BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — It is Adoption Awareness Month, but for one Kentucky woman, spreading awareness and helping children find loving homes is her life day in and day out. Her efforts got her the nomination of “Angel in Adoption.”

What You Need To Know

  • Tasha Uland was nominated as the Angel in Adoption by Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

  • She is an adoption specialist for Adoption Assistance, and seeks to help families with the adoption process 

  • The nomination is part of a campaign by a nonprofit called the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute

  • The Ulands have also adopted two of their own children: Eisley and Emilin

Tasha Uland lives with her husband, Will, in the suburbs of Bowling Green. Tasha is an adoption specialist, often staying up through the night to find loving and safe homes for adopted kids to go to. 

She is known for her dedication and care-driven attitude toward helping families with the adoption. She is currently an adoption specialist for Adoption Assistance.

She was recently recognized by Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., for her efforts. She was given a trip to Washington to visit the Kentucky senator and was awarded a certificate. 

The award is part of a campaign by a nonprofit called the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute.

In a statement, McConnell said, “It was an honor to welcome Tasha and Will Uland to Washington and hear their incredible story. Tasha’s commitment to building loving homes for children in need is inspiring, and I’m grateful to have such passionate adoption advocates, like her, in the Commonwealth.” 

But for the Ulands, helping with other kids and families just isn’t enough. They have helped by adopting children of their own. 

They prayed about which country to adopt from, and from there, they had a gut feeling that China was the place to go. And, at that time, China had a one-child limit, so the urgency from the Ulands to help a child in China was high.

“I just had this gut feeling that there was this little girl waiting for me there,” Tasha said.

In 2010, they spent approximately three weeks in China, and eventually adopted their first child, Emilin. And when she was picked up, they said she was the happiest baby of them all.

“Within 30 minutes of getting her, she was the happiest little baby,” Tasha said. “She was the tiniest of all babies, but the most energetic.” 

Years later, they adopted another child from China, Eisley. Because for the Ulands, welcoming only one child into their home just wasn’t enough. Now the two babies could grow up in an unfamiliar environment together, rather than as only children.

“The best thing was that Emilin got to go with us, and it made Eisley more comfortable to the new environment,” Will said.

The babies, now grown, live a comfortable and happy life, thanks to the generosity and care of the Ulands.

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