National Adoption Day

On Friday, November 20, 2009, Baylor Law School, Baylor Public Interest Legal Society, Waco-McLennan County Young Lawyers Association and Child Protective Services hosted McLennan County’s National Adoption Day event at Baylor Law School. National Adoption Day is celebrated nationwide to finalize the adoptions of children in foster care and to celebrate families who adopt.

McLennan County’s National Adoption Day commenced with an invocation led by Pastor Ronnie Holmes of Church of the Open Door. Judge Gary Coley finalized the children’s adoption papers. Mayor Virginia DuPuy and Senator Kip Averitt issued proclamations recognizing McLennan County’s National Adoption Day.

After the children’s adoptions were finalized, the children and their new families enjoyed a reception where they decorated cookies and received baskets filled with gifts donated by local businesses and organizations.

In a collective national effort, National Adoption Day works with courts, judges, attorneys, adoption professionals, child welfare agencies and advocates to find a family for every child in foster care. More than 25,000 children have been adopted from foster care on National Adoption Day during the last 10 years. McLennan County has held an annual National Adoption Day event since 2005 and Baylor Law School has participated every year.

More than 40 Baylor Law School students helped coordinate the event by securing donations, assisting attorneys who have volunteered their time and expertise to make these adoptions possible and by raising awareness throughout the McLennan County community for the 129,000 children in foster care waiting to find families.

"National Adoption Day has become a Baylor Law tradition that reflects the commitment of our students to serve as they prepare to enter a serving profession,” Baylor Law School Dean Brad Toben said. “Nothing is quite as satisfying as seeing a child enter into a new family and a new life of hope.”