It’s National Adoption Month! And for the occasion, we hope to raise awareness about adoption and how individuals can get involved and celebrate the wonderful gift of adoption. Whether you are involved with adoption yourself or have plans to do so, there are many things you can learn and enjoy by participating in activities this month. Let’s get started!
So, what is National Adoption Month?
In 1976, Michael Dukakis established the first ever Adoption Week to promote awareness for children in need of adoptive families. From there, President Clinton recognized the need for awareness and followed suit by changing Adoption Week to National Adoption Month in 1985. The goal of National Adoption Month was to publicize the need to place foster children and youth in permanent homes and promote engagement in the community. Typically, National Adoption Month entails state and nationwide organized activities and events to raise awareness.
Photo courtesy of holtinternational.org
How can I get involved?
There are plenty of opportunities for anyone to get involved with National Adoption Month. Since awareness is the primary purpose of the campaign, something as simple as sharing a post on social media to alert friends and family of the cause, can be beneficial. The official organizers provide resources, like logos, flyers, and public service announcement videos, for anyone who wants to help raise awareness independently.
National Adoption Month is celebrated across the nation, so check online to see local events encourage the community to participate. If you can’t find anything convenient for you, you can always register and host your own National Adoption Month event here! Some popular activities for National Adoption Month include, lighting a candle for every person that has touched your life through adoption, sending virtual cards, or even donating money.
You can also further the cause by involving your elected officials and candidates through writing a letter or making a call. Since they’re already in the public eye and have considerable influence, they could be a great asset to increasing awareness for adoption.
What can I do with my family?
There are many things adoptive parents can do to encourage pride and awareness this month. They can set aside some time to look back at their adoption story with their adoptees, and perhaps even create a memory box or story book as a keepsake. Other families take time to celebrate their heritage, whether that may be celebrating the adoptee’s birth culture or acknowledging the birth parents in a special way. Since we are approaching the holiday season, this is a great time to be with family and even take a group photo for sending out cards to extended family members.
Outside of family celebrations, anyone can buy gifts for adoption and children’s charities. Especially during this season as Thanksgiving and the Holidays approach, adoption organizations are looking for donations to help and provide for the many children and families they support. Community members can spread awareness by distributing informational pamphlets to teachers who have the ability educate their students about adoption. Thank you notes for social workers, adoption professionals, and family members are also a great way to promote adoption awareness and show gratitude to people who work hard to make your adoption happen. If you have experience with adoption and are comfortable being a resource for others who may be looking to pursue adoption, consider offering your time and knowledge on the subject to those who want to learn more.
There are many ways to participate in National Adoption Month and help raise awareness in the community. This could be a great opportunity to interact with the neighborhood and help children in need. We’d love to hear what other unique activities and ways you get involved in National Adoption Month, so share with us how you celebrate #NationalAdoptionMonth by contacting us below!
If you have any questions on adoption, you can also contact us personally here.