By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
National Adoption Month, which brings awareness and attention to the need for permanent families for children and youth in the U.S. foster care system, kicks off beginning Nov. 1.
Children’s Bureau, with Palisadians on its board, will host an informational meeting on Saturday, Nov. 17, for anyone interested in becoming a resource for children.
“Children’s Bureau turns away at least 50 calls a day because we don’t have enough resource families to meet the demanding need,” Director of Foster Care and Adoption Amy Heilman said in a statement.
In Los Angeles County, there are over 21,000 children in foster care, with 500 of those children waiting for an adoptive family, Children’s Bureau reported. The organization places more than 300 at-risk children in foster homes and finalizes 100 adoptions annually—but the demand for resource families, both foster and adoptive, remains high.
Children’s Bureau welcomes families regardless of race, age, religion, disability, marital status, ethnic background, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression to become a resource family, who will be trained and receive support throughout their journey upon qualifying.
The Nov. 17 meeting will take place at Children’s Bureau Magnolia Place, located at 1910 Magnolia Ave., from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. For more information or to RSVP, call 213-342-0162.
