President Donald J. Trump has issued a proclamation declaring the month of November as National Adoption Month to celebrate the thousands of families who have adopted children and to raise awareness of the many children who are still looking for a forever home.

“Adoption is a life-changing and life-affirming act that signals that no child in America — born or unborn — is unwanted or unloved,” the president said in the proclamation. “Adoptive parents are a selfless and loving part of God’s plan for their future children. As a Nation, we extend sincere appreciation and gratitude to those families who have welcomed a young person into their hearts and homes, sharing the precious gift of family and a lifetime of support.”

The proclamation calls for more to be done to eliminate the barriers to adoption so that prospective parents can be directed to children who are waiting for a permanent home. Some of these barriers include the hefty price tag of adoptions and insufficient programs offering financial aid to prospective parents; lack of standardized information about families seeking to adopt and about children who are waiting to be adopted; too many children left in foster care for too long without sufficient attempts to find them an adopted family.

“We must continue to remove barriers to adoption whenever we can, so that the love and care of prospective adoptive parents can be directed to children waiting for their permanent homes,” the proclamation states.

According to AdoptHelp.com, the first ever Adoption Week to promote awareness for children in need of a home took place in 1976 at the direction of Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis. Nine years later,  President Bill Clinton recognized the need for awareness and changed Adoption Week into National Adoption Month in 1985.

The goal of National Adoption Month has always been to publicize the need to place foster children and youth in permanent homes and promote engagement in the community. Typically, National Adoption Month entails state and nationwide organized activities and events to raise awareness.

The site recommends that everyone get involved in promoting adoption this month by doing whatever they can to spread the word about the benefits of taking in a child in need of a home.

Since awareness is the primary purpose of the campaign, something as simple as sharing a post on social media to alert friends and family of the cause, can be beneficial. Share you own adoption stories or send a card to a family you know who chose to adopt. Give encouragement to anyone you know who is waiting for a child. Contact local, state and federal elected officials and candidates by writing letters or making calls asking them to do more to break down the barriers to adoption.

A special focus of this year’s month-long awareness campaign will be helping older youth experience the value of a permanent and loving home.

“A child is never too old for adoption,” the proclamation states. “A supportive family can provide the critical direction that older children need as they enter adulthood, helping them attain educational and employment goals, and, in certain cases, avoid homelessness or incarceration. We never outgrow the need for family, and older youth who are adopted are more likely to finish high school and feel emotionally secure than those who age out of foster care without a permanent family.”

The Church teaches that adoption of children in need of homes “can give expression to their generosity” (Catechism No. 2379) and vigorously supports this practice.

“Every year, generous and loving families adopt thousands of children and provide them with the affection, attention, and opportunity they deserve,” the proclamation states. “Adoption is a true blessing that greatly enriches the lives of parents and children alike.”

There is no reason why 3,400 children a day are being killed in abortion when there are so many families willing to adopt them. Let us all join together in prayer and action to turn the tide away from the prevailing culture of death and into a new culture of life for all.

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