11/01/2025
Cookeville Mom Working to Bring Her Daughters Adoption Dream to Life
Cookeville, TN — A Cookeville mother is hoping to make her & her stepdaughter’s dream come true this Christmas — by raising the funds needed to begin the adoption process for the little girl she’s loved and cared for as her own for many years.
Anna Barker has been raising her husband’s daughter alongside her husband since she was very young, building a home filled with love, faith, and stability. After years of challenges and heartache, Barker hopes to take the next step toward giving her daughter lasting security through adoption.
“She’s faced a lot of uncertainty in her life,” Barker said. “But in our home, she’s always been loved and cared for. I want her to have the peace of knowing she’s safe and settled — that she has a permanent place in my family and my heart.”
To make that dream possible, the Barkers have been getting creative with fundraising — from bake sales and lemonade stands to other small efforts throughout the year. They’ve now launched a community fundraiser called "Wrapped With Love" a pay-what-you-can gift wrapping service to help cover the legal and court costs so they can start the adoption process.
“My hope is to raise enough to begin the process by Christmas,” Barker said. “That would be the greatest gift I could ever give her — the gift of adoption and the promise of forever family.”
Community members can learn more or support the family’s efforts at :
https://sites.google.com/view/barkerfam
