50 years of Families Rising
Honoring the power of family, the importance of identity, and the need for supportive communities in child welfare.
Championing the well-being of children and families for 50 years.
Since 1975, Families Rising has supported children and their families through adoption, foster care, and kinship care. Check out some of the stats:
have accessed federal and state dollars through our Adoption Subsidy Resource Center.
have received critical resources through our parent support groups with Families Rising Minnesota.
Together, we rise.
Families Rising by the decades
Founding & Early Years
Once known as the North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC), our organization was founded by a small group of committed adoptive and foster parents and professionals who came together in response to a confusing and frustrating child welfare system.
In the 70s, we:
- Began legislative advocacy under guidance from Laurie Flynn
- Played a crucial role in shaping adoption laws
- Started gathering an international group of adoptive parents and professionals for a bi-annual convention
New Leadership & Headquarters
Expanding this network of parents and advocates, new leadership took the helm and broadened our horizons.
In the 80s, we:
- Hired Joe Kroll as executive director
- Moved our headquarters to Minnesota
- Helped establish the Adoption Council of Canada in 1989
- Sent Kroll on a North American tour to gather resources on expert training for parents and professionals on much-needed topics
- Transitioned to an annual Adoption & Foster Care Conference that grew each year
Parent Support Groups & Research
Continuing to respond to adoptive and foster parents’ needs, we also expanded our support resources.
In the 90s, we:
- Expanded our parent support group network in Minnesota
- Published research briefs that shed light on the complexities of child welfare
- Created a user’s guide for families on adoption subsidy and distributed it nation-wide
Post-Adoption & Advocacy
The turn of the century brought new challenges and opportunities. The organization deepened its roots in Minnesota while simultaneously broadening its reach.
In the 2000s, we:
- Promoted Mary Boo to executive director after Kroll’s retirement
- Ventured into post-adoption services, tackling policy issues head-on
- Were instrumental in extending how far back families could receive the Adoption Tax Credit
- Helped pass the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act in 2008 to help more kids be eligible for federal funding
A New Era
The legacy of those before us established our identity, which remains today: a vast network of dedicated caregivers and professionals championing the well-being of children and families.
In the 2020s, we:
- Rebranded from NACAC to Families Rising
- Received funding to launch the new Center for Workforce Excellence and Leadership, supporting child welfare professionals across America
- Launched the Families Rising CoachUp podcast to support leaders in child welfare
- Are ready to celebrate the 50th annual Families Rising Adoption & Foster Care Conference in October, 2025!