Celebrate National Adoption Day Nov. 20

In our November issue , we explore the unique challenges and unique joys of adopting older children. While prospective parents often wait years — and spend small fortunes — trying to adopt newborns, hundreds of older children wait in the state foster care system for permanent, loving homes of their own. This Saturday you can learn more about foster care adoption and Oregon’s waiting children — and have some fun at the same time. Celebrate National Adoption Day! Saturday, November 20, 10 am to 1 pm. The Park Room, Jantzen Beach Super Center 1405 Jantzen Beach Center The event is sponsored by Oregon Post Adoption Resource Center (ORPRC), Oregon DHS , Oregon Heart Gallery , Boys & Girls Aid , Wendy’s Wonderful Kids and the NW Adoption Exchange /Oregon Adoption Resource Exchange (OARE). (Read more about OARE in the Angels Among Us column in our November issue .) Ms. Clackamas, who was herself adopted, will host the event, which also features refreshments, a DJ, face painting, entertainers, free carousel rides, free family portraits, raffles and more. High school students from the Portland Waldorf School, many of whom are adoptees, have volunteered to help. In Oregon, about 250 foster children are waiting to be adopted at any given time, while Washington state recently reported more than 1,300 foster children awaiting adoption. Visit oregon.gov/DHS/children/adoption/ for information about adoption via the state of Oregon’s foster care system. Visit dshs.wa.gov/ca/adopt/ for information about adoption via the state of Washington’s foster care system. More Cool Links: Read the Presidential Proclamation for National Adoption Month . Learn more about National Adoption Day . View or print the OARE invitation .

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Celebrate National Adoption Day Nov. 20