Secretary Sebelius Hosts Special Event in Washington D.C.
To Celebrate National Adoption Day
Events nationwide celebrate the adoption of 4,500 children from foster care
WASHINGTON – U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will host a special National Adoption Day event in Washington D.C. Friday to celebrate the adoption of 25,000-plus children from foster care over the last 10 years.
Sebelius will be joined by Joshua DuBois, director of the White House office of Faith Based and Neighborhood partnerships, U.S. Sen. Mary L. Landrieu (D-LA) and U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), who will speak at the Hubert H. Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Ave. S.W. Rita L. Soronen, executive director of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption will speak about the impact of National Day and the importance of foster care adoption. Also sharing the stage will be the Executive Director of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute Kathleen Strottman, and Deputy Assistant Secretary and Inter-Departmental Liaison for Early Childhood Development, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Joan Lombardi.
“It is a pleasure to celebrate the great work that National Adoption Day does to inspire Americans to find loving homes for our children,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “Together, we need to keep working hard to educate Americans about how incredible an experience adoption can be, not just for children, but for parents and siblings and communities.”
The event will include a ceremony in which two families will finalize the adoptions of foster care children. National Adoption Day 2009 will be Saturday, November 21. Celebrated across the United States, events will be held in 350 cities in all 50 states and Puerto Rico to finalize the adoptions of 4,500 children in foster care and celebrate all families who adopt.
“It is remarkable to see some of our nation’s leaders come together to celebrate this great cause. There are 129,000 children in foster care waiting to find permanent, loving families,” 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, it is so encouraging to see government officials stand behind our mission and say that no child should miss out on a safe, loving and permanent home.”
Celebrating its 10th year, National Adoption Day includes courtroom hearings to finalize the adoptions 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.
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, D.C. metropolitan area, Freddie Mac and the Freddie Mac Foundation have invested more than $348 million in organizations serving the community.
###
Media Contacts:
Megan Shroy
Paul Werth Associates Inc.
614-224-8114 Ext. 276
mshroy@paulwerth.com