Every year, thousands of children in foster care dream of finding a family to call their own. National Adoption Day transforms that dream into reality for hundreds of these children, as courtrooms across America open their doors to finalize adoptions and celebrate new beginnings. More than just a ceremonial occasion, this day represents hope, permanency, and the profound impact that love and commitment can have on a child’s life.Throughout National Adoption Month, communities across the U.S. promote adoption awareness through activities and events. On one day of the month, National Adoption Day, there is a coordinated effort to:
- Bring attention to the needs of over 100,000 children in foster care waiting for families to adopt them.
- Raise awareness of the importance of adoption.
- Recognize the dedication of adoptive parents, social workers, and advocates.
Celebrated annually on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, National Adoption Day provides an opportunity to emphasize the importance of adoption and encourage more people to consider it a way to build their families. This year, National Adoption Day is tomorrow, Saturday, November 22.
You can watch the Instagram video below to quickly learn more about the holiday. Then, keep scrolling to learn background information on how National Adoption Day came to be, and ideas on how your family can celebrate this special holiday!
Table of Contents
- The Origins of National Adoption Day
- Understanding the Need for Foster Care Adoption
- How Can We Celebrate National Adoption Day?
- How Lifetime Adoption Can Help
- Celebrating Love, Celebrating Family
The Origins of National Adoption Day
National Adoption Day was launched in 1999 by a collaboration between the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, the Alliance for Children’s Rights, and the Children’s Action Network.
Their coordinated effort sought to bring attention to the needs of the thousands of children in foster care waiting for families to adopt them.
From Vision to National Movement
On November 18, 2000, this alliance, along with adoption professionals, families, law firms, child advocates, and the Freddie Mac Foundation, came together. They encouraged nine cities to open their courts around the Saturday before Thanksgiving to finalize and celebrate foster care adoptions.
Michael Nash, then a presiding judge of Los Angeles County’s Juvenile Court, inspired them with his visionary actions. He opened the court on Saturdays and finalized adoptions with the help of court personnel to relieve the backlog of one of the busiest courts in the U.S.
National Adoption Day Today
National Adoption Day has evolved into a special day in which courts open their doors and finalize the adoptions of children from foster care. On this day, child welfare advocates make a dedicated push to see children adopted into permanent homes before the holidays!
However, National Adoption Day isn’t just for parents who adopt through the foster care system. On this day every year, families around the nation commemorate the gift that adoption brings to their lives.
Understanding the Need for Foster Care Adoption
While National Adoption Day celebrates all forms of adoption, its primary focus remains on children waiting in foster care. Understanding the foster care system can help more families consider this path to parenthood.
Currently, over 100,000 children in the U.S. foster care system are waiting for permanent families. These children range in age from infants to teenagers, and many have been waiting years for the stability and love of a forever home. National Adoption Day shines a spotlight on their need and creates urgency around finding them families.
How You Can Get Involved with Foster Care Adoption
If you’re considering foster care adoption, there are several ways to learn more and get started:
- Attend an Orientation: Many local agencies offer informational meetings where you can learn about the process, requirements, and support available to foster and adoptive parents.
- Become a Foster Parent First: Some families choose to foster children, providing temporary care while also being open to adoption if reunification isn’t possible.
- Consider Older Children or Sibling Groups: While many families hope to adopt infants, older children and sibling groups often wait longer to be adopted. These children have so much love to give and can bring immense joy to your home.
- Connect with Support Groups: Many communities have support groups for foster and adoptive parents where you can learn from others’ experiences and build a network of friends who understand.
Resources for Foster Care Adoption
To learn more about foster care adoption, consider exploring these resources:
- Your state’s child welfare agency
- AdoptUSKids.org – a national resource for foster care adoption
- Local foster care agencies and organizations
- The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
Even if you’re not ready to adopt, you can support foster care children through mentorship programs, donation drives, or advocacy work in your community.
How Can We Celebrate National Adoption Day?
Whether you’re celebrating all month long or just on National Adoption Day, it’s important to be proud of your adoption journey.
National Adoption Day is a great occasion to celebrate your adoption story and to attend events that raise awareness of the significance of adoption. Here are some ideas on how you can do that:
1. Have an Adoption Day party
Gather with fellow adoptive families, friends, and neighbors to host a National Adoption Day celebration! Inflate colorful balloons, organize a potluck dinner, and come together to honor your unique family and the countless other families throughout the United States positively impacted by adoption.
It’s a beautiful opportunity to strengthen bonds, share experiences, and celebrate the beauty of adoption.
2. Watch a Movie About Adoption
Snuggle up on the sofa with your children and enjoy some heartwarming movies about adoption. Watching movies about adoption can offer fresh perspectives, introduce us to diverse family dynamics, and help us relate to the characters. These films can also be beneficial for adopted children as they can help start conversations about challenging subjects or provide emotional release.
It’s essential to keep in mind that movie producers often exaggerate the plot for entertainment, so the movies may not accurately depict adoption. Watch any film before showing it to your kids to ensure it’s suitable for their age and won’t cause any distress. Also, discuss any inaccuracies or difficult topics with them beforehand.
3. Become a Champion for Adoption
Text, email, or post on social media about adoption and National Adoption Day. If you’re on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or another social media platform, you can use the tag #NationalAdoptionDay. You can efficiently and easily share the history and importance of the day, whether it’s an infographic or a link to a helpful website.
Encourage and inspire others to expand their knowledge, actively participate, and consider adoption as a viable option for themselves. Here are a few resources to help you begin:
- NationalAdoptionDay.org
- Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute
- Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
- Alliance for Children’s Rights
- Lifetime Adoption
4. Share Your Story
National Adoption Day is a great occasion to shine the spotlight on adoption in your family. Whether you share your own adoption story or draw from the valuable experiences you’ve gained throughout the process, educating others about the joys and rewards of adoption is a meaningful way to spread awareness and understanding.
The beauty of adoption is truly something worth celebrating, especially during National Adoption Month. One of the best ways to honor this special month is to share the positive impact adoption has had on your life. Start by reaching out to your friends and family and sharing the many benefits of adoption with them.
5. Attend or Host an Adoption Day Event
Attending an adoption-related event in your community is a wonderful way to celebrate National Adoption Day.
These events provide an opportunity to delve deeper into the world of adoption, gain valuable insights, and listen to the diverse experiences of birth parents, adoptive parents, and adoptees whose lives have been impacted by adoption. You can find a National Adoption Day event near you by visiting NationalAdoptionDay.org/events.
During National Adoption Day, courts and organizations across the U.S. open their doors to finalize and celebrate adoptions from foster care.
By participating in these events, you can also share your own adoption story and connect with others who have embarked on similar journeys. It’s a chance to build a supportive network and gain a deeper understanding of the beauty of adoption.
How Lifetime Adoption Can Help
At Lifetime Adoption, we dedicate ourselves to assisting women and families from all walks of life who are considering adoption. We are passionate about encouraging open adoptions and witnessing the beautiful connections formed between adoptive families and birth parents.
If you are an expectant mother facing an unexpected pregnancy, we are here to support you and explore the possibility of placing your baby in a loving adoptive home.
Since 1986, Lifetime Adoption has been committed to helping families, and we eagerly anticipate the opportunity to assist many more families, not only during National Adoption Month but also beyond.
Here at Lifetime, we raise awareness about adoption and celebrate the families formed through this beautiful process. We wholeheartedly celebrate every adoption and take a gentle, caring, and understanding approach to the support we provide across the United States.
If you are a prospective adoptive family seeking to learn more about how we can help you realize your dream of parenthood, please reach out to our experienced team at Lifetime Adoption. We are eager to discuss the adoption process with you.
Celebrating Love, Celebrating Family
National Adoption Day reminds us that family isn’t just about biology—it’s about love, commitment, and the choice to open your heart and home to a child who needs you. Whether you’re finalizing an adoption this November, celebrating your adoption anniversary, or simply learning about the power of adoption for the first time, this day invites us all to recognize the beauty of families built through love.
As we honor National Adoption Day and the 26 years of hope it has brought to thousands of children, consider how you can be part of this movement. Celebrate the adoptive families in your life. Share stories that inspire others. Advocate for the children still waiting. Every action, no matter how small, contributes to a world where every child has the opportunity to grow up in a loving, permanent home.
This National Adoption Day, let’s come together to celebrate not just the day itself, but the enduring promise it represents: that every child deserves a family, and every family is strengthened by love.
Heidi Keefer is a Content Creator for Lifetime Adoption and has over 15 years of experience in the field of adoption. An author of thousands of articles and social media posts over the years, Heidi enjoys finding new ways to educate and captivate Lifetime’s ever-growing list of subscribers.
Heidi has a keen eye for misplaced apostrophes, comma splices, and well-turned sentences, which she has put to good use as a contributor to Lifetime’s award-winning blogs. She has written and published hundreds of adoption articles which explore the various facets of domestic infant adoption today.
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