November is National Adoption Awareness Month.

by Anna Glendenning | More from this Blogger

05 Nov 2006 10:53 PM

Every year in the United States, the month of November is set aside to promote awareness about the adoption of children from the foster care system. National Adoption Month, has been celebrated for over 20-years and started in May 1976, when Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis issued the first state Adoption Week proclamation.

Later in the same year 1976 President Gerald Ford officially proclaimed National Adoption week by way of a letter to the North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) conference. During the following years, Adoption Week was observed during the week of Thanksgiving in November. In 1986, NACAC coordinated a national "Calling Out" event based on an idea Larry Gellerstein, the sitting president of the Adoptive Parent Committee of New York had. During 1986 groups from across North America faced the late November weather and organized a simultaneous assemble on state and provincial capitol steps in order to read statements about waiting children, and to "call out" the names of waiting children in their state or province.

In 1990, NACAC decided to expand opportunities to raise awareness, and advertise Adoption Week as National Adoption Awareness Month. The idea quickly caught on, and Adoption Month has been celebrated each November ever since.

This year the National Adoption Awareness Month theme is: "Answering the Call - You don't have to be perfect to be a perfect parent. There are thousands of teens in foster care who would love to put up with you."

During the month of November the President issues a proclamation to the citizens of the Untied States. Advocates for waiting children from state leadership, community service groups, public and private organizations, businesses, families, and individuals celebrate adoption an a positive way to build families. All over the nation, education activities and special observances such as recognition dinners, will be held.

2006 President's Proclamation National Adoption Month, 2006 A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

During National Adoption Month, we encourage the adoption of young people in need, and we honor the adoptive and foster families who have offered children a loving and supportive home.

The best of America is reflected in the many citizens who have adopted children as their own. Mothers and fathers are the most important influences in a child's life, and children with caring, involved parents can better realize the full promise of America. Parents help their children thrive by encouraging them to aim high, work hard, and make good choices that will lead to healthy, satisfying lives. On November 18, loving families across America will celebrate National Adoption Day by finalizing their adoptions of children from foster care. This day will also raise awareness of the many children still waiting to be adopted and encourage more Americans to choose adoption.

My Administration is committed to helping place children with caring families. Through the Collaboration to AdoptUsKids project at www.adoptuskids.org, we are working to provide guidance and support for parents considering adoption. We are also offering tax credits to ease the financial burden on adoptive families, and we are providing funding to help strengthen State adoption services through the Adoption Incentives Program and the Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program. Together, these efforts can help connect children with loving families and help provide greater hope and opportunity for America's children.

During National Adoption Month, we pay tribute to the parents who have opened their hearts and homes and helped provide love and stability for young people. By caring for the youngest members of our society, these families are helping our children grow into successful adults and building the future of our country.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2006 as National Adoption Month. I call upon all Americans to observe this month with appropriate programs and activities to honor adoptive families and to participate in efforts to find permanent homes for waiting children.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-first.

GEORGE W. BUSH

Public awareness and recruitment campaigns, will be hosted by adoptive parents, local media and many children's services offices. In many communities special events outlining the needs of waiting children looking for permanent families will be held.

National Adoption Day is Saturday, November 18, 2006 and many courthouses will observed across the nation as with hundreds of adoptions being finalized simultaneously.

Related Blog:

• All I want for Christmas is a Forever Family
• A Home For The Holidays
• Perfect Parents are Not Required

Special Needs and Adoption-Related Terms: Adoption terms and special needs words may vary from agency to agency. The terms used in this Special Needs Adoption-Related Glossary may be slightly different from one State to another.

A | B | C | D | E-F | G-H-I | J-K-L | M | N-O | P | Q-R | S | T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z

For more information about parenting special needs children you might want to visit the Families.com Special Needs Blog and the Mental Health Blog. Or visit my personal website.

Photo credits for this blog entry: (no use restrictions for these photos)

foster children, National Adoption Awareness Mont, waiting children