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Press Releases
Every year, organizations and agencies across the country host local events or activities to help educate the public on the needs of children and the families interested in adopting them. This year, consider planning events that highlight the perspectives of older youth who have experience with adoption and foster care to demonstrate the importance of family and the need for permanent and stable connections for youth before and after they become independent adults.
Contact local news media and bloggers to report on your event or on the adoption issues, trends, or achievements in your area.
These sample press releases can be customized to fit your needs and help you engage the public.
Tips:
- Review the Local Media Outreach page from AdoptUSKids.
- Connect with reporters or bloggers months in advance to establish an introduction and ask about their editorial schedules and specific interests.
- Use social media to develop media relationships. Tag them on relevant information.
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National Adoption Month Event to Support Older Youth in Need of Families
CITY, STATE—This November, during National Adoption Month, [Organization/Agency name] will [describe event/activity] to bring attention to the [hundreds/thousands] of children and youth who need permanent homes and families in [City/State].
Older youth in out-of-home care are much less likely to be adopted than younger children, yet studies have shown that having a close relationship with a caring adult is key to successfully transitioning from foster care to adulthood.
That is why this year’s National Adoption Month focuses on the need for permanent connections and highlights the voices of older youth who have experience with adoption and foster care.
[Organization/Agency] [is partnering with…] to [specify goal of event or activity].
[Provide the important details on your event, activity, or service.]
[Consider including a quote by an agency/organization spokesperson or political leader to comment on the issue or the event to express why it will be valued by the community.]
For more information [include website, social media, and other contact information].
National Adoption Month is sponsored by the Children’s Bureau, located within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families.
#NAM2019 #NationalAdoptionMonth #YouthVoices
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National Adoption Month to Focus on Why Family Matters to Older Youth
CITY, STATE— In [City/State], there are [include local/regional statistic] older teenagers in foster care who face a future without stable and caring families to guide them into adulthood.
Older youth are much less likely to be adopted than younger children, and older youth themselves are often reluctant to pursue adoption, opting instead to prepare for independent living. Yet studies have shown that having a close relationship with a caring adult is key to improving their opportunities for success.
That is why the Children’s Bureau, located within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, has designated this year’s National Adoption Month as a time to share resources that encourage older youth to consider how important a family can be even after they become adults.
Too often, child welfare, adoption, and legal professionals settle on one path forward for older youth, accepting for them a future that doesn’t come with the sense of belonging or connection that an adoptive family or guardian can provide.
[Include a local story that highlights an example of a teen whose experience in adoption resulted in a positive outcome demonstrating the importance of family.]
By sharing the perspectives of youth who have experience with foster care and adoption and stories like [name of person in story], National Adoption Month aims to empower communities to involve teenagers in planning for their own future to help them consider all of their options, whether it is the decision to pursue adoption or alternative permanency options such as guardianship.
For more information on [agency/organization website, social media, and other contact information].
#NAM2019 #NationalAdoptionMonth #YouthVoices
