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A MESSAGE FROM LEADERSHIP
2025 was a remarkable year for us. As we 
celebrated 80 years of service, we found 
ourselves reflecting not only on where we’ve 
been, but on why The Barker Adoption Foundation 
continues to matter. 
For eight decades, Barker has walked alongside 
children, adopted people, birth parents, families, 
and professionals — offering education, 
counseling, connection, and community 
throughout the adoption journey. While the world 
around us has changed, our commitment has 
remained the same: to ensure that no one has to 
navigate adoption alone. 
We saw strong progress in our programs, 
completed a three-year fundraising campaign, 
and, along with our community, celebrated 80 
years of The Barker Adoption Foundation.
Throughout the year, whether gathering at 
conferences, counseling sessions, community 
events, or our 80th Anniversary celebrations, we 
heard a common theme. People spoke not only 
about the services Barker provides, but about 
the relationships they found here, the guidance 
they received when they needed it most, and the 
sense of belonging they continue to carry with 
them years — even decades — later. 
That enduring impact reflects the principles 
on which Barker was founded in 1945 and the 
thoughtful evolution of those principles over the 
last 80 years. Our work continues to be guided 
by a belief that adoption is a lifelong journey 
deserving of compassionate, ethical, and expert 
support at every stage.  
Every day, that commitment comes to life 
through:
•	 Community that embraces the entire adoption 
constellation.
•	 Care that is compassionate, experienced, and 
grounded in best practices.
•	 Connection that strengthens individuals and 
families across a lifetime. 
The stories we share in this report remind us 
that Barker’s impact cannot be measured by 
numbers alone. It is found in the families who 
feel supported, the adopted people who find 
community, the birth parents who are met with 
compassion, and the volunteers and donors 
who make this work possible. Their experiences 
continue to inspire us and affirm that this work 
truly matters.
As we celebrate this milestone, we do so with 
deep gratitude for everyone who has helped 
shape Barker’s story. Because of your generosity, 
partnership, and belief in our mission, Barker 
remains a trusted source of support today—and 
will continue to be for generations to come.
Thank you for being part of this community and 
for walking alongside us as we continue this 
important work. Then. Now. Always.
With gratitude and expectation,
A MESSAGE FROM LEADERSHIP
MELISSA GRAY-HUGHES   
Board Chair
SUE HOLLAR  
Executive Director & CEO

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