WASHINGTON - Pat and Anne Baldwin of Birmingham have been named 2005 “Angels in Adoption.” The Baldwins will be honored at a national ceremony in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday night.
In 1978, Dr. Robert and Pat Baldwin adopted infant daughter Anne, of Asian background. Taken by the long and difficult road necessary to adopt a foreign child, Pat was inspired to help others who pursue adoptions from other countries. She soon founded Alabama Friends of Adoption (AFOA), an adoption advocacy group for parents, as well as an organization that sought to find homes for children with special needs.
Pat has since founded two other organizations: Amigo de Alabama and Villa Hope. Amigo de Alabama was established to provide aid to orphanages in developing countries. Villa Hope, the first International Adoption Agency in Alabama, has found homes for more than 1,200 children since its inception in 1988.
When Anne was seven years old she began to travel with her mother and soon decided to follow in her footsteps. During her travels she studied Spanish in Guatemala and worked with an orphanage in Bolivia. While in college, she lobbied for passage of an adoption bill in South America and met with the House of Representatives in La Paz, Bolivia.
In May 2005, Anne became the Executive Director of Villa Hope International Adoption Agency. Together mother and daughter continue to help children around the world without families of their own. Their selfless dedication to their chosen work has given new life to abandoned and orphaned children all over the world. Pat and Anne Baldwin are classic examples of what is meant by the “Angel” in contemporary society.
Congressman Spencer Bachus nominated the Baldwins for the “Angels in Adoption” award. Bachus, his wife Linda and staff member Jennifer Bellamy will join the Baldwins at the ceremony.
The Angels in Adoption program was created in 1999 to raise public awareness of the different ways committed individuals can help children and families through adoption.
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