Cassie, 17, is a fun girl who is ready for a family. Cassie loves laughter, children and animals, especially dogs, cats and horses. Cassie’s passion is horseback riding. She enjoys a variety of other activities, including photography, soccer, softball and crocheting.

Cassie is motivated to graduate from high school, where she is a junior. She hopes to attend college as well. Cassie loves to write, and English and math are her favorite subjects.

Cassie’s favorite food is Chinese cuisine. Her favorite holiday is Christmas, as she enjoys giving and receiving gifts. She hopes to travel and is interested in seeing the Grand Canyon, Spain and Italy. She also wants to visit Walt Disney World again.

Since in the care of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Cassie has continued to work on peer relations, manipulation, honesty and boundaries. She is learning to trust in the care of adults. She is able to accept responsibility for her actions and understands natural consequences for her behavior.

Cassie would like to be part of a two-parent family with children who are younger than she. She would like to be a big sister.

She wants a family for herself to be part of a more “normal life.” She wants what other teens she knows have: parents who care about her and the ability to hang out with friends, have sleepovers, visit friends’ homes and go to the mall and the movies.

Cassie is one of 187 children in the care of the state Department of Health and Human Services seeking an adoptive family.

Based in Gardiner, A Family for ME is a nonprofit program that works in collaboration with Maine DHHS to find foster and adoptive families for Maine children in care.

For information about Cassie or other children available for adoption, contact A Family for ME toll free at (877) 505-0545 or visit www.AFamilyForMe.org and see the gallery of photographs of some of the many children awaiting a family.