Today is one of the biggest days in special needs or foster care adoption. It is National Adoption Day. It is Saturday, but there will be thousands of adoptions taking place today, in every state in the country.

In 2006, more than 3,300 adoptions were finalized on one day. Isn’t that awesome? I don’t have any figures on how many it will be this year, but let’s pray for more.

What can you do to celebrate this day? If you are not among the people who are finalizing an adoption today, you can still celebrate.

Find out where adoptions are being finalized in your community and have flowers or balloons delivered to the courthouse or judge’s chambers, or deliver them yourself.

Go to the courthouse with an instant camera and offer to take a family picture for the families that have finalized.

Put a banner up on your home announcing what today is and congratulate all the families.

There are several corporations who help to sponsor and coordinate this event. Thank them with your business or a note of gratitude. They are:

The Alliance for Children’s Rights - The Alliance for Children’s Rights helps to protect the rights of underprivileged kids in the Los Angeles area.

Casey Family Services - Casey Family Services is a non-profit child welfare agency that offers foster care, post adoption services and helps to reunify parents and children whenever possible.

Children’s Action Network - Children’s Action Network works with people in the entertainment industry to raise awareness of waiting children and to help them get the services they need.

Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute - The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute is a bi-partisan, non-profit group that helps to bring awareness to foster children. They also help to draft legislation for foster children and to help other legislators understand the needs of foster children.

Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption - This foundation started by Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s fast food restaurants, is devoted to helping kids in foster care find permanent homes. They work to increase awareness of adoption and work with adoption advocates to get legislation passed.

Freddie Mac Foundation - The Freddie Mac foundation provides grants to help groups increase adoption awareness, and find permanent homes for children.

Jockey International - In 2005 Jockey International launched the Jockey Being Family organization. They encourage their employees to be volunteers for kids, help bring awareness to the need for post-adoption resources, and they have funded educational opportunities here in Wisconsin for foster and adoptive parents to learn about the issues that affect our kids.

Enjoy National Adoption Day, even if you’re not finalizing an adoption today.

Photo credit - Our family on Sammy's adoption day