On National Adoption Day, Minnesota Families Rejoice
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Across the country, families are gathering in courtrooms Saturday for a very happy occasion. It's National Adoption Day, a day to celebrate children who were once "wards of the state" as they transition into their forever families.
Families filled a room at the juvenile facility in St. Paul Saturday morning.
A curly-haired 3-year-old named Brenna was one of a room full of kids to be officially adopted.
"She's quite the lady," said her father, Rodney Ingle, said. "She loves to be involved in anything and try anything out that she can."
At first Brenna's family was going to go the foster route, but after they met Brenna, they decided to adopt.
"Right away, she called us mommy and daddy, and she fit in very well," Ingle said. "Her personality is perfect for our family."
She was one of a packed room full of newly affirmed families in St. Paul.
And in Minneapolis, at the Hennepin County Juvenile courthouse, the day was in full swing, too.
Michael Vogel makes family matches for Hennepin County.
"Today makes everything worth it," he said.
This case worker helped make 26 connection in Hennepin County this year.
"All the paperwork and all the meetings have came to an end, and they're finally with their forever family," he said.
All of the children were wards of the state. Now they are in the arms that reached out for them.
There are 520 kids in Minnesota, though, who still need homes. Leon, age 11, is no longer one of them.
"He's so like us, it's crazy," his father said. "He looks like us, he has Dan's exact same sense of humor, it was just meant to be."
In the past year, Leon's two dads have taken him on a number of "firsts"--to the beach, the ski slopes, etc. But there was one first that trumped them all.
"I have a loving family right now," Leon said.
And so they and others celebrated on a day that made official what was already certain.
The kids are all ages. Some are babies, but by the time they actually become wards of the state, they are actually older.
Adoption workers say some people shy away from adopting older kids but they say many of the older children are even more grateful to be adopted, because they know what they've been through.
Ramsey County said there is a major need for families of color to consider fostering or adopting.
Here's some information for anyone who is interested in finding out about the process:
Hennepin County: Foster Care | Adoption | 612-348-5437
Ramsey County: Adoption | 651-266-KIDS (5437)
Or call your local county government to find out options in your area.
