November is...National Adoption Month!

November is National Adoption Month. The designation presents a chance to raise awareness of adoption across the nation.

As of September, 2021, there were 230 children in the state of Michigan waiting for an adoptive home. In total, there are 2,160 children in Michigan with a goal of adoption. Nationwide, there are approximately 120,000 children with a goal of adoption.

The Children's Bureau, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, sponsors the National Adoption Month initiative each November through a partnership with AdoptUSKids and Child Welfare Information Gateway.

The special observance was started as Adoption Week in 1976 by former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, who wanted to promote awareness of the need for adoptive families for children in foster care. Former President Ronald Reagan designated the first National Adoption Week in 1984. Former President Bill Clinton designated the first National Adoption Month in 1995. Click here for details.