There are a whole slew of national “days” and “months” devoted to youth issues. We get e-mails alerting us to most of them, and rightly so, since the main impetus of such events is to raise awareness.
Rarely, if ever, have we seen one garner as many media inches as this year’s National Adoption Month (NAM). We have no historical evidence to back it up, but it just seems like every day this month, as we comb the headlines for information on the child welfare industry, there are a handful of NAM-related stories.
An impromptu search for them yielded 35 stories since November began. If you count press releases that get slapped onto websites verbatim by some web newspapers, and factor in the news sites that don’t show up well in news searches, we’d bet there are more than twice that many.
It is hardly a coincidence that NAM has a well-known benefactor behind it: the federal government. A number of agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services pooled resources to fund a cooperative agreement called AdoptUSKids, which among other things is responsible for promoting foster parenting and adoption.
Here’s a list of what we found:
– Nov. 18 – A story in the Augusta Chronicle (Ga.) about NAM that focuses on one family’s decision to become foster (and then adoptive) parents.
– Nov. 18 – Women’s Health Weekly article the Gladney Center for Adoption’s celebration of NAM.
– Nov. 18 – The Record Live of Orange County ran a NAM story curiously entitled, “National Adoption Month illustrates need families.”
– Nov. 17 – Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City) article about a Provo, Utah about a woman and her recently adopted teenage daughter who hope to inspire others to adopt in honor of NAM.
– Nov. 16 – Sacramento Bee piece on the need for adoption of older children spotlighted in NAM.
– Nov. 14 – The Berkshire Eagle (Pittsfield, Mass.) writes about children waiting for adoptive parents, part of the overall message of NAM.
– Nov. 14 – Boston Herald article about kids waiting to be adopted, including a brief history of NAM and Massachusetts’ local effort known as National Adoption Day – the Friday before Thanksgiving.
– Nov. 14 – Boston Globe article – very similar in tone and content to above-described Boston Herald piece.
– Nov. 14 – The Monitor (McAllen, Texas) writes about foster children being featured at a photo gallery, which happens to coincide, the article points out, with NAM.
– Nov. 13 – Ventura County Star (California) includes an Adoption and Foster Care Information Fair, held in conjunction with NAM, among its list of upcoming community events.
– Nov. 11 – Las Vegas Review-Journal article about Clark County Commissioner Lawrence Weekly, an adoptee, speaking at a breakfast in honor of NAM.
– Nov. 11 – Cnn.com piece about photography displays across the country capturing spirit of children in need of adopted homes, as part of NAM.
– Nov. 10 – Cincinnati Enquirer article about local organizations answering questions this month about the adoption process, as part of NAM.
– Nov. 9 – The CBS Early Show profiled an art gallery exhibit in New York commemorating children in need of adoption as part of NAM.
– Nov. 9 – Iowa City Press-Citizen writes about events taking place around the state to honor NAM and Iowa’s 600 foster children waiting to be adopted.
– Nov. 9 – The Stuart News/Port St. Lucie News (Stuart, Fla.) includes an opinion column calling on more adoption and cites NAM.
– Nov. 9 – Tulsa World (Oklahoma) writes about standup comedienne Alison Larkin, who was adopted, and is coming to Tulsa to celebrate NAM.
– Nov. 8 – Contra Costa Times (California) article about an Oakland, Calif. theatre ensemble presenting a series of adoption stories honoring NAM.
– Nov. 7 – Baltimore Sun piece on Maryland adoptive families being honored as part of NAM.
– Nov. 7 – Boston Herald profiles a 13-year-old in need of adoption and NAM as a whole.
– Nov. 7 – Boston Globe does the same thing.
– Nov. 7 – Chattanooga Times Free Press (Tennessee) writes about local adoption advocates and NAM.
– Nov. 7 – Daily News (New York) mentions the screening of the coming-of-age film Daddy Long Legs at Central Branch Library, in honor of NAM.
– Nov. 7 – The Hawk Eye (Burlington, Iowa) writes about Iowa’s celebration of NAM.
– Nov. 7 – News Journal (Wilmington, Del.) on Delaware’s push for NAM efforts.
– Nov. 7 – Orlando Sentinel on Florida’s NAM efforts.
– Nov. 5 – Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) on a tulip planting ceremony to mark NAM.
– Nov. 4 – Orlando Sentinel mentions an event to kick off NAM.
– Nov. 4 – Times-Picayune (New Orleans) article about a summit held in conjunction with NAM.
– Nov. 3 – Columbus Dispatch (Ohio) writes about area companies supporting adoption and that they are worth noting since it is NAM.
– Nov. 3 – Fort Mill Times (North Carolina) includes a feature story about adoption tales and NAM.
– Nov. 3 – Tallahassee Democrat, opinion piece about November being a great time to adopt, due to NAM.
– Nov. 2 – Tallahassee Democrat article about Florida’s adoption efforts in celebration of NAM.
– Nov. 1 – Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) article about Floridians being encouraged to adopt this month as part of NAM.
– Oct. 30 – Springfield News-Leader (Missouri) lists events celebrating NAM.
