AFPI Launches the National Adoption Project
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) hosted “Adoption is an Option: Building America’s Families” on Thursday, June 25, 2026, a roundtable event that convened advocates, experts, and community leaders to discuss how adoption strengthens American families. The event also marked the launch of the National Adoption Project, a new AFPI initiative focused on increasing adoptions in the United States.
Roundtable participants included:
- Martin Gillespie, Executive Director, AFPI
- Stacey Schieffelin, Chair of the America First Women’s Initiative, AFPI
- Dr. Daniel Trippie, Director for Faith Engagement, AFPI
- John Knox, Founder, Adoption.is
- Debi Tangler, Executive Director, Adoption.is.
In addition to the participants above, attendees also heard directly from birth mothers who chose to place their children with adoptive families. They shared firsthand perspectives on how adoption impacts children, mothers, and families.
“Adoption is a life-affirming answer that puts children and families first,” said Martin Gillespie, AFPI's Executive Director. “The National Adoption Project is committed to shining a light on those barriers and championing policies that reflect our country’s deepest values: faith, family, and the dignity of every child.”
“Many American families are ready to adopt, but they face a system that is confusing, costly, and slow,” said Stacey Schieffelin, AFPI's Chair of the America First Women’s Initiative. “By listening to mothers, adoptive families, and advocates, we can make it easier for every child to experience the security and love of a permanent home.”
In 2025, 25,000 children joined families through private domestic infant adoption in the United States, while more than one million families were willing and able to adopt, underscoring a significant gap between children in need of permanent homes and families prepared to welcome them. Through the National Adoption Project, AFPI is working to close that gap by promoting policies that streamline adoption processes, reduce costs, and increase awareness and support for adoptive families.
To learn more about AFPI’s work on foster care and adoption, click here.