Meet the woman helping Illinois’ foster children find the families they deserve

Chicago resident Susan McConnell, executive director and founder of Let It Be Us, knows firsthand the struggles foster children face. With four children of her own, three of whom are adopted, she’s witnessed how having a loving family can transform a child’s life, and how the lack of it can leave devastating effects. 

Unable to ignore children in the area who remain in foster care, she founded Let It Be US, an innovative recruitment and placement program for Illinois children.

Operating through the belief that every child deserves a chance, she’s been helping children find their forever homes for over a decade.

Getting started

Holding a deep gratitude for the opportunities her own children had been given, she felt an obligation to further serve Illinois children.

Empowered through her MBA from DePaul University, she already had a background in creating organizations, systems and effective fundraising. With a fiery passion for helping those around her and the knowledge to make lasting change, Let It Be Us was born. 

Changing the landscape

In Illinois, very few children achieve permanency, or are reunited with a family member or adopted. McConnell credits these low statistics to insufficient numbers of licensed families, court backlogs, challenges in identifying biological relatives due to frequent relocation and an undersourced child welfare system. 

Lack of permanency goes far beyond a metric — it compounds trauma, undermines education and increases the risk of negative outcomes in adulthood. Let It Be Us actively combats this problem through its comprehensive database of over 1,100 Illinois homes. 

Based on demographics, location, cultural identity and the strengths and interests of each child, the program helps arrange a uniquely perfect fit.

Matching goes beyond black-and-white characteristics; it requires a deep knowledge of both the child and placement home. The organization’s Adoption Recruiters intensively interview families and meet with each child monthly to gain a full sense of what each party is looking for in an ideal home. 

“Every child deserves not just a home, but the right home … one that reflects their identity, supports their growth, and gives them a true sense of belonging,” said McConnell. 

McConnell stresses that these matches aren’t just temporary solutions; they’re giving a child a family they can thrive alongside, forever. 

A new approach to care

McConnell also helped found the Heart Gallery of Illinois, a gallery displaying children in foster care alongside meaningful descriptions of each child. With the combination of AI technology that makes it easier than ever to connect with foster and adoptive parents, children listed in the gallery have an unprecedented chance at finding a permanent placement. 

The organization’s Foster Home Recruitment Program partners with agencies across the state by providing unmatched marketing and recruitment resources. For Illinois children, this directly impacts the number of foster homes available and the opportunity for timely, fitting placement efforts.

“Although our crucial work is complicated and challenging, we have been able to ensure that the agencies we embrace are able to successfully help our most vulnerable children in their greatest time of need,” shares McConnell. 

Changing lives one child at a time

McConnell recalls a moment when Let it Be Us’s impact changed a child’s life forever. 

After receiving a desperate call from caseworkers regarding an abandoned, drug-exposed infant, the organization immediately took action. Within hours, they had gathered not one, but several families who were willing to take this child in as their own. 

That same baby is now 6 years old and held by the same arms that rescued her that night. With the help of McConnell and her team, she found love that would last a lifetime. 

A message for parents

For those interested in fostering and adopting, Let It Be Us provides families with all the resources they need to begin their journey. 

While deeply rewarding, McConnell admits that entering a child’s life is an ongoing, complex process. Despite court delays, caseworker transitions and moments that challenge your capabilities, she shares that the most valuable thing a parent can do is make a commitment and keep showing up. 

She urges parents not to give up, and to keep fighting for the remarkable opportunity to not just provide a single act of rescue, but to change a child’s life forever. 

“On the other side of this process is something extraordinary; a life filled with purpose, joy, and a kind of love that only comes from opening your heart to a child in need. To foster or adopt is to become a champion for children, and there is no greater calling.”