(Pictured above: Children who need loving adoptive families. Meet the children here and learn more about National Adoption Month.)

There are over 120,000 children and teens in foster care in the U.S. who need loving, permanent forever families. These are children who have experienced abuse, neglect or other serious family challenges. During National Adoption Month in November, KVC Health Systems is helping to facilitate over 100 children’s adoptions in Kansas, Nebraska, West Virginia, and Kentucky. On November 17, National Adoption Day, which is the Saturday before Thanksgiving, courthouses across the country will open to help families finalize their adoptions and grow in love.

Since its beginning, KVC Health Systems has facilitated 4,456 children’s adoptions total and continues to facilitate another 450 children’s adoptions annually. One incredible story from this year comes from Pratt, Kansas. Married couple Tate and Meriam Thompson expanded their family when they adopted four biological siblings. Read the Thompsons’ story, “Dreams Do Come True.”

Profiles of children who need to be adopted can viewed at www.adoptuskids.org, or for those children served by KVC, at http://adoption.kvc.org. The profiles include photos, bios and, in many cases, videos.

Media representatives are invited to observe adoption finalizations and interview adoptive families at the times and locations below. Media in other states can contact KVC at (913) 322-4994.

IOLA, KS – 8:00 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 16
Allen County Courthouse
1 N. Washington, Iola, KS

KANSAS CITY, KS – 11:00 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 16
Wyandotte County Courthouse – Juvenile Court Division
711 Armstrong Ave., Kansas City, KS

TOPEKA, KS – 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17
Shawnee County Courthouse
200 SE 7th St., Topeka, KS

OLATHE, KS – 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17
Johnson County Courthouse
100 N. Kansas Ave., Olathe, KS

KVC’s adoption work is done in partnership with the Kansas Department for Children and Families, Adopt KS Kids, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, and the West Virginia Department for Health and Human Services.

Visit our adoption website to meet the children in need of an adoptive family.