From left: Amelia (adopted at 14 months), Amy (mom), Ameena (adopted at 3 months) and Zhandra (mom)

For Amy and Zhandra, fostering and adopting were always part of the plan. “I’ve wanted to adopt since I was a little kid,” Amy shared. “Foster care just clicked for me as the way I’d become a mom.”

When she and her partner, Zhandra, decided the time was right, they opened their hearts and home to siblings Amelia and Ameena. The couple knew the sisters needed a forever family, and from the very beginning, it was clear they were the ones to provide it.

Amelia and Ameena were among more than 200 children adopted during Los Angeles County’s National Adoption Day celebration in 2024, with support from the Alliance for Children’s Rights.

Amy and Zhandra’s commitment didn’t stop with Amelia and Ameena. They have maintained relationships with the sisters’ two older half-siblings, who are in legal guardianship, as well as their biological parents and maternal grandparents.

“We’ve expanded the meaning of family,” Amy said, emphasizing the importance of keeping those connections alive for their daughters.

Amelia, now 4, and Ameena, 3, are thriving with a forever family. Born premature and with initial challenges, both girls are now healthy, happy and meeting all their developmental milestones.

The support and stability provided by Amy and Zhandra have been transformative, offering the girls a loving environment where they can grow and flourish.

Thank you, Alliance for Children’s Rights, for sharing this story.

Did you adopt a child as part of a National Adoption Day event or help organize a National Adoption Day celebration in your community? Share your story.