In the News

Mayor Sarno Declares November as Adoption Awareness Month in the City of Springfield

Thursday, November 3, 2016

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno held a reception to highlight the need for foster and adoptive parents in Western Massachusetts. The second annual celebration opened National Adoption Month in Springfield. The event featured stories from adoptive parents to raise awareness of the need for adoptive homes for youth in Springfield and throughout Western Massachusetts. A reception following the speaking program was hosted by Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange’s Lisa Funaro, Executive Director, and Maurine Albano, Western MA Child Services Coordinator.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno stated, “You can’t put a price tag on how these families not only open up their homes, but more importantly, their hearts to these children. I know first-hand with family and friends, who have given a second chance to a child to be able to have and pursue a positive life.”

National Adoption Day will be celebrated across Massachusetts on November 18, 2016. The National Adoption Day celebrations feature opening ceremonies in each courthouse with remarks by judges, other dignitaries, and some of the adopting families as well as musical performances and other entertainment. Committees of court personnel, Massachusetts Department of Children & Families (DCF) staff, Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) staff, and community volunteers have arranged for every child being adopted to receive a gift bag of toys and more donated by local businesses and friends. National Adoption Day is sponsored by the Massachusetts Court Improvement Program, a federally-funded program administered by the Supreme Judicial Court.

Courts in all 50 states will also open their doors to legalize the adoptions of thousands of children from foster care and to celebrate and honor all families that adopt, marking the 17th annual nationwide National Adoption Day during the week before Thanksgiving. Nearly 58,500 children have left foster care for permanent families, since National Adoption Day started.

“There are children across the state who so desperately need a loving family to call their own, not just in the month of November but all year long”, said MARE Executive Director, Lisa Funaro. “We appreciate Mayor Sarno and his administration for raising awareness about the need right here in the Springfield community.”

Why a National Adoption Day? Through no fault of their own, 6,700 children are living in foster care in Massachusetts right now and nearly 2,800 children currently in foster care have the goal of adoption. While most will return to their birth parents, over 700 of these youth are waiting for an adoptive family to be found for them. Nationally, over 107,000 children are waiting for adoption. National Adoption Day is celebrated to showcase adoption from foster care, and encourage other adults to see themselves as potential adoptive parents for the children who wait.

For more information about adopting from foster care please visit MARE on the web at www.mareinc.org or call us at 617-54-ADOPT. MARE is a private, non-profit organization, founded in 1957 to find “a permanent place to call home” for children and teens in foster care, including sibling groups and children who are traditionally harder to place.

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Page last updated:  Tuesday, March 1, 2022 01:32 pm