November is Adoption Awareness Month
Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at 8:21PM 
Why Not Me? Why Can’t I Have a Family?
National Adoption Awareness Month spotlights children waiting for families
Children in foster care frequently wonder "Why not me? Why can't I have a family?" November is National Adoption Awareness Month and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) is asking caring adults “Why not you? Why not adopt an older child?”
The annual "Why Not Me?" campaign focuses on the thousands of children in state care, particularly older and minority children who desperately need loving families they can call their own.
Throughout November, mass adoptions, match parties, and other events are held to put the spotlight on the plight of children waiting for permanent homes and normal lives. Many events occur around National Adoption Day on the 19th of November.
|
Date |
County |
Event |
|
10/26/2011 |
Hidalgo County |
Heart Gallery Opening |
|
11/3/2011 |
Cameron County |
Heart Gallery Opening |
|
11/4/2011 |
Webb County |
Adoption Day |
|
11/8/2011 |
Nueces Country |
Adoption Recruitment |
|
11/9/2011 |
Webb County |
Heart Gallery Opening |
|
11/10/2011 |
Nueces Country |
Heart Gallery Opening |
|
11/12/2011 |
Nueces Country |
All Agency Adoption Information Day |
|
11/14/2011 |
Webb County |
Proclamation Reading |
|
11/18/2011 |
Nueces Country |
Adoption Day |
|
11/20/2011 |
Nueces Country |
Calling Out - Heart & Soul Gallery |
Additional details of the above listed events will be sent out as reminders prior to events.
There is never a shortage of children needing adoptive families. Last year, 4,611 abused or neglected children and teens were adopted from state care. Today in Texas, more than 6,000 children and teens are waiting to be adopted and more than a third of them ten years old or older.
“Older children tend to stay in the system longer,” says Audrey Deckinga, DFPS assistant commissioner for Child Protective Services. “But no matter their age, children and teens never outgrow the need for parents and the love and stability that only a family can give."
|
|
Children Available |
Children Adopted |
|
Region 11 County |
As of Sept. 2011 |
In FY 2011 |
|
Aransas |
7 |
2 |
|
Bee |
8 |
0 |
|
Brooks |
9 |
4 |
|
Cameron |
50 |
20 |
|
Duval |
3 |
0 |
|
Hidalgo |
17 |
4 |
|
Jim Hogg |
0 |
0 |
|
Jim Wells |
5 |
1 |
|
Kennedy |
0 |
0 |
|
Kleberg |
8 |
8 |
|
Live Oak |
1 |
0 |
|
McMullen |
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