Douglas County will celebrate their 20th consecutive year participating in National Adoption Day on Saturday, November 23, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Douglas-Omaha Civic Center, 1819 Farnam Street, Omaha, Nebraska, 68183. The event begins with a guest speaker at the 8:30 a.m. press conference with adoptions of 38 children of all ages to follow. The event is hosted by Judge Chad Brown. There will be entertainment (balloon artist, face painting, magician, etc.), gifts for all the children being adopted, t-shirts, professional family photos, desserts/beverages, flowers for all the parents, and much more!

This annual one-day event has made the dreams of thousands of children come true by working with policymakers, practitioners, and advocates to finalize adoptions, and create and celebrate adoptive families. This will be the first Douglas County Adoption Day not officiated by recently retired Judge Wadie Thomas, who spearheaded Nebraska’s participation in National Adoption Day 19 years ago.

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. It's a celebration for those children who have found their forever families and for the parents who have made it through the long adoption process and have finally made it to finalization. It's also a celebration of life, love, and family. As such, National Adoption Day is the epitome of this month's focus--connecting waiting children and families, helping them reach adoption finalization, and providing post- adoption support.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there are over 400,000 children in foster care, with 114,000 of those children waiting to be adopted into a permanent, loving, stable home. According to Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, as of October 29, 2018, there are 405 wards of the state of Nebraska available for adoption.

During the month of November, our 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.