National Adoption Month Reminds Us to Consider Adoption

Each year, November is recognized as National Adoption Awareness Month. Through the process of adoption, losses are transformed into miracles, by offering a child love and permanency and giving an adoptive family the opportunity to love and parent a child.

Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey (LSMNJ) has been building forever families since 1949. Not only is November a perfect time to celebrate all children and families brought together by adoption, but also to bring awareness of the need for adoptive families, who could provide permanency and well-being for all children waiting for a family.
 
We’d like to congratulate our three families who have expanded their families through our Open Adoption Program this year. We also want to celebrate all the families who are currently in the process of adopting children through our Waiting Child Program. Seven children are awaiting placement in their permanent homes, since being removed from their birth families due to neglectful or abusive circumstances and placed in foster care. These children came to us from the foster care systems of Ohio, Oregon and Nevada.

Facts & Statistics

According to the most recent statistics from the US Department of Health and Human Services’ AFCARS report, based on figures from 2011:

  • There are 400,540 children in our nations’ foster care system
  • 115,000 of these children are eligible for adoption
  • Over 27,000 youth “age out” of foster care every year without the emotional and financial support necessary to succeed
  • The average length of time a child waits to be adopted in foster care is 3 years

Adoption is a loving choice. If you’ve ever considered adoption of either an infant or a waiting child, but are unsure if it is the right decision for you….we can help.
 
Join us at one of our monthly informational meetings held the first Tuesday of every month. Learn more about the process of adoption and whether it is right for you and your family.
 
Our next meeting is Tuesday, December 3, 2013 at LSMNJ’s Burlington Office. 3 Manhattan Drive, Burlington, NJ 08016.

You can also contact, Diane D’Agostino at 609-699-4112.

If you’re not considering adoption at this time, please share this message with friends and family who might be.