As a Nation, one of our highest responsibilities is to ensure the health and well-being of our children. With generous hearts and open minds, we strive to make sure all children grow up knowing they have a family that shares with them the warmth, security, and unconditional love that will help them succeed. And yet, more than 100,000 children in America await this most basic support, and still more children abroad live without families. During National Adoption Month, we celebrate the acts of compassion and love that unite children with adoptive families, and we rededicate ourselves to the essential task of providing all children with the comfort and safety of a permanent home….
Opening from Presidential Proclamation issued by The White House Office of the Press Secretary on November 1, 2011 — National Adoption Month, 2011
November is National Adoption Month, a time for adoptive families to celebrate the expansion of their families and a time to raise awareness about the adoption of children and youth from foster care. In 1984, President Reagan proclaimed the first National Adoption Week and in 1995, under President Clinton, the week was expanded to the entire month.
This Presidential Proclamation launches activities and celebrations to help build awareness of adoption throughout the nation. Here at JF&CS, our Family Hope Connection (FHC) works every day to find permanent, safe and loving homes for children in need of adoption.
FHC is approved and licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare for Adoption and Foster Care services. We are an affiliate of Pennsylvania’s Statewide Adoption Network (SWAN) and provide a number of services:
- For birthparents:
- Counseling and resource referral
- Adoptive family search
- For those considering adoption:
- Pre-adoption counseling and educational services
- Domestic infant adoption services
- Local services for international adoption
- Waiting child services
- Home studies/family profiles
- For adoptive families:
- Counseling and support groups
- Information and referral
- Post-adoption/post-permanency services
- For children in foster care
- Child Preparation
- Child profiles
- Child-specific recruitment/matching service
Last year, FHC completed placements for 11 children; prepared 18 reports for families to finalize their adoptions; 5 post-permanency reports for finalization of post-adoption care and 12 home studies; developed Life Books for 64 children in the foster care system; and, as part of the International Adoption Collaborative Training Network, provided training for families considering international adoption.
At the Family Hope Connection, we don’t say that our mission is to find a child for a family, but to find a family for a child. It’s an important distinction and one of which we are very proud.
If you or someone you know would like more information about the Family Hope Connection, please visit our website or contact us at 412-422-8567.