Lincoln and Wendy Eckerd

Angels in Adoption 2005 - Colorado

Selected by Representative Tom Tancredo

Lincoln and Wendy Eckerd are truly exceptional foster and adoptive parents, having fostered 72 children from crisis agencies over 12 years. They are a multicultural family with four children of African American, American Indian, Latino, and Jewish heritages, ranging in age from 8 to 21 years. The parents like to say that during their foster care years, they were blessed with the ability to choose what they call the "cream of the crop," although their children came with many disabilities. They are preparing to celebrate their "Family Anniversary" on July 29th to commemorate the 17th year of the adoption of their children. Their testimony is fraught with some heartbreaking setbacks and losses, relocations, and tireless effort, but their joy remains constant. The children have been instilled with the kind of family values that seem scarce in today's economy. The Eckerds have plans to continue the stream of foster children when their own are a bit older.