Celia Center’s Timeline 2009 – 2021
Please Donate Today to Support Our Programs for Foster and Adopted Youth and Their Families Here
April 2009_Jeanette Yoffe, Psychotherapist and Adult Foster Alum/Adoptee “wants to know she is not alone,” and creates a group called the “Adopt Salon Constellation Support Group” which begins at Vista Del Mar. It becomes a free monthly support group for all members of the Foster Care and Adoption Constellation (never heard of in LA!): Birth Parents, Adoptive Parents, Foster Parents (pre & post-adoption), Legal Guardians, Adult Adoptees and Former Foster Youth. Over 60 people attend the first meeting! Group runs every 1st Wednesday of the month for the next 10 years facilitated by Jeanette Yoffe!
Mayor Garcetti Awards Celia Center with Recognition HERE and the story about how it all began…
May 2011_In honor of Foster Care Awareness Month, a community training is held at the Electric Lodge called “The Resilient Spirit: From A Child’s Point of View into the Foster Care System: A Guest Panel.“ The panel of speakers follows from a “child’s point of view,” showing the people he/she comes in contact within consecutive order, from when a child enters the system to their emancipation.
December 2011_Pacific Palisades Family Adopt Salon Support Group begins!
April 2012_Teen Adopt Salon Support Group begins for teens in Los Angeles!!!
July 2012_With the success of Adopt Salon, Celia Center is formed and named after the Founder’s first birthmother, Celia and becomes an official non-profit 501c3 organization with the State of California.
November 2012_In celebration of National Adoption Month, Celia Center hosts first-ever ADOPT SALON CONFERENCE called “Mending the Losses, Becoming Whole Again” at the Skirball Cultural Center. 16 presenters. Over 200 attendees! Watch opening ceremonies HERE
March 2013_Celia Center partners with Five Acres to begin the Pasadena Adopt Salon Constellation Support Group begins!
April 2013_Single Parent Foster/Adoptive Adopt Salon Support Group begins!
June 2013_Adult Adoptee/Foster Youth Alumni Adopt Salon Support Group begins!
May & July 2013_A full-day workshop is held for Teens connected by Adoption and Foster Care, to bridge healing, connection, and build coping skills called “It Begins With You.“ Each Teen received a “Toolbox” to take home which had 8 interventions for teens to use to express their feelings. Created and facilitated by Adult Adoptees, Sophie Bain, and Jeanette Yoffe.
October 2013_Celia Center partners with Olive Crest Agency to begin the Bellflower Adopt Salon Constellation Support Group begins!
November 2013_In celebration of National Adoption Month, a wolf gathering event, “Howl at the Sun,” is held for Adoptees and Foster Youth Alumni at Wolf Connection, a home for rescued wolves and wolfdogs. The wolves help all who come in contact with them to learn how to focus on their impulses, feelings, and emotions in a constructive way. We arrived as our special “pack”, walked with the wolves, to learn about connecting, understanding the nature of human-animal relationships leading to love, support, and empowerment together! Watch VIDEO
December 2013_Founder of Celia Center, Jeanette Yoffe is interviewed by the LA TIMES, article “Internet lifts the shroud of secrecy on adoption.” Read HERE.
Jan
uary 2014_Celia Center tapes a support group for the TV show, Raising Whitley, on the OWN-Oprah Winfrey channel. Watch the episode HERE
June 2014_Celia Center is a community partner with Mixed Roots Foundation at the ADOPTEE NIGHT at Dodger Stadium! Adoptees and Foster Youth of all ages attend with their families. They enjoyed watching the game, raising their rally towels with pride, and had a great time “going to bat for a child!”
November 2014_Celia Center holds its 2nd Conference, FACING TRAUMA WITH TRUTH at the beautiful Luxe Hotel in Los Angeles. Sara Culberson, “African Princess” is the Keynote speaker, 20 presenters, covering mental health treatment for the foster care and adoption constellation, 3 live performances, and a healing wolf-dog closing ceremony. Over 250 attendees! Watch Videos HERE
Mayor Eric Garcetti honors Celia Center with a Certificate of Appreciation from the City of Los Angeles for positively impacting the lives of many Angelenos. View certificate HERE.
May 2015_Celia Center partners with Skirball Cultural Center’s Family Program in Los Angeles and children participate in an art activity based on the book The Mulberry Bird, a story about adoption shown at the Celia Center Arts Festival HERE
November 2015_Tween Adopt Salon Support Group begins for ages 9-12!
November 2015_Founder of Celia Center, Jeanette Yoffe partners with Vista Del Mar Agency and presents a full-day workshop for parents called, “Truly, Madly, Deeply Understanding Your Foster and/or Adopted Child.” Helping parents connected by foster care and adoption understand the psychological and emotional needs of children with histories of loss and separation. Over 100 attendees! Watch TRAINING HERE
Celia Center Kindergarten Adoption Class
January 2016_Adoption Kindergarten Play Group begins for 6 weeks. Group is educational and informative for kindergarten aged adopted children, and their parents facilitated by Ledette Gambini, Foster, and Adoptive Parent. Children make family tree nests with baby birds and read the story The Mulberry Bird by Anne Brodzinksy.
January 2016_Celia Center holds it’s first-ever ARTS FESTIVAL called “Adopting Resilience, Fostering the Art of Creativity” The inaugural festival featured the works of artists who use their creativity to express their experiences as individuals who were adopted and/or in foster care across many mediums. Over 200 attendees!
View the video HERE.
Jeanette Yoffe Founder with Family at #ccartsfest
Adoptees Connect at Celia Center Arts Festival 2016
February 2016_Voices From The Inside: THE REAL STORY ON HOW TO ADOPT DOMESTICALLY workshop lead by Ledette Gambini, Foster and Adoptive Parent, and Carra Greenberg, Adult Adoptee, and Professional Lawyer.
When a child cannot live with their families of origin they need a home, they need family. Celia Center founded by Jeanette Yoffe
May 2016_Celia Center tapes a support group for the TV show LONG LOST FAMILY. A show about reuniting family members separated at birth or beyond. Featuring our Adopt Saloner’s regulars Mimi Janes, Andrew Tash, and Sophie Bain hosted by Jeanette Yoffe M.F.T. The show aired on TLC Channel in January 2017! WATCH HERE
June 2016_2nd Wolf Gathering event, “Howl at the Moon”, is held for all families connected by foster care and adoption at Wolf Connection, a home for rescued wolves and wolfdogs. The wolves help all who come in contact with them to learn how to focus on their impulses, feelings, and emotions in a constructive way. We arrived as our special “pack”, walked with the wolves, to learn about connecting, understanding the nature of human-animal relationships leading to love, support, and empowerment together! Watch VIDEO
Wolf Connection Healing with Wolves with Jeanette Yoffe Adoption Trauma Foster Care Psychotherapist Founder of Celia Center in Los Angeles www.YoffeTherapy.com[/caption
November 2016_Adop
tion Film Screening Gala West Coast Premiere of SIX WORD ADOPTION MEMOIRS and FATHER UNKNOWN with a wine tasting, and panel Moderated by Jeanette Yoffe with Filmmakers, Adoptees, and Birthparents. Over 75 people attend! What an amazing evening with Marcy Axness on our panel! WATCH PANEL HERE
July 2017_3rd Wolf Gathering event, “Howl at the Moon”, is held for all families connected by foster care and adoption at Wolf Connection.
September 2017_Origins Stories Teen Workshop. We empowered Adopted and Foster Teens, ages 13-18, to stimulate their creativity and inspire their imaginations through drawing and collaging while creating a story using visual prompts for guidance. Check out their amazing art. Thank you to Nicole Rademacher, Artist and Adult Adoptee for her talent and inspiration!
December 2017_Ancestry Family Tree Workshop is held for all members of the Adoption Constellation to find long lost family members creating your family tree! For adoptees, first birth mothers and adoptive parents seeking their children’s families of origin.
One of our adult adoptees finds their birth father!!!!
June 2018 Wolf Connection – Howl at the Sun
Foster and Adoptive Families
WATCH HERE
Gathering of families around the fire pit to meet and greet with wolfdogs.
Wolf Healing with Jeanette Yoffe Adoption Trauma Foster Care Psychotherapist Founder of Celia Center in Los Angeles www.YoffeTherapy.com
April 2019_Celia Center holds it’s second ARTS FESTIVAL called “Adopting Resilience, Fostering the Art of Creativity” at Highways Performance Space. The festival featured the works of artists who use their creativity to express their experiences as individuals who were adopted and/or in foster care across many mediums. Visual arts, performance art, and musical talents. Watch VIDEO HERE
Heather Holstrom Artist Featured at Celia Center Arts Fest 2019
Artist Beth Dubber Out of the Fog Featured at #CCArstFest
Caleb Yee Featured Artist and Adoptee at Celia Center Arts Fest 2019
May 2019_Celia Center holds a Foster Youth Alumni #NationalFosterCareAwarenessMonthHEALING CIRCLE in LOS ANGELES.
“We cannot do things blindly, we need others to support us in this lifelong journey….for foster youth alumni they go into the wilderness alone.”
Healing Circle Los Angeles with Jeanette Yoffe Adoption Trauma Foster Care Psychotherapist Founder of Celia Center in Los Angeles www.YoffeTherapy.com
Healing Circle Los Angeles with Jeanette Yoffe Adoption Trauma Foster Care Founder of Celia Center
It’s about #COMMUNITY
#CONNECTION #COMMITMENT
to the needs of
#fosteryouth in
#LosAngeles
June 2019_Celia Center holds it’s first-ever FISHING TRIP in Marina Del Rey!!! See all PHOTOS HERE
Celia Center Fishing Trip with Foster and Adoptive Families
Foster and Adoptive Families Go Fishing with Jeanette Yoffe and Celia Center
Celia Center goes fishing!
June 2019_Celia Center holds its first-ever ADOPT SALON Support Group in NEW YORK CITY!!! 40 attend!!
Adult Adoptees at Adopt Salon Support Group in New York City
Adopt Salon Support Group in New York City 2019 with Jeanette Yoffe
Adoptees
First Birth Mothers
Foster Parents
Adoptive Parents
Supporting, educating and having compassion for one another. Goal: Start an Adopt Salon on Long Island
coming
soon!!
October and November 2019_Celia Center holds first-ever Open Adopt-ED Salon Support Group for all members of the constellation to learn from a first birthmother, adoptee, and foster adoptive parent asking all about adoption. CEU’s provided for Social Workers and Therapists in Los Angeles.
Celia Center Adopt-ED Open Salon Forum
Celia Center Founder Jeanette Yoffe Los Angeles provides Adoption and Foster Care Education and Support
Adopt-ED Salon Group by Celia Center. All rights reserved.
November 2019_Celia Center holds #ADOPTEEVOICES EVENT creating a community mural!!!
Watch VIDEO HERE
Adoptee Event Celia Center Los Angeles National Adoption Awareness Month
Celia Center brings together #adoptees of all ages to create a community art piece!
#AdopteeVoices event in Los Angeles at Celia Center