National Adoption Day
National Adoption Day is celebrated annually on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Events are held all over the country to celebrate this holiday. Moreover, the communities and courts also make efforts to find the right families for children in the foster care system. This event is focused on raising awareness of children in foster care waiting to be adopted.
Michael Nash, a former chief justice of the Los Angeles County Juvenile Court, inspired the first National Adoption Day. The first National Adoption Day was held in 2000 by a coalition of national partners with included Children’s Action Network, the Alliance for Children’s Right, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and Freddie Mac Foundation.
In nowadays, policymakers, practitioners, and advocates collaborate to plan these annual, one-day events in 400 U.S cities.
Knoxville’s Adoption Day event
On Nov. 21, 2019, Knoxville celebrates Adoption Day with the theme: Forever and ever, I’m gonna be the best big brother I can be. Over 30 kids get forever families on Knox Co. Adoption Day. A group of Knoxville families grew with the addition of blessings. Knox County Mayor Glen Jacobs and a representative from Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero’s office read proclamations to recognize National Adoption Month in both the county and the city. Jacobs pointed out that there are more than 240 children in need of a permanent home and a forever family in Knoxville.
Some adoptions statistics in the U.S.
Adoption is all around us. Every day, there are children being adopted into loving families all across the country.
- 4058 children are adopted in the United States in 2018. 52.1 percent of adopted children were female, and 47.9 percent were male. Children between the ages of 5 – 12 are the main group of adoptees. Then followed by children among the age between 1-2 years.
Adoption data by all States in the U.S. state in 2018. Photo from DEPARTMENT of STATE — BUREAU of CONSULAR AFFAIRS.
- Of the over 400,000 children in foster care in the U.S. Among these children males outnumber females.
- More than 60 percent of children in foster care spend two to five years in the system before being adopted. Almost 20 percent spend five or more years in foster care before being adopted. Some never get adopted.
- The top 5 adopting countries are China, Ethiopia, Russia, South Korea, and Ukraine. And top 5 adopting States in the U.S. are Texas, Calfornia, New York, Florida, and Illinois.
Adoption statistics in U.S. Photo from DEPARTMENT of STATE — BUREAU of CONSULAR AFFAIRS.