Jimmy, born in 1994, is a handsome young man with a good sense of humor. He loves to play video games and his Game Boy. While he is more of an indoor kid, he does like to fish and “hang out” – passing a ball around or sitting in the yard. He is partial to animals and has taken therapeutic horseback riding lessons, which he really enjoyed. Besides his affection for horses, he has does well with dogs and cats.

Struggling a bit in school, Jimmy receives special-education services, mostly to help him remain on task and appropriate during school hours. His adoptive parents will need to be actively involved in his school programming as well as in assisting him with school work in the evenings.

Jimmy has a team working with him that is committed to identifying a forever home where he can maintain contact with his sister. These professionals would like to keep the possibility of Jimmy and his sister living together open if possible. They have been through a lot together and keeping them in frequent contact is very important.

Jimmy will do best in a patient family willing to meet him where he is developmentally and to help him reach his potential. The family must realize that he will test their commitment. Participating in therapy focused on building their relationships will be crucial. It is also important that Jimmy’s family be willing to help him learn to live independently as he enters adulthood.

Pauline has a happy spirit,

likes one-on-one attention

Pauline has large brown eyes and a warm smile. She was born in 1994 but is emotionally much younger then her physical age. She is full of energy, affectionate, attaches easily and thrives with one-on-one attention. She responds well to empathy and praise.

She is engaging and can be polite, sweet and helpful. Her happy spirit can be contagious. She is making continuing progress on understanding boundaries and personal space. She has been in the Maine Department of Health and Human Service’s custody since the fall of 2000 and has won the hearts of those who’ve come to know her.

Pauline’s favorite class in school is art, which is no surprise because she loves arts and crafts. She is functioning below grade level but is making improvements every day. She receives extra support in reading and writing classes when needed and works hard to get past frustrating challenges.

She enjoys swimming, riding her bike, camping, drawing and sewing. Pauline loves animals and would like to be in a family open to having pets, especially cats. She is an avid watcher of “Animal Planet” and hopes to work with animals when she is older.

Pauline would like a family to keep her healthy, take care of her and tuck her in at night. She would do best in a two-parent family where she would be the only child or the youngest. She needs a family to provide her with supervision, emotional support and patience. She would do best in a family that has lots of time and energy.

Jimmy and Pauline are two of the 150 children currently in Maine Department of Health and Human Service’s care who are seeking an adoptive family. 107 of those children have been waiting for permanency for more than a year. There are 2,144 children in the state’s care and 1,203 licensed foster homes. Based in Gardiner, A Family for ME is a nonprofit program that works in collaboration with DHHS.

For more information, contact A Family for ME toll free at 1-877-505-0545 or visit www.AFamilyForMe.org and see the Heart Gallery of photographs of some of the many children awaiting a “forever family.”