b'4A Leader inEthical AdoptionBarker was established on the simple, yet profound belief that every child deserves a safe, loving, and permanent family. This belief has remained at the heart of our mission for eight decades.From its earliest days, Barker has been a community built by families, for families. When The Barker Foundation was founded in 1945 and incorporated as a nonprofit in 1951, it became the first parent-run adoption cooperative in the countryrevolutionaryfor its time and reflective of the agencys deep beliefin ethical, family-driven care.That same year, the Barker community made a bold declaration:Our primary duty is in finding good homes for as many children as possiblenot in finding the best children for our parents. BARKER MEETING MINUTES, 19611945 1951 1975 1976 1981 1994Founded byThe BarkerJoins airlift Launches Begins enduringHosts inaugural Richard &Foundationfor CambodianBarkers firstpartnership Adoption & Foster Ruth Barker inincorporates asorphans,internationalwith FederacinCare ConferenceBethesda, MD asa nonprofit andbeginningadoption de Asociacionesthe first parent- forms a Board Barkers efforts toprogram,de Nios run adoption of Trustees support childrenbeginning withAdoptados cooperative inaround the globe placements (FANA)the U.S. from Colombia'