Happy National Adoption Day!

Welcome to National Adoption Day

National Adoption Day is a national day of celebration of adoptive families and an opportunity for courts to open their doors and finalize the adoptions of children from foster care. Since 2000, more than 35,000 children have had their adoptions finalized on National Adoption Day.

On November 19, 2011, families, adoption advocates, policymakers, judges and volunteers will come together and celebrate adoption in communities large and small all across the nation.

The One Day Project was created by the National Adoption Day Coalition to share with the thousands of waiting children what this one day is like, and what it means to find their forever family. Watch this video to see how this one day has changed actor Willie Garson’s life, and the lives of thousands of children waiting in foster care. Please consider sharing your story about what this one day is like and encourage others to consider adoption from foster care.

Background of National Adoption Day:

• The success of National Adoption Day, which falls during National Adoption Awareness Month, belongs primarily to the parents who are so willing to open their hearts and homes to a child in need.
• There is a network of caring and devoted people, such as adoption advocates, policymakers, judges and lawyers, who work diligently year-round to help bring children and parents together on this special day.
• The coalition of national partners who sponsor National Adoption Day consists of: Freddie Mac Foundation, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, Children's Action Network, The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute and The Alliance for Children's Rights.

Among those joining the National Adoption Day celebration is White Collar actor and 2011 National Adoption Day spokesperson, Willie Garson. He adopted his now 10-year-old son, Nathen, from Los Angeles County foster care in 2010. "While there has been an increase in the number of foster care adoptions over the last five years, there are still far too many children waiting in foster care for families to adopt them," Garson said. "National Adoption Day is about raising awareness of the significant need to find adoptive families for the many children in foster care."

Do you have room in your heart for just one more?

Be gentle.