Jacob is a fun-loving, active child born. Born in 1998, he enjoys outdoor activities such as swimming, hiking and riding his bike. He loves to go out to eat with his foster family and is willing to try new things. He has a collection of Pokemon cards and enjoys showing them off.

Jacob attends public school, where he receives special services to help him with academics, as well as occupational and speech therapy. He occasionally struggles with peer interactions, but is working hard to improve that. He does well with younger children.

Jacob will thrive in a home where there is a lot of structure and consistency. He likes being active, so a family that is willing to keep him busy would be best. If there are other children in the home, it would be best if they were not close to his age. An adoption subsidy may be available to the most appropriate family.

Sierra has a creative flair and likes outdoor activities

A creative child, Sierra, born in 1991, loves dabbling in arts and crafts. She would love an adoptive family that will support her bright, inquisitive personality. An active and energetic outdoor lover, Sierra enjoys swimming, sledding, kicking a soccer ball and being at the playground. When interacting with others, especially adults, she is engaging and friendly. She enjoys individual attention and likes to please others by helping with daily chores. She has a great sense of humor and is thoughtful and sensitive.

One of Sierra’s favorite activities is going to the library. She also likes to go to the park and to the movies. She attends middle school and does well in her classes, with reading as her favorite subject. She loves animals, especially cats. She always offers to help with daily chores and enjoys pleasing others with her help.

Sierra, who is in good medical health, has participated in attachment therapy in the past, and it is essential that she continue attachment work with her selected adoptive family. She is learning how to express her emotions and feelings in a more positive way. She does best in an environment where she feels comfortable and safe. When her routine changes, she can feel overwhelmed and become anxious and hyperactive. Positive feedback and reward programs help keep her grounded.

The ideal family for Sierra would be a one- or two-parent family that has some experience parenting a child with special needs. She would do best in a family where she is the only child. Sierra’s adoptive parents need to be patient, structured and willing to participate in therapy. The family should also be willing to maintain contact with Sierra’s biological sister. Sierra has stated that “the right family for me is one who can take care of me, not treat me bad, and when I play and when I am sad, they take care of me.”

Jacob and Sierra are two of 137 children currently in Maine Department of Health and Human Service’s care who are seeking an adoptive family. Ninety-eight of those children have been waiting for permanency for more than a year.

Based in Gardiner, A Family for ME is a non-profit program that works in collaboration with Maine DHHS to find foster and adoptive families. For more information, contact the nonprofit toll-free at 1-877-505-0545, or visit www.AFamilyForMe.org and see the Heart Gallery of photographs of children awaiting a “forever family,” taken by Chuck Pelletier Images of Lewiston.