over 600 unique professionals both in the U.S. and abroad, we increased U.S. funding for children and family services, and we cultivated 18 emerging leaders through our Foreign Visitors Training & Exchange Program and Intern Development Programs." The Council also offered 4-month rotating internships for two qualified college and graduate school students. "Each internship include[d] a substantive research or policy project, ongoing education on public policy and non-profit management, a staff mentor, participation in 2 or more external policy workshops, career networking opportunities, post-program support and a competitive stipend." Partnerships Joint Council's partner organizations included over 160 child welfare organizations, domestic and international adoption agencies, as well as orphan care organizations and other groups that provided services related to child welfare, orphan care or adoption. According to its website, "collectively, Joint Council and its partners provide[d] over $760 million in services to 2.1 million children and families in 52 countries. All partners of our coalition adhere to the Joint Council Standards of Practice with a goal of providing ethical services in the best interest of children and families." Such services and programs included: Nutrition Medicine Advocacy Family Preservation Domestic Foster Care and Adoption Intercountry Adoption (incoming and outgoing) Kinship Care Family Support Orphan Care Women's Empowerment One of the Council's partners was Miriam's Promise, which "stands in the gap, building bridges through crisis pregnancy counseling and child placement services. They offer assistance for domestic, international and independent adoption, as well as post-placement services. Their promise is to ensure the well-being of the child by nurturing individuals and families." The SPOON Foundation, "recognizing the urgency of malnutrition for children impacted by disabilities and/or institutionalized care [and] equipping governments and citizen organizations to protect these children from the...consequences of nutritional deficiencies and improper feeding," was another. Others included the Barker Foundation, Heart of the Matter Seminars, and Adoptions of Indiana. Challenges and Demise Notes from a December 2009 Joint Council stakeholders meeting were leaked online. In them, the council listed two core challenges to their organization, its financial viability and the efficacy of its advocacy efforts and public policy initiatives. Financial Issues Although the council focused on issues like a cause-based organization, it was structured like an association or trade organization, which get funding from "dues, fees for service, conferences, books, and magazines. For 29 of the past 33 years, Joint Council was funded from Dues and Fees for Service." For the