Celebrating National Adoption Month

In a month when we reflect on all that we are thankful for, it seems fitting November would also be the month we celebrate the wonderful impact of adoption. National Adoption Month was first born into existence in 1976 when Michael Dukakis, as governor of Massachusetts, announced a week-long event celebrating adoption. In 1984, President Reagan extended the celebration to the national scale when he announced the first National Adoption Week, and in 1995, President Clinton expanded the celebration to the entire month of November. Here are some wonderful ways you and your family can celebrate this November and spread awareness about the loving impact adoption has had on your lives.  

Celebrating National Adoption Month 

There are many wonderful ways families celebrate National Adoption Month, taking time to reflect and rejoice on the impact adoption has had on their lives. Whether spending time together as a family or celebrating the joys of adoption within your community, this month is a perfect time to count the blessings adoption has brought into your lives.  

• Create an Adoption Month family tradition by doing something you all love – going out to your favorite restaurant, going on a hike through your favorite park, enjoying a family picnic or clambake – and make it an annual event.  
• Visit your local library to check out books or movies featuring adoption that you can read or watch together as a family. 

• Children love hearing stories from when they were younger. Gather as a family to re-tell your child’s adoption story, pulling out baby books, photographs, and other memorabilia and spending time reminiscing over fond memories.  
• Send a care package to your child’s birthparents, including photographs, a journal of significant moments, or even baked goods that your family can make together.  
• Celebrate your child’s heritage by cooking a traditional meal together, taking the time to learn about the unique spices, ingredients, or techniques. Maybe even inventing a secret family recipe together! 

Spreading Awareness About Adoption 

A big component of National Adoption Month is also spreading awareness about the positive impact of adoption as well as the need for more adoptive families. There are many greatly impactful ways of spreading awareness about adoption during this National Adoption Month. 

• Connect with local adoption agencies, like Building Blocks Adoption Service, to offer to meet with families considering adoption or fostering so that you can share your experience and answer any questions they may have.  
• Attend a meeting of an adoptive family support group. If your community has no such group, create one! 

• Organize a community play group for adoptive or foster families to provide families in your area a way of connecting with each other.  
• Using one of the free resources online, create a blog, maybe authored by your entire family, to spread awareness about adoption or foster care. Sharing these posts in your social media accounts can have a significant impact on somebody considering adopting or fostering a child.  

We at Building Blocks Adoption Service are eager to celebrate the impact of adoption during this National Adoption Month! We are here to answer any questions, you may have about the adoption process or to discuss the profound impact adoption has had on so many lives!