[BrandyHagz]

What are you planning to do to celebrate National Adoption Awareness Month?

Has anyone else considered becoming proactive in educating the general public about the triad? Many newspapers have editorial sections where you can write letters for publication!

I’d love to make this National Adoption Awareness Month a time where we do all we can to break down the stereotypes attached to the triad!

[coachmur]

Hopefully finalizing the adoption of our little six year old foster daughter. Weve had since she was four. Finally, the end of that journey is in sight. Yeah

[jenf]

congrats Coachmur on your adoption! We will also be finalizing here in PA on Nov. 17. We are adopting our two foster sons we have been raising for the past 2 1/2 years!! FINALLY!

[Guatemom]

Hi, Brandy!!!
I'm volunteering with our local foster/adoption agency to plan a community event. They had something big slated in Frankfort-but it was cancelled last week. Now they're left w/out a 'big' event for the month. We're thinking of having a "Families Created through Adoption Day" or "Families Celebrating Adoption Day" at the bowling alley or something like that to bring everyone together.
I also asked about the local libraries spotlighting the month-and the coordinator told me this morning we were flat turned down by one county library b/c the new director used to be a local reporter. Some yrs ago, she'd published an adoption-bashing article, to which our coordinator called an flamed her over. Course now, as director, that person's not very receptive to us or anything adoption-related. But, we do have some other libraries on board. So that's great!!
Ps--thanks SO much for the calendar on here. I printed it out and will be going over it with the local agency coordinator. They primarily work with foster care and domestic adoption-but also link to other agencies across the state. We're praying thru their contacts we can really get the word out this month-wouldn't that be great?!
Oh, and also-she's sending me a brochure of PAL (positive adoption language) to distribute (esp. to businesses like dr offices and schools, etc. where there've been issues with the wording on forms, etc.) We already have one local dentist (who's form just comes out and says things like "is this child adopted") agree to look over the PAL brochure and revise his wording to be more PAL correct
It's small steps, but we're trying~~I'm really psyched about the month ahead! Looking for more ideas, too--so WHAT ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE!!??? WHERE ARE YOU!!!???

[NAH]

I took Adoption.com's advice and sought out an opportunity for the month.....I work for our public school district that serves 35,000 kids. I contacted the chair of our Family and Consumer Science Dept. to extend the offer to go speak to high school classes about adoption/open adoption. She was thrilled I offered and sent it out to our six senior high schools.

As it ends up, I had three schools take me up on it and am speaking to 5 classes; Pregnancy & Parenting classes, Infant & Toddler classes, Family in Crisis classes, etc. I am not alone in this-my husband, two caseworkers from the Nebraska Children's Home, and our son's bmom are all mixing it up and coming with me to speak. Yesterday, I spoke with his bmom and as she was telling her story, I cried, AGAIN. We've got a great relationship and she is such a sweet, beautiful and wonderful soul, it still hurts to hear about her hurt. It's natural, but we just adore her so much, we just didn't want her to ever hurt, y'know? But, all is well. She is a wonderful friend and even drove 100 miles round trip to speak!

Plus, the caseworkers from NCH have the opportunity to tell students/parent students about all the services they offer-free childbirth and parenting classes, parenting/birth parent/waiting parent support groups, etc. They are not all adoption-they are all about the family, in any form.
Thanks for letting me share!