The new Douglas County Justice Center, located at 1717 Harney Street, Omaha, will be open for an important adoption celebration on Saturday, November 18, from 8:30 a.m. to noon. National Adoption Day festivities will begin with a press conference at 8:30 a.m. in the first-floor conference room, immediately followed by adoption hearings in the juvenile courtrooms on floors 2 and 3.  Judge Candice Novak is hosting the event this year with all juvenile judges holding adoption hearings. There are 42 children scheduled to be adopted.

Families will check in on the first floor, where the Court will host child-focused entertainment, gift bags for adopted children, T-shirts, family photos, refreshments, and flowers for parents.

This annual one-day event celebrates the work of policymakers, practitioners, lawyers, courts, and advocates who enable adoptions, creating new and expanded families.

This and every November is National Adoption Awareness Month all across the United States. While the main point of National Adoption Day is to finalize adoptions, it's also a day of celebration for those children who have found their forever families and for the parents who have made it through the long adoption process.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there are over 400,000 children in foster care, with 110,000 of those children waiting to be adopted into a permanent, loving, stable home. According to AdoptUSKids.org, there are 913 children in Nebraska awaiting adoption.

During the month of November, the nation celebrates National Adoption Month and recognizes the families that have opened their hearts and homes to children in need of a family and the joy that adoption brings. It is also important to recognize the efforts of the volunteers and mentors who provide a positive, stable relationship for a child whose entire world is changing. In addition, programs that provide comprehensive resources—from mental health services to tutoring—help foster kids succeed.

News Reporter note:

If you are interested in interviewing an adoptive family, contact Lana Verbrigghe, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, 402-214-0715.

Media credentials are preferred but not required. Check with individual judges or Court Administrator Raymond Curtis for courtroom access.