November is National Adoption Awareness Month
November is National Adoption Awareness Month, a time for us to focus on and really think about all of the children in our foster care system who are waiting to find their forever families.
In 2019, parental rights were terminated for over 71,300 children in foster care. That means over 71,300 children learned they would never be re-united with their birth parents. The total number of children waiting to be adopted is over 122,000.
The outcomes for children who age out of foster care without finding a forever family are simply unacceptable.
Over 23,000 youth age out of foster care each year
These young adults are left to fend for themselves
Only 54% will graduate from high school
Only 3% will earn a 4-year college degree
71% of girls who age out of foster care will be pregnant by the age of 21
60% of boys who age out of foster care will be convicted of a crime in young adulthood
Over 50% of youth who age out of foster care will struggle with substance abuse
1 in 3 youth who age out of foster care will be homeless within 2 years
What can we do to change these statistics?
Adopt from foster care. Give a child a chance at hope, healing, an education, and a bright future. The love and support of a forever family can change a child’s life.
Our core mission at Comfort Cases is to inspire communities to bring dignity and hope to youth in foster care. We do this by providing the tangible items in each Comfort Case, but we are also passionate about lifting up other nonprofits that work to build better futures for children in need of forever families.
We know that adoption isn’t right for every family, but every family can do something to help. Here are three organizations that are doing incredible work to help children find forever families. Visit their websites to learn more about how you can support their efforts.
Adoptions Together - Since 1990, Adoptions Together has placed over 10,000 children in permanent, loving homes. Far more than an adoption agency, Adoptions Together is a lifelong resource for families where information, support, and counseling can always be found. Listen to our Fostering Change podcast episode with Adoptions Together founder Janice Goldwater here.
Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption - The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is the only public nonprofit charity in the United States that is focused exclusively on foster care adoption. Through its signature program, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids®, the Foundation provides grants to adoption agencies to hire recruiters who use an evidence-based, child-focused recruitment model to find loving, permanent homes for children waiting in foster care.
The Foundation works closely with child welfare advocates and policymakers, provides free resources about foster care adoption and raises awareness through social media campaigns, public service announcements and events.
Selfless Love Foundation - Every child needs and deserves a forever family. Your support is invested in the efforts to streamline the adoption process – building better matches, creating case worker efficiency, and reducing the time of adoption for waiting children and families.
When you make a gift to Selfless Love Foundation, you provide children in foster care an opportunity to find their forever homes. There are no unwanted children, just unfound families.