Each year the month of November is recognized as National Adoption Awareness Month. This is the month when communities, cities and organizations celebrate building families in a positive way through adoption. Particularly spotlighted are the numbers of children in the foster care program that are awaiting permanent placement through adoption. Throughout the month, there are dinners, events, walk-a-thons and recruitment campaigns to encourage adoption awareness of adoption and the children needing families. One day is set aside as National Adoption Day, which is observed in courthouses across the country as thousands of adoptions are simultaneously finalized. This year, National Adoption Day will be celebrated on November 22, 2014.

The history of National Adoption Month began in Massachusetts in 1976. Governor Mike Dukakis realizing the many foster children needing families proclaimed one week in November as Adoption Week. Soon, the idea was passed on to other states and quickly spread across the country. It was President Gerald Ford that instituted the first National Adoption Week which was later expanded to a month in 1990. It was made a month long focus because of the number of events and states participating had grown significantly.

As November nears, talk of adoption will increase. There will be radio personalities talking with those who have been involved in adoption and sharing their personal stories. Many news programs will carry stories about events and campaigns and certainly foster children will be spotlighted. The hope is that the public will become aware of the reality of the numbers of children in the United States that do not have forever families.

Last year, approximately 4,500 children were adopted on National Adoption Day. And, over the course of the observance of this day, nearly 50,000 children have had their dream come true! While the focus is heavy on the adoption of foster children, hearing adoption stories of those touched by adoption are wonderful to hear. All agencies, businesses, event organizers and citizens encourage people to talk about their personal experiences in adoption and they give thanks during this month.

If you have a personal story you would like to share, please send us an email or letter. We would love to hear your story, and if you are willing, share it with others. You can contact us at: adopt@aactofloveadoptions.com, actofloveadoptions@yahoo.com, or 1 800 835-6360. We are so blessed to be involved in the wonderful work of adoption. We as an agency staff share our love of adoption because we have each personally been touched through adoption. As we prepare to celebrate National Adoption Month, we hope that you will join us in the celebration and observe this wonderful month and share it with others!

Sources:
https://national-adoption-month.adoption.com/

https://www.nationaladoptionday.org/news/2013-12-05/national-adoption-day-news-for-planners-and-partners