National Council For Adoption Celebrates National Foster Care Month with Launch of Families For All PSA Campaign

Alexandria, VA – The National Council For Adoption (NCFA) is celebrating May as National Foster Care month with the launch of a new Families For All public service announcement (PSA) featuring its National Adoption Spokesperson, country music recording artist Rodney Atkins.

The Families For All 30-second PSA will begin appearing on television stations nationwide in May. Walmart, a contributor to NCFA’s Families For All program, also plans to air the PSA on its checkout counter television screens in more than 590 Walmart stores during the month of May.

The Families For All PSA was designed to make Americans aware of children in foster care who are waiting to be adopted. Rodney Atkins, who was adopted as an infant, personally appeals to viewers to visit www.familiesforall.org to find out how they can help children in foster care. As he explains in the PSA: “There are more than 129,000 children in foster care waiting to be adopted. That’s a lot of kids, but I’m sure there’s enough love in American to help them out.”

“America is an adoption-friendly nation,” said Chuck Johnson, NCFA Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “Our research indicates that there are at least 10 million adults who would consider adoption to help children in need. We want to take advantage of National Foster Care month to inspire them to become mentors, respite care providers, foster parents or adoptive parents.”

Foster care is intended to be a temporary situation to protect vulnerable children who are innocent victims of abuse and neglect, however the average length of stay is three years and three months. Last year NCFA was part of a coalition that played an instrumental role in the creation and passage of the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008. This legislation signed into law in October, 2008 greatly increased federal benefits and opportunities for children aging out of foster care. A record 26,517 youth aged out of foster care in 2006.

NCFA is committed to serving the best interests of children and believes every child has a right to a loving, permanent family. Through research, education, and advocacy, NCFA provides adoption information to the general public, promotes ethical adoption practices, informs public policy and opinion leaders about adoption issues, and serves as a resource for women with unplanned pregnancies, adopted persons and their families, those seeking to adopt, and adoption professionals.