Raising awareness for thousands of teens in the U.S foster care system. November is National Adoption Month.

National Adoption Day is a collective effort to raise awareness of the 114,000 children in the U.S foster care system – all waiting to find permanent, caring families.

This year’s theme is “Answering the Call – You don’t have to be perfect to be a perfect parent. There are thousands of teens in foster care who would love to put up with you.”

NAD started in 1976, as the idea of Governor Michael Dukakis – of Massachusetts. That year he announced an Adoption Week for his state. Later that same year President Gerald Ford proclaimed that Adoption Week would be celebrated nationally. More states started to participate in Adoption Week – and soon more time was needed for holding events. In 1990 National Adoption Week became National Adoption Month. NAD is now celebrated in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Hundreds of adoptions are typically finalized simultaneously on National Adoption Day by an organized effort of courts, judges, attorneys, adoption professionals, child welfare agencies and advocates. In 2006, more than 250 events were held throughout the country to finalize the adoptions of more than 3,300 children in foster care.

If you’ve already adopted – or hope to do so – you can join in various community events planned to highlight this important month.