎉 With years of experience in foster care and adoption, Shannon will focus on building lasting relationships with hospitals and clinics as well as growing our foster parent program.

Interested in becoming a foster parent or having Shannon speak at your event? Reach out at [email protected] or (213) 202-3900. 💜

Meet Shannon: https://www.hfs.org/blog/news-features/welcoming-ejiro-ubiedi-morrow-as-grant-writer/

Shannon Matta is ready to partner with you and bring the message of foster care and adoption to your organization.

10/02/2025

✨ Family grows with love! ✨

David and Jerrod always dreamed of being parents. In 2019, their daughter Eva was born through HFS, filling their lives with joy. In 2021, they returned to adopt through foster care and were matched with siblings Leila and Nolan. This past April, their adoptions were finalized, officially completing their family of five. 💜
We celebrate their beautiful journey and the reminder that love makes a family.

Read their story: https://www.hfs.org/blog/foster-care/a-growing-family-david-and-jerrods-adoption-journey/

10/01/2025

A huge shout-out to the incredible nursing and social work staff at Dignity Health St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach! 💙 Thank you for your compassion, dedication, and the wonderful care you provided to our birth mother and the sweet baby placed yesterday. We are so grateful for your support and partnership. 🙏👶💐

Read more: https://www.hfs.org/blog/infant-adoption/two-weeks-of-love-and-support-a-journey-of-adoption-at-st-marys/

08/31/2025

Featured in HFS’s 2024 Gratitude Report were Luis and Rebecca Bardelas, foster parents who were working with HFS to adopt 2 siblings in the Foster Care system. HFS is thrilled to announce that siblings Manuel and Andres were finalized in their forever family just yesterday, August 27th, in the Edmund D. Edelman Children’s Court in Monterey Park, County of Los Angeles. We can now reveal the children’s names and their faces!

08/28/2025

✨ Every child deserves a safe, loving home—and you can help make that happen.

Through our Fost-Adopt program, children in foster care are connected with families who can provide stability, care, and the possibility of a forever home. By becoming a Resource Family, you’re not just opening your doors—you’re opening a world of security, belonging, and hope for a child’s future. 💙

You won’t be on this journey alone. Our dedicated team of social workers provides personalized support, training, and resources every step of the way.

🌟 A Joyful Update: Featured in HFS’s 2024 Gratitude Report, Luis and Rebecca Bardelas opened their hearts to two siblings in foster care. Yesterday, August 27th, in the Edmund D. Edelman Children’s Court in Monterey Park, their adoption of Manuel and Andres was finalized! 🎉👨‍👩‍👦‍👦

We are overjoyed to celebrate this forever family—and grateful for every person who helps make these moments possible. 💛

Read more: https://www.hfs.org/blog/fost-adopt/foster-adoption-through-hfs-luis-and-rebecca-bardelas/

08/26/2025

✨ Circle of Hope 2025 was a success! ✨

On May 18, over 100 supporters gathered in Pasadena to celebrate 76 years of adoption and foster care through HFS—raising more than $72,000 (exceeding our $60k goal!). 🎉

We honored the Adoption Guild of Southern California, Joseph Zanetta, for 20+ years of board service, and the inspiring Borkes–Washington family, who shared their beautiful adoption journey. 💙

Thank you to our staff, volunteers, sponsors, and every supporter who helps HFS create Forever Families. Together, we’re building brighter futures—one child at a time. 🌟

👉 Read more here: https://www.hfs.org/blog/news-features/circle-of-hope-2025/

Over 100 people celebrated 76 years of HFS Adoption and Foster Care at the Circle of Hope on May 18th, 2025. Thank you to Los Angeles Episcopal Bishop John H. Taylor and his wife, Kathy O’Connor, for their hospitality in hosting the gathering at their home in Pasadena. As the committee considered ...

06/26/2025

🎉 A good time was had by all – how could we not have!!

On May 18, 2025, we celebrated 76 years of HFS Adoption and Foster Care at our Circle of Hope fundraiser, hosted by Bishop John H. Taylor and Kathy O’Connor in Pasadena. With the help of our amazing community, we surpassed our goal and raised over $72,000 for adoption and foster programs!

Special thanks to honoree Joseph Zanetta, the Borkes-Washington family for sharing their story, and to our incredible board, staff, and volunteers. From auctions to live music, it was a day filled with love, connection, and purpose.

Thank you for helping us create Forever Families. 💙