or


[11/20/14 - 09:30 AM]
Performers Announced for the 16th Annual "A Home for the Holidays," An Entertainment Special That Celebrates Families, To Be Broadcast Friday, Dec. 19 on the CBS Television Network
Jennifer Hudson, Train, Earth, Wind & Fire, Rixton, Katharine McPhee, Ashley Monroe, Dan & Shay and Jillian Michaels are among those slated to appear.

[via press release from CBS]

PERFORMERS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 16TH ANNUAL "A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS," AN ENTERTAINMENT SPECIAL THAT CELEBRATES FAMILIES, TO BE BROADCAST FRIDAY, DEC. 19 ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK

Jennifer Hudson, Train, Earth, Wind & Fire, Rixton, Katharine McPhee, Ashley Monroe, Dan & Shay and Jillian Michaels To Appear On This Moving Annual Holiday Special, Featuring Uplifting Stories About Children Adopted From Foster Care

Jennifer Hudson, Train, Earth Wind & Fire, Rixton, Katharine McPhee, Ashley Monroe, Dan & Shay and Jillian Michaels will appear on the 16th Annual A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, an entertainment special to be broadcast Friday, Dec. 19 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. The special features uplifting stories about families who have adopted from foster care in order to raise awareness of this important social issue. The inspirational stories of these American families are enhanced with performances by some of today's most popular artists.

Musical performances will accompany heartwarming stories that highlight the remarkable American children and families involved in this rewarding process. This year's special profiles the following adoptive families:

VALENZA-GEE FAMILY (Los Angeles, Calif.):

"I always wanted to be a dad. At first I thought I would adopt after I had a life partner. But as time went on, I thought, 'Why wait? I can adopt as a single parent or as a gay parent.'" Rich Valenza became certified to adopt and received a call about 5-year-old Zack and his 4-year-old sister, Emmary. The siblings were homeless and malnourished when they entered foster care. "They just stole my heart," says Rich. "I remember being excited to move in with our dad because I could tell he really cared and would keep us safe," says Emmary. "After I adopted my children, I met Jared," says Rich. "Rich and I became life partners and I fell in love with our kids the moment I met them," says Jared Gee. "Our parents are awesome and I can't imagine what our lives would be like today without them," says Zack.

HUNT FAMILY (Los Angeles, Calif.):

Jennifer Hunt had been a children's book editor for 17 years when she decided to adopt. "I was adopted as an infant, so I grew up with the sense that family are the people who open their arms to you." Jennifer was matched with 17-year-old Josiah, who had been in foster care since age 2. "The risk of aging out and becoming homeless was a real concern and it made me scared. I did everything I could to focus on my education, because I knew college would give me a better chance in life," says Josiah. "When I met Josiah, I knew in my heart that he was meant to be my child. He had goals and dreams and really needed a parent to care and be there for him," says Jennifer. Today, Josiah is a freshman in college studying 3D animation. "Without my mom, I wouldn't be where I am now. She has shown me more love than anyone in my entire life," he says.

NOLIN FAMILY (Birmingham, Ala.):

"Our daughters Kathleen and Sara were in their teens when we decided to adopt," says Susan. "Initially we considered international adoption, but all that changed once we learned how many children are in foster care," says Denver. Just weeks before Christmas, the Nolins received a call about an emergency placement for a 12-year-old child who had been in foster care since age 3. "We fell in love with Heather the moment we saw her," says Susan. "When I met my family, it felt like I was dreaming. I'd never had a real Christmas before," says Heather. Today, Heather is a freshman in college studying early childhood education.

WILLIAMS FAMILY (Anaheim, Calif.):

Kelly and Jared Williams had two biological sons before adopting their daughter, Mara, in 2006. "Being a parent was so rewarding, and our sons Drew and Jordan were very supportive of our decision to adopt," says Jared. "We fell in love with Mara. Her situation was heartbreaking. She didn't know how to speak because no one had talked to her," says Kelly. Mara thrived in the care of the Williams family, and today is a talkative 12-year-old excelling in school. "My brother and I couldn't imagine our sister alone in foster care, and we looked forward to our parents adopting again," says Drew. In 2013, the Williams adopted Davion and his little brother, Shawn. "All of our children have added so much love to our lives."

CHILDREN WAITING:

Currently, there are more than 400,000 children in foster care in the United States. The inspirational "Children Waiting" segment gives voice to these forgotten children by creating an intimate portrait of their hopes, their dreams and their wish for a "Forever Family."

The 16th Annual A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS is produced by Triage Entertainment and Goldsmith Entertainment. Karen Mack, Stu Schreiberg, Stephen Kroopnick and Marilyn Seabury are the executive producers. Kelly Brock is the producer, Kimberly Steer is the supervising producer and Mary Donaldson is the coordinating producer. Mike Simon is directing the special.

The special is presented in association with the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and the Children's Action Network. Wendy's founder, Dave Thomas, who was adopted, established the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, a national non-profit public charity, in 1992. It is dedicated to dramatically increasing the adoptions of children in the United States foster care system.

The Children's Action Network (CAN) was founded in 1990 by leaders in the entertainment industry in order to harness the power of the entertainment media on behalf of children. The special is a part of CAN's National Adoption Campaign to raise awareness of the joys of adopting and to find homes for the children who are waiting.

RATING: To Be Announced





  [november 2014]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
      


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





[10/28/25 - 02:07 PM]
"Sunday Night Football" on Record Pace Through Week 8, Averaging 24.7 Million Viewers on NBC and Peacock
Packers-Steelers audience peaked at 28.2 million viewers on NBC and Peacock in the second quarter (9:15-9:30 p.m. ET).

[10/28/25 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of October 20 - "A House of Dynamite" Hits the Target at No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
Plus: "Nobody Wants This," "The Elixir," and "The Monster of Florence" rise to the top in their opening weekends.

[10/28/25 - 12:01 PM]
ABC Announces 2026 Midseason Premiere Dates
Premiering Wednesday, February 25, ABC is scrubbing back in for Sacred Heart Hospital with back-to-back episodes of comedy "Scrubs" starring Zach Braff, Donald Faison and Sarah Chalke.

[10/28/25 - 12:00 PM]
Mark Harmon to Make Special Guest Appearance as Gibbs on "NCIS: Origins" During "NCIS" Crossover Event Tuesday, Nov. 11
In the crossover event airing on Veterans Day, younger Gibbs (Austin Stowell) and team investigate the small-town death of a naval officer in the '90s - a case that's unexpectedly re-opened in the present day.

[10/28/25 - 10:01 AM]
Hulu Renews Hit Emmy-Award Winning Comedy "Only Murders in the Building" for a Sixth Season!
The series will film overseas for the first time, with the beloved crime-solving trio leaving New York City to investigate London's newest mystery.

[10/28/25 - 10:01 AM]
HBO in Production on New Ronan Farrow Documentary Tracking Sprawling Criminal Case in Johnson City, Tennessee
The film chronicles a maze of revelations about Sean Williams of Johnson City, TN, a serial predator, tracing both his decades-long evasion of justice and an ensuing scandal over claims of corruption and systemic law enforcement failures.

[10/28/25 - 08:32 AM]
Peacock Sets Streaming Debut Dates for Focus Features' "Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale," Universal's "Nobody 2" and DreamWorks Animation's "The Bad Guys 2"
The three films will roll out on successive Fridays beginning November 7.

[10/28/25 - 08:30 AM]
Epic New Landmark Natural History Series, "Kingdom," Set to Premiere Saturday, January 24 on BBC America and AMC+
Narrated by renowned naturalist and three-time Emmy Award-winner Sir David Attenborough, the major new six-part natural history series chronicles the dramatic real-life sagas of four African animal families, in one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken by BBC Studios Natural History Unit.

[10/28/25 - 08:01 AM]
BBC Confirms Future of "Doctor Who" and a New Christmas Special in 2026
With Disney+ confirming they will not be partnering on the next season of the sci-fi show, the BBC remain fully committed to the show and will announce plans for the next series in due course to ensure the Doctor's adventures continue.

[10/28/25 - 07:09 AM]
Season 5 of ESPN Original Series "Peyton's Places," Presented by Elijah Craig Bourbon, Premieres November 2 Exclusively on ESPN+
Josh Allen, Jason Kelce, Jim Harbaugh, Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, Joe Burrow, Boomer Esiason, Chad Johnson, and more are among the featured guests.

[10/28/25 - 07:06 AM]
Get Ready to Switch - Again! Disney's "Freakier Friday" Streaming Exclusively November 12 on Disney+
Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan reprise their roles in this hilarious sequel.

[10/28/25 - 07:01 AM]
"One Piece" Season 2 Premieres March 10, 2026
Additionally, Netflix revealed a first look at Drum Island.

[10/28/25 - 06:47 AM]
Prime Video Takes the Spotlight with Its New "Karaoke Club" Show, A Celebrity Singing Tour
Hosted by the hilarious Stéphane Rousseau, the series transforms karaoke into an electrifying experience where the stars deliver their signature style with humor, energy, and, above all, a whole lot of fun.

[10/28/25 - 06:31 AM]
"Michelle Obama: The Style, the Power, the Look - a Conversation with Robin Roberts - Special Edition of 20/20" Airs Sunday, Nov. 2, on ABC, Streaming Next Day on Disney+ and Hulu
The "Good Morning America" co-anchor joins Obama at Marymount University in Virginia in advance of her upcoming book, "The Look" - a celebration of style from the moment she entered the public eye - to discuss the lessons she's sharing about her newfound confidence and empowerment.

[10/28/25 - 06:01 AM]
Netflix Announces "The Future Is Ours," A Dystopian Limited Series Starring Enzo Vogrincic, Emiliano Zurita, Delfina Chaves, Marleyda Soto and Marco Antonio Caponi
The series will be the first audiovisual adaptation of renowned American writer Philip K. Dick's work in Spanish.