Gladney Blog

Watch out preschool teachers, here I come!

This darling little sibling group came bouncing into the room together when we met them last month. They were obviously great friends and I was surprised to learn that they are not actually in the same foster home. They do have regular play dates and seem to get along very well.

Happy Birthday, December Babies!

Gladney Appoints Mark Melson as President & CEO

Long-time leader announces retirement; Board lauds Frank Garrott’s leadership tenure saying Gladney positioned well for the future

Gladney Press Release

(FORT WORTH, TX, December 1, 2017)—The Gladney Center of Adoption, a national leader in adoption services for 130 years, announced the appointment of Mark Melson to be the institution’s President and CEO.  Gladney’s Board Chairman Christopher Dezzi said Melson’s presence as a current and established Gladney leader offered a unique opportunity for a seamless transition to the position. Frank Garrott, who has an extraordinary record of success furthering the Gladney mission, said he had been contemplating retirement since late summer and informed Dezzi about the decision last month.

In a letter to Gladney’s supporters and staff, Garrott described his 10-year tenure at the organization as a “challenging, wonderful and joyful” period of time.

“It has truly been an honor and privilege to work with everyone in the Gladney family,” said Garrott, “and people are right when they tell me, it’s the best job in the world. “There’s a time for everything, and for me, it’s a time to take up the next challenge and move on to the next chapter of my life.”

Dezzi praised Garrott’s accomplishments, saying his compassion, dedication and wisdom were vital during some opportune and critical moments in the organization’s history.

“Not only has Gladney grown its mission to place thousands of children in loving homes,” said Dezzi, “he has also established innovative and far-reaching outreach efforts, such as the groundbreaking Pathways program as well as the Next Steps initiative that supports birth mothers. In addition, we have expanded our mission with the creation of both AdoptED and Gladney University. Frank has an extraordinary legacy here, and we will miss him personally and professionally.”

Dezzi said Melson’s appointment will be effective January 1, 2018.

“Mark Melson is the right man at the right time for Gladney,” said Dezzi. “Our board has been focusing on all the issues related to future planning and succession. Mark was recently appointed as the Chief Operating Officer for Gladney. His service in that position as well as his work as Vice President for Development proved his solid operational and leadership abilities. We all look forward to Gladney’s next generation of leadership and growth under Mark.”

Garrott said he hopes to “travel the world” after leaving Gladney, and he pledged to continue supporting Gladney and its mission.

“It will be hard to leave,” said Garrott.  “I love Gladney. The agency provided for me personally because I am a Gladney parent. There are no words for the gratitude that I feel. When visualizing the end of the year, I know when I walk out the door, there will be a lump in my throat the size of a grapefruit.”

Melson expressed his appreciation for the appointment.

“It’s an honor to stand on the shoulders of those who came before me and lead this great organization,” said Melson.   “After almost 10 years at Gladney I have seen how adoption has touched the lives of thousands of families, and as a Gladney Parent I have personally witnessed the miracle of adoption in my own home.  I’m excited about our future and building on Gladney’s great legacy.”

About the Gladney Center for Adoption

Based in Fort Worth, Texas, Gladney is a not-for-profit organization that since 1887 has placed over 31,000 children internationally and domestically in forever homes and served over 38,000 birth parents. The agency also maintains the largest, most comprehensive maternity home in the United States. For more information, visit our website or call 817-922-6000.  The heart and soul of our mission is- a place where hope is born.

The Gladney Center for Adoption is 130 years old in 2017! We celebrated all year long by sharing fun and interesting adoption facts about our history and culture. Because November is National Adoption Month, we're bringing you the top 3.

Today we introduce to you for the very first time... 7 year old, Kristoff!  He is one of the brilliant boys we met this month while on the Superkids trip in Taiwan. 

Edited to add: We have some adorable little videos of Dougie that we can't share here due to Taiwan's privacy laws. Be sure to join our private Taiwan FB group to see them!


"Vroom, vroom"... those are the sounds we think of as we remember meeting precious two year old Dougie!  Why? Well, this little guy was quick to discover the blue ride-on car and climb in. His little toddler legs were just barely long enough for him to get over the car's edge but that didn’t slow him one bit. Once in, he confidently grabbed onto the steering wheel and pretended to drive. The grin on his face was priceless. He also shook his head “no” when asked to climb out of the car to go play on the mat. Gotta give him credit as he knew what he wanted! With just a little help from his foster mom he was out and playing with us on the mat.

We have some super cute updated pictures and videos of Lee to share with you.

The process of adopting is a stressful time for you and your family. However, financing the adoption shouldn't be. One simple, fun way to raise money is to organize a gift wrapping fundraiser. This is a great way to bring people together and get people in the holiday spirit, all while raising money for a great cause. Here are some tips: