November 18th is National Adoption Day

National Adoption Day is the brain child of the Alliance for Children’s Rights. In 2005, the largest number of celebrations for this very special day were held.
By Janet Barr, Director of Adoption Program

National Adoption Day is a collective national effort to raise public awareness of the 118,000 children in foster care waiting to find permanent, loving families. For the last six years, National Adoption Day has made the dreams of thousands of children come true by bringing together courts, judges, attorneys, and advocates to finalize adoptions for children in foster care.

National Adoption Day is celebrated every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. In 2005, judges, attorneys, adoption professionals, child welfare agencies and advocates in 45 states and the District of Columbia helped to finalize the adoptions of more than 3,300 children in foster care. That year, 227 events were held throughout the country to finalize adoptions and to celebrate all families who adopt.

Goals of National Adoption Day for 2006

• Finalize adoptions
• Celebrate and honor all families that adopt
• Raise awareness about the 118,000 children in foster care waiting for adoption
• Encourage others to adopt children from foster care
• Build collaboration among local adoption agencies, courts and advocacy organizations
• Through research, learn more about families wanting to adopt and the children waiting to be adopted with the goal of finding more permanent, loving homes for children in foster care