By Marc Eichelberger, LBCH Communications
National Adoption Month is a time designated to increase awareness of the adoption of children from foster care and to honor families that have adopted. In 1976, Gov. Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts announced an Adoption Week to promote awareness of the need for adoptive families for children in foster care. The idea grew and spread across the United States. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Adoption Week and in 1995, President Bill Clinton expanded the week to the entire month of November.
In the U.S. today, over 400,000 children are in foster care, with 107,000 of those children available for adoption. In Louisiana, over 4,500 children are in foster care, with 300 of those children available for adoption and in need of a forever family.
Louisiana Baptist Foster & Adoption Network, a ministry of Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home & Family Ministries, envisions all of these precious children adopted by Christian families and vitally connected to churches. To learn more about adoption through foster care or how your church can participate in National Adoption Month, contact Beth Green at 318.343.2244 or beth@lbch.org.
Information is also available on domestic and international adoptions.