Ceremony Raises Awareness about the Need for Committed Adoptive Families

County of Riverside, Ca – Sixty-two children will permanently settle into loving homes with adoptive families, as Riverside County, Children’s Services Division kicks off National Adoption Awareness Month in November.

On Saturday, November 3, Riverside County Superior Court commissioners and judges will finalize the adoptions of the 62 children. The Riverside County Children’s Services Division and community partners will celebrate the adoptions during the 11th annual Adoption Finalization Day event. The special celebration will take place at 8 a.m. inside the historic courthouse in downtown Riverside, 4050 Main St. Although the event is not open to the general public, media representatives interested in attending this joyful, heartwarming event should contact Colette Crawford at COcrawfo@rivco.org.

“Our team looks forward to this event every year. The opportunity to connect children to their forever homes is one of the highlights of our work. This calendar year we have finalized 504 adoptions, however we have many other children that are awaiting permanent placements. We encourage families that are considering adoption to contact us for more information”.  Marie Brown- Mercadel Assistant Director, Riverside County, Department of Public Social Services

National Adoption Awareness Month offers a chance to recognize the successful adoptions of Riverside County’s foster children. On any given day, more than 100 foster children are waiting for permanent adoptive homes in Riverside County. The county’s adoption program continually needs committed individuals and couples to adopt children who are among the most difficult-to-place children. Sibling groups, teenagers, minority children, and children with special medical or behavioral needs continue to wait the longest to find loving, permanent homes.

National Adoption Day is a collective effort to raise awareness about the more than 100,000 children in foster care nationwide who are eligible for adoption. Adoption events bring together hundreds of judges, attorneys, adoption professionals and child advocates dedicated to creating families for waiting children.

Anyone interested in fostering or adoption can contact DPSS. For information: 1-800-665-KIDS or visit our website: http://dpss.co.riverside.ca.us/childrens-services-division/adoption-information/adoptions-legal-guardianship