What We Do CCAI works to fulfill its mission in three key ways, we: Educate federal policymakers about the barriers that hinder children from realizing their basic right of a family and ways they might act to eliminate them. Before federal policymakers can make a difference in the life of a child in need of a home, they must know what differences need to be made.    CCAI’s goal is to provide federal policymakers with a place to go to gain the knowledge they need in order to use the power they have to bring about change.  CCAI’s educational efforts are all designed to supplement policymaker’s intuitive knowledge, often gained through charts, reports and research, with experiential knowledge, gained through interaction with individuals who live these issues every day.  Our experience has been that when a federal policymaker has the opportunity to personally witness an adoption proceeding, they better understand what being adopted means to a child’s life.  When they have the chance to speak with a small group representing the 29,500 young people who age out of foster care each year, they have a better sense of what we stand to lose if we don’t fix the problems facing foster care. Facilitate opportunities for dialogue and exchange of ideas between individuals who are in a position to bring about change on behalf of children in need of safe, permanent and loving homes. The majority of work being done today on behalf of children in need of homes is the result of ongoing efforts by federal, state and local officials, the private sector, non-profit and non-governmental organizations. While each of these entities has a role to play, it is not often that they get to come together to discuss what they may do collectively to address these issues.  Since its inception, CCAI has worked to present opportunities for “change makers” to engage in dialogue about the barriers that hinder children from realizing their basic right to a family and ways they might work in partnership to eliminate these barriers.  Whether it means hosting a roundtable discussion between Senators, Congressmen and Governors or coordinating an international policy forum on the way forward for Africa’s Orphans, CCAI’s efforts are building a foundation for real and lasting change.     Coordinate public and private efforts to raise awareness of the needs of orphan and foster children. The first step in bringing about change is letting people know that a problem exists.  To that end, CCAI works to plan and host events designed to raise awareness of the almost 460,000 children in the U.S. living in foster care and the over 100 million orphans worldwide.  The main goal of these efforts is to provide a platform for federal policymakers to use their voice on behalf of children in need of homes.  Through our Angels in Adoption program alone, CCAI has been successful in initiating over 350 positive adoption stories in newspapers throughout the country. What We Don’t Do CCAI does not lobby on behalf of any individual piece of federal legislation or federal program. We do not take official positions on issues related to adoption and foster care. We are not a government agency nor do we represent the U.S. Congress in any way. We do not apply for or accept funds from any government source.