Photos: CBS; (L-R, Top-Bottom) Estefan, Grammer, Little Big Town, Foster & McPhee

The 24th Annual “A Home for the Holidays at The Grove” seasonal special will return to CBS this December, hosted by Gloria Estefan, and featuring more uplifting stories of adoption from foster care and raising awareness of this important social issue.

The special will be broadcast Friday, December 23rd (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) and will take place at The Grove in Los Angeles, with performances by Estefan, Andy Grammer, Little Big Town and David Foster & Kat McPhee. The award-winning special has shined a light on the thousands of American children in foster care over more than two decades, and has inspired tens of thousands of adoptions.

The stories featured on this year’s special include:

The Phoenix Family

Kaz was placed in foster care when he was 5 years old due to abuse and neglect. For the next 10 years his life was chaos. Alone and scared, he was shuffled from home to home, moving nine times. Being non-binary and on the autism spectrum, Kaz had given up hope of ever finding a forever home, until Jess and Carlos Phoenix entered the picture. Jess and Carlos consider themselves unconventional and knew they wanted to adopt an older child. Upon meeting Kaz, they were inspired by his resilience and fell in love with his uniqueness. Now living in a house full of love and support, Kaz is thriving, embracing his musical abilities and touring colleges.

The Gilmroe Family

For years, Marissa and Brad tried to have biological children. After many heartbreaks, the couple turned to adoption. They met 5-year-old Tommy, who had entered foster care after suffering abuse. Marissa and Brad fell in love with the sweet little boy and it wasn’t long before Tommy felt right at home and they all bonded as a family. But then, two years after Tommy moved in, tragedy struck. Brad unexpectedly fell ill and, shockingly, he passed away days later. Marissa and Tommy’s world shattered. Fortunately for Marissa, she had Tommy by her side to help her put one foot in front of the other, even when she didn’t want to. Without hesitation, one year after Brad’s death, Marissa finalized the adoption, and they both keep Brad’s memory alive on a daily basis.

The Pitt Family

Cheryl and Joel always knew they wanted a big family, but after having two children, those dreams were dashed. Cheryl experienced heart failure after her second birth and was told she should not have more children. Years later, while at church, they learned about the need for foster care adoption and their dreams of a big family were revived. They adopted siblings Anna, 7, and Brian, 8. This big family of six was now complete and everyone happily settled into their new life. Two years later, Cheryl and Joel learned that Anna and Brian’s older sibling, Noelle, also needed a home – the family she thought was going to adopt her changed their mind. Noelle was devastated, heartbroken and alone. Although they had no plans to adopt more children, they knew they needed to reunite the children. Without hesitation they adopted Noelle, and now Cheryl and Joel have the large, loving family they always imagined.

The Henderson Family

After having two biological children, Dawn and Bryan decided they were done having kids. But watching their youngest, Ethan, grow up, they couldn’t help but wish they could give him a brother. Then Dawn began a non-profit that threw birthday parties for foster youth, and they gained firsthand knowledge of the need that is out there for older children to be adopted. They decided to pursue adoption and, soon after, they got the call about Nico, an emergency placement. Four days later, Nico, who was 5 years old, the same age as Ethan, moved in. When he arrived at the Henderson household, he had been homeless, living in a car, isolated from other children and had learning, medical and social issues. Now, at 9, Nico is thriving in school, both academically and socially. He and his brother are the best of friends, and the Hendersons’ wishes for a brother for Ethan came true.

'A Home for the Holidays at the Grove' (2022)

Gloria Estefan (Photo Courtesy of CBS)

'A Home for the Holidays at the Grove' (2022)

Gloria Estefan, Sasha Estefan-Coppola, and Emily Estefan (Photo Courtesy of CBS)

'A Home for the Holidays at the Grove' (2022)

Mickey Guyton (Photo Courtesy of CBS)

'A Home for the Holidays at the Grove' (2022)

Little Big Town (Photo Courtesy of CBS)

'A Home for the Holidays at the Grove' (2022)

David Foster and Katharine McPhee (Photo Courtesy of CBS)

'A Home for the Holidays at the Grove' (2022)

David Foster and Katharine McPhee (Photo Courtesy of CBS)

'A Home for the Holidays at the Grove' (2022)

Andy Grammer (Photo Courtesy of CBS)

 
The special is presented in association with the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and the Children’s Action Network. Created by Wendy’s® founder Dave Thomas, who was adopted, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is a national nonprofit public charity dedicated to dramatically increasing the number of adoptions of children waiting in North America’s foster care systems. The Children’s Action Network was founded in 1990 by leaders in the entertainment industry to harness the power of the entertainment media on behalf of children.

“A Home for the Holidays at The Grove” airs on Friday, December 23rd (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.

Stay Merry,