About Us

Rejoice! Inc. is a non-profit foster care and adoption agency incorporated in 1998 by two Christian African-American women and based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Rejoice! opened its doors to the public in May of 1999 under the dynamic leadership of its President and CEO Tanya Williams-Bell. Williams-Bell knows first-hand about the joys and challenges of adoption; she's the mother of adopted children herself. "I try to provide the services that I wish were available when I adopted," Williams-Bell says.

In January of 2001, with the generous support of United Parcel Service, Rejoice! purchased a building in Harrisburg to serve as its home office to meet the expanding needs of the organization. In May of 2001, Rejoice! expanded further by opening a satellite office in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Passionate advocates of children in the child welfare system, Rejoice! endeavored to pull together, under one roof, quality services for both parents and youth. Rejoice! is committed to increasing awareness amoung multiracial communities and changing the way the nation looks at minority families, teens, siblings and children who age out of the foster care system.

Rejoice! has impacted the lives of more than 200 children and continues its commitment to decrease the number of children in out-of-home care, dispel myths about children in the Child Welfare System and to make the community aware that they are the families Rejoice! needs and wants.

"Adoption is a celebration," says Williams-Bell. "It is truly giving birth, the same as with biological children. You conceive in your heart."

Board of Directors

Tanya Williams-Bell, President
Valerie C. Ketchen, Vice-President
Sarah Weedon, Treasurer
Wanda D. Williams, Secretary
Lois Graham
Angela Ellis
Nailah Rogers

About Tanya Williams-Bell

Tanya Williams-Bell is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Rejoice! Inc., a Foster Care, Adoption and Specialized Recruitment agency with a main office located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Rejoice! Inc. has a satellite office in Allentown, PA and has plans to expand in the coming year.

Ms. Williams-Bell has made children and families her life’s work. Preserving and strengthening families is key to her mission. She is a vocal and passionate advocate not only for foster and adoptive children but also for families. She is an avid supporter of families adopting teens and keeping siblings together. She works tirelessly to bring families of all races and ethnicities into the adoption process and is determined to dispel the myths about adoption.

It all began for Ms. Williams-Bell after she left a successful career in sales to raise her youngest children.  She began volunteering for a statewide minority adoption recruitment initiative in Pennsylvania and training prospective parents and staff about issues such as self-esteem, trans-racial adoptions, and the special needs of children in the child welfare system. Before long, she took on a full time position as the regional adoption recruiter for One Church One Child, making a major impact in the area of recruiting African American families.

Ms. Williams-Bell co-founded Rejoice! Inc. in 1998. The agency opened its doors in 1999.  Rejoice! Inc. experienced rapid growth and opened the Allentown office in 2001 to serve additional children in the north central part of the state. The agency’s mission reflects Ms. Williams-Bell’s passionate commitment to children and families.

Ms. Williams-Bell is a noted as a phenomenal speaker and trainer who is invited to present on a wide variety of topics ranging from children and families to entrepreneurship and business.  She is a member of the Board of Directors of NACAC (North American Council of Adoptable Children) and the Pennsylvania Children’s Trust.  She was appointed to the Governors Task Force on “Expediting Adoption Finalizations in Pennsylvania” and served on the Statewide Adoption Network (SWAN) Advisory Committee. She has testified on Capitol Hill, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on foster care and adoption issues. Her work has resulted in numerous honors and awards including the Award for Distinguished Public Service presented by Harrisburg Mayor Stephen Reed.

Ms. Williams-Bell and her family were featured on a special edition of ABC’s “Prime Time” show with Charlie Gibson.  She has also appeared on many local television and radio shows. Her media experience led her to become the host of her own television show “Rejoice! For Kids Sake”. This family-focused show addresses a range of topics and features guests from many different fields.

Ms. Williams-Bell parents 2 biological children, 13 adopted children, 3 unofficially adopted children, and 4 stepchildren. Both her personal and professional life reflect her passionate commitment to children and families.