I’m sure you’re going to be seeing lots of posts about it being National Adoption Awareness Month around here, because it’s something we all can celebrate! This national event started off as a way to increase awareness about the need for adoptive families for children in the foster care system in the United States. It’s focus is still on adoption from foster care, but all adoptive families can spread awareness for adoption in general as well.

National Adoption Awareness Month started in 1990 and has been gaining steam ever since. As the number of adoptive families in our country increases, so do the events and organizations that celebrate and spread awareness about adoption. Having a whole month to focus on this goal provides us with so many opportunities to educate the public (which includes many members who are completely clueless when it comes to adoption of any kind.)

This year’s theme for National Adoption Awareness Month is the adoption of teens from the foster care system. I’ve been seeing more and more television commercials raising awareness about the need for adoptive families for older children in foster care, and I hope that they’re being aired nationwide. The television spots announce that you don’t need to be perfect to be a parent, and I feel that this may reach an audience that has thought about adoption, but felt they weren’t “good enough” to be a parent.

There are many different things you can do to recognize the importance of this month. Contact your local newspaper and see if they would run an article or accept a letter to the editor about this month. You can get tips about talking to the media here. You could host or attend events held by local adoption agencies or adoptive family groups. You may also wish to contact your local elected officials and urge them to hold an adoption awareness event. This month also serves as a good reminder to step back, take some quiet time as a family and remember and pay respect to all those involved in your child’s adoption.

While we celebrate our families that have been formed by adoption we can also help others to remember that there are countless children who need families right now. All children deserve a family and National Adoption Awareness Month strives to make the public aware that adoption is an awesome way to build or grow a family. If you have something planned for this month to celebrate and/or raise awareness, please share :)

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More Reading:
How to Get Involved With National Adoption Awareness Month
National Adoption Awareness Month-write your legislator
National Adoption Month - a Call for Stories