
November is National Adoption Month, a month set aside to raise awareness about the urgent need for adoptive families for children and youth in foster care. When many of us think of adoption, we often think of babies that are adopted at an age when they have no memory of the time before they joined their family. However, according to AdoptUSKids, more than 400,000 children are currently in foster care in the United States and the majority of the children are, on average, more than 8 years old. Simply put, there are thousands of older children who remember the times of abandonment, loneliness, and trauma that need loving permanent homes. So, in today’s video, we want to share a beautiful PSA, based on a real-life adoption story, that shows what adoption can mean to these displaced children.
The video, created by the Ad Council along with the Administration for Children and Families and AdoptUSKids, shows a teenager named Jason after he is adopted by a family with two other older kids. Throughout the video, we see as Jason begins his journey with his new family filled with apprehension, but through the family’s love and acceptance, grows to embrace and truly feel the love they offer him. The results are nothing short of beautiful.
If you are currently considering adopting or fostering, there are number of amazing resources right here in Richmond.
Visit the Virginia Department of Social Services to learn more about the process, find valuable resources, and meet the kids waiting for adoption right here in our state. Even if you’re not looking to adopt or foster at the moment, be sure to learn more about local services you can support through volunteering or monetary donations, including Connect Our Kids, a non-profit organization that uses technology to speed up the process of connecting foster children with forever homes.
Especially as the holidays draw near, we can all do with a reminder of the importance of family. So please take a moment to watch this meaningful video and consider sharing it as a way of spreading the message of love, hope, and family togetherness.
For more heartwarming videos like this one, be sure to visit our entire Share Saturdays series – only on Richmond Mom.