Adoption Institute supporters-and food and wine lovers-from far and wide converged in Manhattan on May 10 for our 9th Annual Taste of Spring. The event featured delicious food tastings from Allison Eighteen, Artisanal Premium Cheese, Kumquat Cupcakery, Landmarc, Lavo, Perry Street, Pie Corps, Sen, and Tao. The magnificent wines donated by Kobrand, Shea Vineyards, Sherry Lehmann, Tablelands Wine Co. and Xavier Flouret Wines were enjoyed by our 300 guests. On their way out, everyone received special caramels from superstar chef Marc Murphy.

The evening was a wonderful chance to celebrate the achievements of our Spotlight Award winner Nicholas Scoppetta. We were proud to recognize Nick for his lifetime commitment to children in foster care, most notably during his service as New York City's Commissioner of the Administration for Children's Services. We also saluted Bank of America for its strong support of the adoption community.

The Institute would like to thank everyone whose contributions made the evening such a great success, including our sponsors, ticket buyers and auction donors. Special thanks go to Honorary Chairs – Jurate Kazickas and Roger Altman, Jane and Bill Donaldson, and Mimi and Jim Stevens – as well as to our Honorary Co-Chairs – Kristin Chenoweth, Deborra-lee Furness and Hugh Jackman, Mariska Hargitay and Peter Hermann, and Katie Brown and William Corbin. The event's success was the direct result of the hard work of Taste of Spring Co-chairs Kim Donaldson, Hollis Forbes, Sandy McManus, Holly Rochell and Lisa Selz, and we are deeply grateful to them.

Taste of Spring is vital to the Institute's ability to undertake our work. If you haven't already done so-or if you would like to help out some more-it's not too late to make a donation. Please go to www.adoptioninstitute.org/about/support.php to find out how.

Institute Board Members Sandy McManus, Jennifer Evans, Hollis Forbes, Susan Notkin and Lynn Franklin	Honoree Nicholas Scoppetta, Benefit Co-Chair Sandy McManus and Executive Director Adam Pertman
Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano, Benefit Co-Chair Sandy McManus, Honoree Nicholas Scoppetta and Honorary Co-Chair Deborra-lee Furness	Institute Board members Douglas Mehne, Susan Notkin and Douglas Fleming
Benefit Co-Chair Hollis Forbes, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and Declan Kelly	Guest Jacqui Stafford with Institute Board member April Dinwoodie
Executive Director Adam Pertman	Randi Ingber representing Honoree, Bank of America
Randi Ingber with Executive Director Adam Pertman	Police Commissioner Ray Kelly introducing Honoree Nicholas Scoppetta
Honoree Nicholas Scoppetta with Police Commissioner Ray Kelly	Honoree Nicholas Scoppetta
Children of the Institute	Chef Marc Murphy with Police Commissioner Ray Kelly
Debbie and Ron Uretta with Joyce and Joseph Cassin	Former Institute intern Alex Altman with friends
Tao	Lavo
Kumquat Cupcakery	Perry St
Alison Eighteen	Landmarc
Artisanal	Wines