According to a Nov. 25 article by Kathryn Prater of the Lansing State Journal, this year's Adoption Day events were a time to celebrate successes as well as re-focus on the challenges that remain:
More than 2,700 children were adopted through the Michigan Department of Human Services and private adoption agencies during the fiscal year 2009, which ended Sept. 30, according to the department. That's up almost 10 percent from 2003, when about 2,470 children were adopted, it said.
More than 16,600 Michigan children and teenagers are in foster care for various reasons and lengths of time, [said Gisgie Davila Gendreau of the Michigan Department of Human Services]. About 3,800 of those children are able to be adopted, she said.
"We're building awareness and reminding people that they don't have to be perfect to be a perfect parent - you just have to be willing to open your home to a child," she said. "There are children waiting for a 'forever family,' and we hope that they will consider fostering or adopting a child."
Labels: foster care, adoption costs, milestones, michigan
Posted By: Aspen/CRC
