With the help of Child Advocates of Fort Bend and its partner agencies, Fort Bend County Judges Ron Pope and Robert Kern finalized 15 adoptions last Friday in celebration of National Adoption Day.
Six foster children were among the 15 adopted.
NATIONAL ADOPTION DAY – Shania and Siandra Chapa show off their adoption certificates to Child Advocates of Fort Bend CASA volunteer Dawn Meador during the Fort Bend County National Adoption Day Celebration last Friday morning.
The Fort Bend County 328th and 387th District Courts joined courts across the nation in opening their doors on National Adoption Day to finalize adoptions of children in foster care and celebrate families who adopt.
Metoyer Ellis, Court Appointed Special Advocates program director and chair of the local event, called National Adoption Day “a wonderful celebration.”
“It was great to see the attorneys, CPS, CASA volunteers and judges all work together to finalize the adoptions and ultimately give these children safe, permanent and loving homes,” Ellis said.
In Fort Bend County, the 328th and 387th District Courts, Child Advocates of Fort Bend and its partner agencies – Arrow Child and Family Ministries, Child Protective Services, Fort Bend Bar Association, Fort Bend County Attorney’s Office, Fort Bend Lawyers Care and the Fort Bend Zero to Three Project – worked together to celebrate the adoptions and encourage more families and individuals to give children permanent homes.
Child Advocates of Fort Bend is a nonprofit agency dedicated to advocating on behalf of abused and neglected children through the use of specially trained community volunteers and staff. Volunteers support children’s emotional, physical and educational needs while they are involved in the court system. It is one of only a few programs in the country that is able to provide a volunteer advocate for every child in foster care.
National Adoption Day is sponsored by a coalition of national organizations to help draw attention to the 129,000 foster children waiting for adoption in the United States. National partners involved in the effort include The Alliance for Children’s Rights, Casey Family Services, Children’s Action Network, The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, Freddie Mac Foundation and Target Corporation.
