[Ms.Leo]

Saturday Is National Adoption Day
November 18, 2006, will mark the 7th year for National Adoption Day. Through the help of adoption professionals, child advocates, judges, and attorneys, thousands of children in foster care will finalize adoption and become part of a permanent home and family. The goals for this National Adoption Day include:

1. Finalize adoptions from foster care in all 50 states.
2. Celebrate and honor all families that adopt.
3. Raise awareness about the 118,000 children in foster care waiting for adoption.
4. Encourage others to adopt children from foster care.
5. Build collaboration among local adoption agencies, courts and advocacy organizations.
6. Communicate availability and need for post-adoptive services

I hope that this National Adoption Day is as successful as last year. In 2005, 3,300 adoptions were finalized from foster care in 227 events in 45 states and the District of Columbia. How are you celebrating National Adoption Day?

Saturday Is Also RegDay
This Saturday is November 18 and that marks two very special days in the adoption community, RegDay and National Adoption Day. Volunteers set up booths out in public areas, such as libraries, and hand out ISRR applications and free information on adoption searches and reunions. The International Soundex Reunion Registry (ISRR) was developed with the idea of providing a means for families that have been separated due to divorce, adoption, or foster care to reunite. ISRR is a mutual consent registry, meaning that for the registry to work, each adult (18 and over), has to have registered with ISRR in order for a match to be made. Many volunteers and visitors to the booths share their touching stories of reunion or the pain of a fruitless search. One RegDay volunteer shares the following:

"One young woman(an adoptee) - late twenties I think - came in with her boyfriend - took the form to register and got some info about searching as well. She was quite soft-spoken and articulate. Said she had wonderful parents, did not have to know about her past, but, felt somehow it was part of her essence as to who she was. Said that she felt if she did not search, on her death bed, she would regret it.

Our event touches a few people very dramatically, but, we need to find ways to bring in more people - especially those birth moms still in their safe cocoons as I was until over 3 years ago. Many of them have children who are signing up, but, Soundex only works if both parties register. The fear of the unknown paralyzes many of us though - that's why those of us who are reunited work tirelessly to de-mystify search and reunion for people. We know what a difference reunion has made in our lives."


Find a RegDay event in your area and participate! This is a great step for an adoption reunion.


Adoption Search
I just recently learned of another successful search thanks to the volunteer Adoption Search Angels. Siblings were found and a happy reunion is taking place.

National Adoption Day Website