On Saturday, November 21, 2009, the Seventeenth Circuit Court celebrated its sixth annual National Adoption Day Celebration at the Winnebago County Courthouse.  At this event, Chief Judge Janet R. Holmgren and Associate Judges Patrick L. Heaslip, Brian Dean Shore and Fernando L. Engelsma, along with Circuit Clerk Tom Klein, local social service agencies, and other court personnel volunteered their time to finalize twenty-eight adoptions of children who had previously resided in foster care.

National Adoption Day is a collective national effort to raise awareness of the now estimated 510,000 children in foster care and the 129,000 children in foster care waiting to be adopted.  All across the United States, members of the judiciary, attorneys and social service agency professionals work together to celebrate all of the families participating in adoptions.  On National Adoption Day 2008, throughout all 50 states, a total of 4,565 children had their adoptions finalized.

A total of 130 children have been adopted into permanent loving families in Winnebago County over the last six years on National Adoption Day.   On November 20, 2009, the judges of the Seventeenth Circuit Court were recognized for their vanguard participation in National Adoption Day at a reception hosted by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and its Statewide Foster Care and Illinois Adoption Advisory Councils.

Chief Judge Holmgren stated, “It is a very special privilege to be able to play a role in creating permanent, loving homes for the children and families involved in National Adoption Day.  The stories behind the adoptions are very personal and moving and it truly is a day of celebration.”

Judge Heaslip commented, “Every child deserves a family. Today 28 children from our community were adopted and are now permanently united with loving and caring families. Their future is bright and full of hope. This occasion would not be possible without the hard work of the children’s committed case workers. A special thanks is extended to the social service agencies and there personnel, attorneys and court personnel who gave of their time and hard work to make this day possible."

If you would like more information about children in foster care and the adoption process, contact Catholic Charities (815-965-0623), Children’s Home + Aid Society (815-962-1043), Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (815-969-8836), or the Rockford Department of Children and Family Services (815-967-3731).