Christie Erwin is the Executive Director of Project Zero, an organization with a bold mission: Zero. Noun. The number of children that should be waiting in foster care to be adopted.

If that sounds familiar, it’s because I’ve been wearing their gray T-shirt for years. And when you’ve helped more than 1,600 children find a permanent family, you’ve earned the right to talk about getting closer to zero.

In this episode, Christie shares how Project Zero is transforming the way children waiting for adoption are seen, advocated for, and ultimately connected to families. We talk about strategy, urgency, and what it really takes to move from hundreds waiting to numbers that once felt impossible.

Because zero is not just a word. It’s a commitment.

Adoptive mom Francine Apy shares the story behind her adoption pendant necklace and her business, SoulFilling, which helps normalize adoption and support families touched by it.

Adoptive mom and Reclaim Compassion author Lisa C. Qualls explains blocked care and how parents can begin reclaiming compassion in adoptive families.
Learn more about Lisa and her work at www.lisacqualls.com

Adoptee-turned-therapist Bre Gronli shares her foster care adoption story, her path to trauma-informed work, and the resources that help shape her own healing.

Adopted together. Growing up together. Sharing their story together.
In this bonus episode, siblings Laura, Kim, and Dan reflect on entering foster care, being adopted as a group, and what they want families to know about saying yes to siblings.

Tom Baldwin serves as the Director of Strategy and Development for the Belmont University Social Innovation Labs, where he helps students, leaders, and organizations rethink how meaningful social change is made. With more than two decades of experience launching innovations across the business and social impact sectors, Tom brings a thoughtful and creative lens to today’s most complex challenges.

The Innovation Lab recently released its Impact and Investment Case—a bold invitation to reimagine how we support youth transitioning out of the foster care system. Their work explores what it takes to shift systems, unlock new forms of capital, and develop leaders who can build a more supportive future for young people.

Anna is a mom by adoption and birth whose personal journey led her to bridge a gap for families raising children with trauma histories. You might remember her from Season 1, when she and her husband Travis shared their adoption story. Now, Anna is a certified Master IEP Coach® and Special Needs Church Consultant, equipping schools and faith communities to better support children and families impacted by adoption and trauma.

Meet my graphic novel writing coach Maria Rodgers O’Rourke! Maria is a writer and certified Story Grid Editor. Her career began in advertising and public relations, moved to nonprofit leadership, and homed in on communications and writing after earning her master’s degree in pastoral studies. Maria is publisher and author of two women’s journals. She’s contributed stories to the St. Louis Post Dispatch and the HuffPost, and to the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. Maria runs MRO Creative, where she supports writers as a developmental editor and coach and crafts her own stories and reflections. Learn more about Maria and her approach at mrocreative.com.