Marietta Dharmaratne poses with her three foster children, all students at St. Andrew School in Pasadena. The Dharmaratne family is one of hundreds in the Los Angeles area that have discovered the gift of giving “hope and love” to children without homes. For our Thanksgiving double issue, we take a look at the challenges and joys of adoption and foster care in light of National Adoption Awareness Month. On page 10, Tom Hoffarth profiles the foster care agency whose partnerships with local faith communities have helped give more than 3,600 children homes. On page 12, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) CEO Wende Nichols-Julien explains in her own words why she believes in advocating for displaced children despite the broken system that often worsens their plight.