Children in Texas foster care ask themselves “Why not me? Why can’t I have a family?” They can – when the right family steps up to make their dream come true.

November is National Adoption Awareness Month, and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) is asking “Why not you? Why not adopt a child in state care?”

Throughout November there are mass adoptions, match parties, and other events to put the spotlight on children who are waiting for permanent homes and normal lives.  Many Texas events happen around National Adoption Day, which is November 22.

Brown County’s Adoption Day will be held on Thursday, November 20th at 10:00 AM in the Brown County Courthouse.   Five children will be adopted by four families.

The Brown County Child Welfare Board will have a balloon release after all of the adoptions are consummated.

Last year, 5,149 abused or neglected children and teens were adopted from state care.  Although, adoptions from Texas foster care have more than doubled in the last ten years, there are always more children needing homes. Today, more than 6,500 children and teens are waiting to be adopted. Many are older children and teens.

“No child should have to grow up in foster care,” says Lisa Black, DFPS assistant commissioner for Child Protective Services. “But no matter their age, children and teens never outgrow the need for parents and the stability only a family can give.”

Texas needs foster and adoptive parents for children of all ages. Some of these children have special medical, physical, or emotional needs. There is always a need for families willing to adopt African-American children who are overrepresented in foster care.

Watch the Why Not Me? public service announcement on the DFPS You Tube channel and share it with your friends and family. It’s also available in Spanish.

What greater gift than the gift of family? Children are waiting at AdoptChildren.org.

Adoption Facts:

• 6,596 children in Texas foster care were waiting for adoption as of September 30, 2014.
• Texas adoptions have more than double in the last decade from 2,512 in fiscal year 2004 to 5,149 in fiscal year (Sept 1 to August 31) 2014.
• There are more Texas adoptions in November than any other month. One in five adoptions in Texas last year was finalized in November (1,032).