November is Adoption Awareness Month

by C. Denise Lambrianou, Family Enrichment Center
Wednesday, November 4, 2009 4:05 PM CST

November is Adoption Awareness Month, a time for all of us to realize the role we can play in promoting adoptions.  The Adoption Resource Center, a program of Family Enrichment Center, mission is to empower families and prevent child abuse by providing support to current and prospective adoptive families in our region.

    Sadly, in the state of Kentucky there are over 6,900 children in out of home care.  In the 10 County, Barren River Region there are approximately 188 children waiting to be adopted.  So far this year, the Barren River Region has had 42 adoptions!  However, there is still more to be done!

They entered foster care through no fault of their own, as victims of child abuse, neglect or abandonment and their parents’ legal rights have been terminated.

The typical child who has been freed for adoption is at least nine years old, moves three or more times in foster care, may have been separated from siblings, and will wait five years or more to be adopted. Tragically, many will never be adopted and will leave the system at age 18 without a family, going into society without the support of a family.

National Adoption Awareness Month, celebrated annually since 1990, works to increase the number of families willing to consider foster care adoption and celebrates the unique joys of creating families through foster care adoption.

The Adoption Resource Center believes every child deserves a permanent home and actively encourages people in the community to consider foster care adoption.

Everyone can make a difference – either by adopting a child from foster care or by supporting the work of agencies finding forever families for waiting children.

For more information about adopting a waiting child, call C. Denise Lambrianou at (270) 842-9032 or (866) 842-9032.

Wear your white ribbon during November to help promote adoption and to show you care about children.  You may pick up a white ribbon for your lapel or office door at Family Enrichment Center, 441 Church Avenue in Bowling Green. 

November Activities:

• ADOPTION PROCLAMATION SIGNING - Fountain Square Park, Bowling Green, KY  (City Hall if inclement weather) Monday, November 2, 2009 11:00a.m. For more information call 842-9032. We will also hang white ribbons around Fountain Square after the signing.
• ADOPTION CELEBRATION Monday, November 2, 2009 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.  Christ Episcopal Church, Bowling Green, KY Honoring those families, whose adoptions were finalized this year.
• ADOPTION RESOURCE CENTER OPEN HOUSE  Tuesday, November 10, 2009 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Family Enrichment Center 441 Church Avenue, Bowling Green, KY  Refreshments will be served.
• ADOPTION AWARENESS EVENT  Sunday, November 15, 2009 11:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Barnes & Noble on Campbell Lane, Bowling Green, KY  A portion of sales that weekend will go to support the  Adoption Resource Center, Resource Lending Library.

For more information or if you may be interested in fostering and/or adopting please call C. Denise Lambrianou at 842-9032 or toll free 866-842-9032 or visit www.FamilyEnrichmentCenter.com

The Adoption Resource Center is funded by The Cabinet for Health and Family Services and individual contributions.

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