North Platte will celebrate National Adoption Day on Saturday, November 3, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Wild Bills Wings and Bowling, 1100 South Jeffers St, North Platte, NE 69101. The event, hosted by Judge Michael Piccolo, will include entertainment and activities (snacks, bowling, laser tag, arcade games and prizes) for children who have been adopted into their forever families over the past year in Lincoln, Dawson, Chase, Keith, Logan, Frontier, Thomas, Valley, McPherson, Red Willow, Hitchcock, Furnas Counties. 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 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. 

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. 

For more information, contact Amanda Leighton, 308-530-8819, or Kelly Nelson, 308-535-8061.

For background information, see Nebraska’s National Adoption Day Page.