Save the Date: 10th Annual National Adoption Day Set for Nov. 21

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- National Adoption Day 2009 will be Saturday, November 21. Celebrated across the United States, more than 350 community events are held each year to finalize the adoptions of children in foster care and celebrate all families who adopt.

Celebrating its 10th year, National Adoption Day includes courtroom hearings to finalize the adoptions of more than 4,500 children from U.S. foster care and to celebrate all adoptions. Thanks to the efforts of adoption advocates, policymakers, judges and lawyers, a total of more than 25,000 children have been adopted from foster care on National Adoption Day during the last 10 years.

"There are 129,000 children in foster care waiting to find permanent, loving families. It is unacceptable that any child should miss out on a safe, loving and permanent home," said Rita Soronen, executive director of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and member of the National Adoption Day Coalition. "National Adoption Day is a collective national effort to raise awareness around foster care and adoption, and a very important way we help improve the lives of children in foster care around the country."

Examples of the hundreds of events on National Adoption Day 2009 include:

• Los Angeles - The 10th annual National Adoption Day at Children's Court will kick-off with a national press conference on Nov. 20 at 1 p.m., led by Presiding Judge Michael Nash and actress/adoptive parent Nia Vardalos, followed by adoption finalization hearings for more than 200 foster children.
  

• Atlanta - Actress, author, activist, and former foster care child Victoria Rowell will share her experience as Chief Judge Belinda Edwards oversees adoption finalization hearings for 30 foster children.
  

• Phoenix - The largest celebration in the United States last year, the Juvenile Court Center Durango Facility anticipates finalizing 225 children's adoptions this year.
  

• St. Tammany Parish - U.S. Sen. Mary L. Landrieu (D-La.) will lend her support during the St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana National Adoption Day event.
  

"National Adoption Day started in 2000 when a coalition of adoption advocacy groups partnered together to take the Los Angeles "Adoption Saturday" model and make it a national event. By working with law firms, state foster care agencies, child advocates and courts, we were able to complete hundreds of foster care adoptions in nine jurisdictions nationwide our first year. It quickly grew to 17 jurisdictions in 2001, and today, 10 years later, we have more than 300 celebrations in all 50 states, DC, Puerto Rico and Guam," said Renette Oklewicz, senior manager, Freddie Mac Foundation and member of the National Adoption Day Coalition.

For more information about the events taking place locally and foster care adoption, please visit www.nationaladoptionday.org.

National Adoption Day Coalition Partners

The Alliance for Children's Rights - The Alliance for Children's Rights is Los Angeles' only free legal services organization devoted solely to helping children living in poverty and foster care. The Alliance's mission is to ensure children get the support and services they need to become healthy, productive adults. Since 1992, The Alliance has worked together with the Los Angeles Juvenile Court and the Department of Children and Family Services to expedite and increase the number of children adopted from Los Angeles foster care.

Casey Family Services - Casey Family Services is the direct service agency of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the nation's largest private foundation serving fragile U.S. children, families and communities, started by United Parcel Service founder Jim Casey. Casey Family Services has worked with foster and adoptive families for nearly 30 years and is dedicated to helping build better futures for disadvantaged children here in the United States.

Children's Action Network - Formed in 1990 by leaders in the entertainment industry, the Children's Action Network (CAN) is dedicated to improving the lives of America's children. Through extensive public education campaigns, community-based programs and policy initiatives, CAN uses the power of the entertainment community to increase awareness about children's issues and make them a top priority in everyday life.

The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute - The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to raising awareness about children in need of permanent, safe, and loving homes; and to eliminating the barriers that hinder these children from realizing their basic need of a family. CCAI serves as an informational and educational resource to policymakers as they seek to draft positive adoption legislation and to focusing public attention on the advantages of adoption.

Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption - The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is a national nonprofit public charity dedicated to dramatically increasing the adoptions of the more than 150,000 children waiting in North America's foster care systems. Created by Wendy's® founder, Dave Thomas, who was adopted, the Foundation implements results-driven national signature programs, foster care adoption awareness initiatives and research-based advocacy efforts. To learn more, visit www.DaveThomasFoundation.org or call 1-800-ASK-DTFA.

Freddie Mac Foundation - Created by Freddie Mac in 1991, the Freddie Mac Foundation is dedicated to making home a place where children and families thrive. As the largest corporate funder in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, Freddie Mac and the Freddie Mac Foundation have invested more than $348 million in organizations serving the community.