The National Adoption Day Coalition is pleased to announce Nia Vardalos, the Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated My Big Fat Greek Wedding writer and actress, as its 2010 National Adoption Day spokesperson.
“Becoming a mother is the best thing that has ever happened to me,” Vardalos said. “I am happy to once again be a part of National Adoption Day. We were matched with our daughter through the U.S. foster care system, and my goal is to share information about the more than 120,000 foster care children in this country who are waiting for a family.”
Vardalos is an advocate for U.S. foster care adoption and took her cause to the public arena when she and her husband, actor Ian Gomez, adopted their daughter from foster care in 2008. She served as the National Adoption Day spokesperson in 2009.
“The good news is that on this day, thousands of children will be adopted into loving homes,” Vardalos added. “The sad news is there are hundreds of thousands of children in foster care waiting to be adopted. If your desire is to become a parent, please connect with your local foster family agency to find out how to give a home to a child. The process is simple, affordable and does not discriminate. This is how I became a mom — and the reason I’m smiling.”
Vardalos is active with the adoption organization, AdoptUSKids, aimed at recruiting and connecting foster and adoptive families with waiting children throughout the United States. “Nia’s personal story of foster care adoption is both heartwarming and encouraging,” said Rita Soronen, executive director of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, a founding sponsor of National Adoption Day. “She has selflessly and gracefully worked to spread awareness for foster care adoption, and the National Adoption Day Coalition is honored to have Nia as our national spokesperson again this year.”
This year on November 20, communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam will hold celebrations to finalize more than 4,500 foster care adoptions, bringing the total number of finalized adoptions as part of National Adoption Day to more than 35,000. Judges, attorneys, adoption agencies, adoption professionals and child advocates volunteer their time to finalize adoptions and celebrate all families who adopt. For more information about the events taking place and foster care adoption, please visit www.nationaladoptionday.org.
National Adoption Day Coalition Partners: Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, Freddie Mac Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation/Casey Family Services, Children’s Action Network, The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute and The Alliance for Children’s Rights.
Tags: Adopted, Adoption, adoption agencies, adoption day, adoption organization, Adoptions, adoptive families, AdoptUSKids, children in foster care, dave thomas foundation, dave thomas foundation for adoption, foster care adoption, foster care children, foster care system, national adoption day
Cool, she’s a good role model. I really enjoyed that movie.
phi vo´s last post….How to Move Back Home After College and Not Lose Your Mind
We adopted both of our children. We met them each when they were 7 years old and they soon came to live with us after that. Our son was adopted at age 8, our daughter took a bit longer, though she was our daughter the entire time, it was official when she was age 9. We are only 5 years total into this adventure of being a forever family and it is the best thing that has ever happened to us. Thank you Nia for sharing your story! There are so many children here in our own neighborhoods who need loving families!