Dr. Ronald Federici Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

Go here to learn more about the prestigious award accorded Dr. Ronald Federici for his work with internationally adopted children.

Dr. Ronald Federici: New Office Locations

9532 Liberia Avenue, Suite 727, Manassas, VA 20110 * 10432 Balls Ford Road, Manassas, VA 20109

Phone: (703) 830-6052 Fax: (703) 830-6054

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt: Lucky Seven?

December 5, 2011:  Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie want to adopt another child.

The couple – who currently have biological kids Shiloh, five, and three-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne and adopted trio Maddox, 10, Pax, seven, and six-year-old Zahara – reportedly promised their adopted daughter they would take on the care of another youngster from Ethiopia, the poverty-stricken African nation where she was born.

A source said: “They are really excited about it. Brad and Angie made a promise to Zahara years ago that they would adopt another child from the region so she could have a sibling to relate to.”

The couple are also said to believe having seven kids will bring them more “luck and happiness”.

The source added to the Daily Star newspaper: “Also, seven has always been Brad’s lucky number. He and Angelina think it would bring them luck and happiness.”

Brad has previously admitted he always wanted to raise a large family.

He has said: “I know it seems extreme from the outside, but I’ve always kind of operated this way. When I know, I know, and why mess around?

“I had a friend who had a big family when I was a kid. I just loved the chaos around the breakfast table and the fighting and the ribbing, and the mom making pancakes for everyone or the dad making pancakes. And I just decided then if I was ever going to do it – this left some indelible mark on me – if I was ever going to do it, that’s the way I was going to do it.”

Brad Pitt: “Adoption Saved My Daughter”

Brad Pitt is convinced his eldest daughter with Angelina Jolie would certainly have died if she had not been adopted from Africa by the Hollywood couple.

The actor and his partner are parents to six children – three biological kids and three who were adopted from various countries around the world.

The couple adopted Zahara, now six, from an orphanage in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 2005 when she was just six months old, and Pitt is convinced the youngster would not have survived if they had not taken her in.

Pitt explained: “I have seen children suffer far beyond what we experience in America – like our oldest daughter. I know she would not be alive (if she had not been adopted). I know what care was available to her, and it was nil. I cannot imagine life without her.”

Angelina Jolie Inspires International Adoptions

When cameras follow the actress Angelina Jolie, it’s not just down the red carpet. It’s often a very long way from Hollywood.
Two important roles have taken Jolie around the world — her roles as U.N. goodwill ambassador, and as mother of her son, Maddox, and daughter, Zahara.

“They’re the greatest little people I’ve ever met, and they give me so much joy,” Jolie said.

Jolie managed to get Zahara out at 6 months old. She was one of the lucky ones.

When Jolie arrived back in the U.S., she and little Zahara graced the covers of numerous magazines, and the public took note.
“I remember being at the store and seeing Angelina on the cover of, I think it was People magazine,” said Ann-Charles Watt, “and I said, ‘Oh my gosh! We can do this.’ ”

Watt and her husband, Jason Hillard, residents of Athens, Ohio, wanted to adopt a child. When they saw Jolie on that magazine cover with her adopted daughter, their decision to raise a child from Ethiopia was clear.

“In the grand scheme of things, she changed our lives,” Watt said. “It’s kind of hilarious to think of, but yeah, Angelina Jolie probably brought us an African child.”

Americans have been adopting from around the globe for many years. The highest adoption numbers in 2004 came from China, Russia, and Guatemala.

Jolie hopes more people follow in her footsteps and discover the rewards of saving a child who might not otherwise live to see a first birthday.

“It makes me very happy,” Jolie said. “And also [it makes me happy] for the parents, ’cause they’re going to be lucky … with those babies ’cause they’re amazing.”

Angelina Jolie To Adopt From Pakistan?

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are excitedly talking about baby number 7.
The 35-year-old Angelina wanted to adopt a baby from Pakistan, but Brad wants to go the natural route.

“Brad wanted Angie to get pregnant, but she was determined to start the adoption process again,” said a spokesperson. “He had a serious talk with Angie and finally convince her that since she’s getting a little older, this may be her last chance to have an easy pregnancy.”

Angelina Jolie’s Adoptions

On March 10, 2002, Angelina Jolie adopted her first child, seven-month-old Maddox Chivan.  He was born on August 5, 2001 as Rath Vibol in Cambodia, and he initially lived in a local orphanage in Battambang. Jolie decided to apply for adoption after she had visited Cambodia twice, while filming Tomb Raider and on a UNHCR field trip in 2001. After her divorce from her second husband, Billy Bob Thornton, Jolie received sole custody of Maddox. Like Jolie’s other children, Maddox has gained considerable celebrity and appears regularly in the tabloid media.

Jolie adopted a six-month-old girl from Ethiopia, Zahara Marley, on July 6, 2005. Zahara was born on January 8, 2005. She was originally named Yemsrach by her mother, and was later given the legal name Tena Adam at an orphanage. Jolie adopted her from Wide Horizons For Children orphanage in Addis Ababa. Shortly after they returned to the United States, Zahara was hospitalized for dehydration and malnutrition. In 2007, media outlets reported Zahara’s biological mother, Mentewabe Dawit, was still alive and wanted her daughter back, but she later denied these reports, saying she thought Zahara was “very fortunate” to be adopted by Jolie.

Brad Pitt was reportedly present when Jolie signed the adoption papers and collected her daughter; later Jolie indicated that she and Pitt made the decision to adopt Zahara together. On January 19, 2006, a judge in California approved Pitt’s request to legally adopt Jolie’s two children. Their surnames were formally changed to “Jolie-Pitt”.

Jolie gave birth to a daughter, Shiloh Nouvel, in Swakopmund, Namibia, by a scheduled caesarean section, on May 27, 2006. Pitt confirmed that their newly-born daughter would have a Namibian passport, and Jolie decided to sell the first pictures of Shiloh through the distributor Getty Images herself, rather than allowing paparazzi to make these valuable photographs. People paid more than $4.1 million for the North American rights, while British magazine Hello! obtained the international rights for roughly $3.5 million. All profits were donated to an undisclosed charity by Jolie and Pitt. Madame Tussauds in New York unveiled a wax figure of two-month-old Shiloh; it was the first infant re-created in wax by Madame Tussauds.

On March 15, 2007, Jolie adopted a three-year-old boy from Vietnam, Pax Thien, who was born on November 29, 2003 and abandoned at birth at a local hospital, where he was initially named Pham Quang Sang. Jolie adopted the boy from the Tam Binh orphanage in Ho Chi Minh City. She revealed that his first name, Pax, was suggested by her mother before her death.

Following months of tabloid speculation, Jolie confirmed she was expecting twins at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. She gave birth to a boy, Knox Léon, and a girl, Vivienne Marcheline, by caesarean section at the Lenval hospital in Nice, France, on July 12, 2008. The rights for the first images of Knox and Vivienne were jointly sold to People and Hello! for $14 million—the most expensive celebrity pictures ever taken. The money went to the Jolie/Pitt Foundation.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie: True Humanitarians

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie opened their own Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation in 2003 to help those in need and to help save our planet.

They donated $1 million to refugees in Pakistan in June. According to tax records, in 2006 alone they donated $8 million to charities. They are true super heroes of the modern world!

Some causes they support include: adoption, AIDS, at risk youth, cancer, disaster relief, the environment, fair trade, homelessness, human rights, missing children, and poverty.

They are great supporters of many charities and the list of charities is always growing.

A few of their charities that they support are: Afghanistan Relief, African Children’s Choir, Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of Canada, Cure Autism Now, Global Action for Children, Human Rights Watch, plus many more.

Thank you to this couple – today’s modern super heroes – that Passes It On and helps others!

Angelina Says “Never Say No To Adopting More”

19th June 2009

She may already have six children, but Angelina Jolie says she and partner Brad Pitt would ‘never say no’ to adopting more.

The actress, who made an appearance to mark World Refugee Day in her role as Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations, confirmed that the couple intends to expand their already large brood.

Angelina spoke about meeting an inspiring 15-year-old orphan paralysed by a gunshot wound yet he showed his strength in the face of tragedy.

Angelina also revealed how she talks to her children about the tragedy they see around them when they visit refugee camps.

Angelina Jolie to Adopt from Armenia?

YEREVAN, May 26 (RIA Novosti) – Armenia’s Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs said on Tuesday it had no information on reported plans by Hollywood star Angelina Jolie to adopt an Armenian baby.

The head of the ministry’s department for children, Lena Airapetyan, said Armenia’s authorities do not grant privileges to celebrity couples, and that Jolie and Pitt would have to go through all the standard procedures necessary for adoption.

“They must provide full information on biographies, annual profit, a guarantee that they can take care of a child, and proof of a lack of previous convictions. If everything passes smoothly, a child could be adopted within a month,” she said.

The official said however that “they give me great hope as I have heard that they take good care of adopted children.”

Angelina Jolie’s adoption consultant, Dr. Ronald Federici, founder of Advocates for Children in Therapy, could not be reached for comment.