The month of November - a time for celebrating the joy of adoption, and a time for raising awareness of the plight of the foster child awaiting a loving, forever family.
National Adoption Week
In 1976, Michael Dukakis, governor of Massachusetts, proclaimed a week dedicated to promoting the need for adoptive families for children in the Massachusetts foster care system. This idea became enormously popular and later that same year, President Gerald Ford proclaimed the first National Adoption Week. Fourteen years later, in 1990, with a growing number of states participating and numerous events taking place nation-wide, the week was extended into a month-long commemoration.
Today, National Adoption Month is celebrated in November with organized events held across the county to bring to light the plight of the foster child awaiting a loving, permanent family. Agencies, adoption groups, and organizations hold recognition dinners, recruitment campaigns, workshops, award ceremonies and various other activities to raise adoption awareness and to celebrate the gift of adoption. The high point of the month is National Adoption Day, this year occurring on November 17th, in which hundreds of families will joyously finalize their adoptions in courtrooms across the country.
In his 2007 National Adoption Month Proclamation, President George W. Bush recognized the importance of adoption by stating that . . . “Families who adopt show the generous spirit of our Nation. Every child desires a permanent home, and when parents adopt a child to love as their own, lives are forever changed.”
Observe National Adoption Month
There are many ways to observe National Adoption Month - here are some suggestions:
- Adopt a foster child
- Thank an adoptive parent with a card or gift.
- Thank an adoption social worker with a card or gift.
- Donate a book about adoption to your local library.
- Volunteer for an organization that helps children who are in the foster care system
- Throw an adoption party.
- Attend an adoption event near you.
Adoption Events
To find an event near you go to NationalAdoptionDay.org. Here is a look at some of the festivities scheduled this month around the U.S.:
Norwich, Connecticut: The Children First Foundation 2007 Charity Concert for Adoption in the beautiful Cathedral of St. Patrick. The free concert will be performed by renowned New York Philharmonic concert violinist and CFF Co-Founder, Charles Rex, accompanied by pianist Elizabeth Pridgen in a charming one-hour program of works by Beethoven, Stravinsky and Kreisler.
Wichita, Kansas: Kansas Adoption Day celebration at City Arts Gallery. Juvenile court judges will be on hand to finalize all adoptions occurring that day. Youthville will be displaying an art exhibit, entitled Walk-A-Mile, which is a compilation of painted and decorated shoes that tell the stories of some of the children in foster care. It is a powerful exhibit, and allows the public if for just that brief moment, a chance to Walk-A-Mile in the shoes of some of the kids in foster care.
Vancouver, Washington: Actor Kirk Cameron, will be sharing his experiences as an adoptive father and speaking on behalf of the children awaiting adoption in the U.S. at a fundraising banquet. There will be live music as well as a testimony by an adoptee.
For more ways to celebrate, visit the Child Welfare Information Gateway
For more information read Foster Child Adoption 101.
