Travis County Commissioners Court
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 (Agenda)
Item 6
6 is to approve proclamation regarding Austin adoption day to be held November 3rd, 2011, at gardner-betts juvenile justice center.
>> I believe there are some folks here to receive the proclamation for this very wonderful event.
>> okay.
good morning all of you, good morning.
>> judge Biscoe and Commissioners, I want to thank you for your time today.
I'm lance sharp, president elect of the Austin bar association and I want to thank you for your support of Austin adoption day.
as you know, this year marks the 10th anniversary of Austin adoption day.
and we will be celebrating the adoption of 25 children into 18 families.
Austin adoption day is celebrated each year as part of national adoption month.
events are held throughout the nation to increase awareness for needs for foster and adoptive families and to celebrate the families who have opened their hearts and homes to children in need of a family.
Austin adoption day is a partnership among several organizations, some of which are represented here today.
deborah trotter, and chief stella medina, with the gardner-betts juvenile justice center, stephanie white, with the Texas department of family and protective services, leslie hill, and lucia white of the Travis County office of child representation and key richardson with casa of Travis County.
our other partners are the adoption coalition of Texas and the Travis County children's protective services board.
in addition, a wide variety of businesses and organizations joined with us on this special day by donating time, money, jewelry for the children, food for all of us to make this an unforgettable celebration for these special families.
now I would like to introduce stephanie white for the Texas department of family and protective services to share some important statistics about the need for foster and adoptive families in Travis County.
>> good morning, good morning Commissioners, thank you for the opportunity to come forward to speak about Austin adoption day, what we're celebrating the adoption of 25 children, this Thursday, for Travis County, right now there are 135 children still waiting for a forever home.
state-wide, there are -- there are 4600 children that were adopted last fiscal year.
which is wonderful.
however, more than 6,000 children still wait in Texas for their forever family.
those children are looking for that family to make that love and commitment to them forever.
Austin adoption day provides a great opportunity for us to educate the public about the need for foster and adoptive families.
children are all ages and races are looking for a home and waiting for a home.
however, the greatest need is for sibling groups and older children.
those are the children that wait the longest, that language english in the foster -- languish in the foster care system and need a place to call home.
these children dream of not only someone who will love them no matter what right now, but they dream of a family that they can come home to for the holidays, someone, a family member who will walk them down the aisle, a grandparent who will be loving towards their own children.
today's proclamation helps us reach those families in the community to come forward to be foster or in adoptive families.
thank you so much for letting us spread our message.
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
>> this is open to the public.
>> thank you.
>> is it?
the public is invited to attend?
>> oh, yes.
>> oh, yes, sorry.
>> and observe adoptions.
>> yes.
>> it's like a circus.
I mean in a good sense
>> [laughter]
>> it's a wonderful time.
>> yes, it is.
>> for both the families and the kids.
>> absolutely.
>> thank you.
>> all right.
thank you.
>> thank y'all.
>> great work.
>> I will go ahead and read the proclamation.
whereas the county Commissioners of Travis County recognize the importance of giving children permanent, safe and loving families through adoption and whereas more than 6,270 children in Texas and 138 children in Travis County are waiting for permanent families, over the past 10 years, 1,999 children have been placed with permanent families in Travis County.
this year, 25 children and 18 families will be participating in the adoption day event.
whereas to help these children find permanent, nurturing families, through the efforts of honorable darlene burn, 126th district court judge, the honorable narjano, and triana doyle district court judge, bill king, associate judge, the honorable john hathaway, associate judge and the -- and the honorable leonard saenz associate judge, the Travis County juvenile probation department will open their doors on Thursday, November 3rd, 2011, to finalize the adoptions of local children and join the Austin bar association, casa, the Texas department of family and protective services, the adoption coalition of Texas, Travis County child welfare board, and other organizations to celebrate all adoptions.
and whereas this effort, along with similar celebrations in all 50 states around the country, will offer children the chance to live with stable and loving families and encourage other dedicated individuals to make a powerful difference in the lives of a child through adoption.
now, therefore be it proclaimed by the Travis County Commissioners court, that to declare November 3rd, 2011, as Austin adoption day in Travis County, Texas, and in doing so, urges all citizens to join in a national effort to raise awareness about the importance of adoptions and I move approval.
>> second.
>> any more comments?
any discussion on the motion?
>> I just have one thing to say.
I had the opportunity to -- to be in west Texas trying to get some more hours, continuing hours, and was able to share with -- with them what we do here in terms of adoption.
and so -- so we're there again.
>> thank you.
>> thank you all so much.
>> thank you.
>> so we used to say a permanent family.
now we say a forever family.
>> yes, a forever family.
meaning, you know, when a child turns 18, I know for all of us that have children, you're not really done at that point.
they still need us, they still need their family and so -- so, you know, a forever family is a statement of that commitment.
>> I think my mom is probably thinking about that right now
>> [laughter] all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
>> thank you all very much.
we appreciate all you do.
>> thank you.
>> thank y'all.
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