Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange - MARE

06/16/2026

This past weekend, we gathered for our Annual Adoption & Foster Care Symposium: Building Belonging Together: Strengthening Systems, Sustaining Families—Commit. Connect. Act.

The day brought together youth with lived experience, foster and adoptive families, community partners, advocates, and child welfare professionals for meaningful conversations about what it takes to create belonging for young people in foster care.

Throughout the symposium, one message came through loud and clear: youth want to be heard, included, and empowered to help shape the decisions that affect their lives. Their stories, insights, and courage grounded every discussion and reminded us why youth voice must remain at the center of this work.

Together, we explored how belonging extends beyond permanency; it is built through relationships, identity affirmation, advocacy, community, and consistent care. We reflected on the shared responsibility we all have to ensure that every young person feels seen, supported, connected, and valued.

Thank you to our speakers, panelists, attendees, volunteers, community partners, and planning committee members who helped make this year's symposium such a meaningful experience. We are especially grateful to the youth and young adults who shared their lived experiences and challenged us to listen, learn, and act.

06/15/2026

Join us for Northern Region Matching Night! Licensed and nearly licensed families are invited to attend this in-person event to learn about children and sibling groups, ages 5+, who are in need of adoptive homes. During the evening, you'll have the opportunity to meet with adoption social workers from across the Northern Region, learn more about children and teens, and discuss potential matches for your family.
📅 Tuesday, July 21
🕕 6:00–8:00 PM
🍪 Light refreshments will be served

Please note: Children will not be in attendance at this event.
RSVP by Wednesday, July 15.

Register today and take the next step in your adoption journey: https://hubs.la/Q04lrQr70

06/11/2026

On May 31, our Director of Family Support Services, Liz Joyal, and her husband Paul were recognized by DCF as Foster Parents of the Year for the Worcester West Area.

Liz's experience as a foster and adoptive parent has shaped both her family and her career. As she shared: "My roles as a foster/adoptive parent and child welfare professional are intricately linked."

What began as a journey to adopt their son from foster care grew into a passion for helping other families build lasting connections and experience belonging. Today, that passion is felt throughout Liz's work at MARE, where she supports families navigating the adoption journey.

We are incredibly proud to have Liz on our team and grateful for the lived experience, empathy, and leadership she brings to our mission.

Congratulations, Liz and Paul on this well-deserved recognition! 💙

06/09/2026

Despite the rain and wind, our Franklin Park Zoo Meet & Greet was a wonderful success!

The weather may have kept everyone indoors at times, but it also created opportunities for youth and families to spend quality time together, and build connections.

One youth formed such a strong bond with a family that neither wanted the day to end, and we're excited to share that there may be four potential matches as an outcome of this event.

Thank you to MARE staff members Sacha, Bridget, and Mary Liz for their support, our dedicated volunteers and board members who helped supervise, volunteer photographer Judy W. for capturing memories and updating child profile photos, and the Crochet Cluster for donating handmade plushies that brought smiles to every child.

"The smiles and laughter of the kiddos were so bright we didn’t need the sunshine," said Janet, the event's organizer.

06/09/2026

Join MARE for Ask Me: I Did It!, a virtual event designed for people who are just beginning to explore adoption from foster care in Massachusetts.

Hear directly from experienced adoptive parents as they share their personal journeys and answer questions about the realities of foster care adoption. You'll also learn about the licensing process, the agencies involved, and the children and teens in need of adoptive homes.

📅 Upcoming Dates: June 17 , July 23

👉 Register here: https://hubs.la/Q04kNcZx0

06/08/2026

This Pride Month, we're celebrating LGBTQ+ youth, families, and communities while reaffirming our commitment to helping youth in foster care build lasting family connections.

LGBTQ+ youth are disproportionately represented in foster care and often face additional barriers to achieving permanency. Every young person deserves to be seen, supported, and have the opportunity to grow up in a safe, permanent family.

At MARE, we are proud to support LGBTQ+ youth and prospective adoptive families through inclusive resources, educational opportunities, family recruitment efforts, and community-building programs. As a recipient of the Human Rights Campaign's All Children–All Families Seal of Recognition, we remain committed to creating welcoming pathways to adoption from foster care for families of all backgrounds.

06/05/2026

Our upcoming Southern Region Meet & Greet offers families currently enrolled in MAPP or further along in the process an opportunity to learn more about children and teens in need of adoptive homes and connect directly with social workers about potential matches. Register today and take the next step in your adoption journey. ⬇️

Looking to grow your family through adoption? Join us for an upcoming Southern Region Matching Event for families currently enrolled in MAPP or further along in the adoption process.

This event is an opportunity to learn more about children and teens in foster care in need of adoptive homes and connect directly with social workers to discuss potential matches for your family.

📍 Location shared upon registration
📋 Open to families currently in the adoption process

We hope you’ll join us for this meaningful opportunity to build life-changing connections for youth in foster care.

Register today: https://hubs.la/Q04hw3qq0

06/01/2026

What an incredible Walk/Run for Adoption season! Over the past few weeks, our community came together across Worcester, Northampton, Ashland, and Taunton to walk, run, connect, and show support for youth in foster care and their path to permanency.

Because of your incredible support, together we've raised over $100,000! 👟

Across all events, we welcomed:
✨ 547 registered walkers & runners
✨ 41 teams
✨ Hundreds of community members, volunteers, families, donors, and supporters

To everyone who participated in any way this year: thank you for helping us make this Walk/Run season so meaningful. We’re incredibly grateful to walk alongside you. 💛

05/31/2026

🌟 Meet Justice—this week’s Boston Globe Sunday’s Child! 🎮📚

Justice is social, caring, and full of humor that brings smiles to everyone around him. He has an easygoing, welcoming personality and loves connecting with others—whether he’s joking around or just spending time together. 😄💛

A big reader, Justice especially enjoys anime and graphic novels, diving into imaginative storylines and following his favorite characters. 📖✨ These stories spark his creativity and give him a fun way to relax and express himself.

In his free time, Justice loves getting out for a good meal—Popeyes and Applebee’s are two of his favorite spots and always put a smile on his face. 🍗🍔 He’s also proud of his gaming skills and likes to joke that he’s a “professional” video gamer—whether he’s playing for fun or competition, it’s something he truly enjoys. 🎮🔥

Justice’s warmth, humor, and love for connection make him a joy to be around. He shines when he’s sharing laughs and enjoying the things he loves. ✨

💛 Learn more about Justice:
https://hubs.la/Q04fgwmK0

05/28/2026

Join us for a day of learning, connection, and conversation at the 2026 Annual Adoption & Foster Care Symposium: Building Belonging Together: Strengthening Systems, Sustaining Families—Commit. Connect. Act.

This year's symposium is centered on youth voice, lived experience, permanency, and the shared responsibility of creating environments where every young person feels seen, supported, and valued.

The event will bring together youth and families with lived experience, caregivers, professionals, and community partners for meaningful discussions about strengthening systems, sustaining families, and building belonging together.

Whether you’re a current or prospective foster/adoptive parent, provider, advocate, or community member, we invite you to be part of the conversation and the action.

📅 Saturday, June 13, 2026
🕚 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
📍 Brockton, MA
🔗 https://hubs.ly/Q04jdJDF0

Register today and join us in building stronger connections and brighter futures for youth and families