Every November, the United States celebrates National Adoption Awareness Month, which means a lot to me. It’s a time to share what makes modern adoption special, honor the loss and grief involved, and celebrate the new beginnings it brings for birth mothers, hopeful parents, and children.
What is National Adoption Awareness Month? Every November in the U.S., it’s a time to raise awareness about adoption, including children in foster care, and to honor birth parents, adoptive parents, and adoptees. It started as Adoption Week in Massachusetts in 1976, became National Adoption Week in 1984, and expanded to the whole month in 1995.
National Adoption Awareness Month is about celebrating new beginnings. Birth mothers make brave choices, hopeful parents open their hearts and homes, and children grow up surrounded by love. Adoption does involve loss and grief, but it also brings hope and healing. These new beginnings connect families and create lasting bonds. This month reminds us that adoption is more than meeting a need. It’s about starting new chapters filled with hope and joy.
I understand the strong desire that leads couples to adoption because I went through seven miscarriages before choosing adoption myself. My own experience inspired me to help others find the joy of parenthood through adoption. That’s why I started Lifetime Adoption in 1986.
I love seeing people’s dreams come true. My goal is for adoption to work well for everyone: the birth family, adoptive parents, and children.
Keep reading to find out more about Lifetime Adoption, a Christian adoption agency. In honor of National Adoption Awareness Month, I’ll talk about the history of this celebration, how adoption has changed, how Lifetime Adoption supports birth mothers and adoptive families, and my top tip for hopeful adoptive parents.
The History of National Adoption Awareness Month
National Adoption Awareness Month began in 1976, when Massachusetts Governor Mike Dukakis declared a statewide Adoption Week to raise awareness of the need for families for children in foster care.
In 1984, President Ronald Reagan, himself an adoptive parent, proclaimed the first National Adoption Week. In his proclamation, Reagan honored children in foster care as well as those born from crisis pregnancies, describing birth mothers as brave and selfless in choosing adoption. He also advocated for the adoption of children with special needs, both within the United States and abroad, a group not widely encouraged for adoption at that time.
As more states began recognizing Adoption Week, President Bill Clinton expanded it to the entire month of November in 1995. His administration promoted initiatives to remove barriers to transracial adoption and encouraged the adoption of children with special needs and those in foster care.
In 2008, George W. Bush became the first president to issue a National Adoption Awareness Month proclamation in Spanish.
Today, adoption agencies and other organizations use National Adoption Awareness Month to introduce people to the adoption process and show how adoption could fit into their lives. You can read more about the observance’s history at the Child Welfare Information Gateway.
How Adoption Has Evolved
Adoption has changed a lot since the days when a mother would never see her child again. Back then, adoption was seen as a stigma, and birth records were sealed. Today, in modern open adoptions, birth mothers help choose the adoptive parents and decide how much contact they want with their child and the adoptive family.
Closed adoption can leave you wondering for the rest of your life. Open adoption, though, isn’t a final goodbye. My goal is to help people understand how adoption works today. Open adoption benefits everyone. You get your child’s medical information, and your child knows where they came from. This gives them peace because they know their birth parents love them. Many people worry about children resenting their birth parents, but that’s not usually the case.
This evolution in adoption practice represents new beginnings in the truest sense. Birth mothers can move forward knowing their child is loved and that they’ll remain a cherished part of their child’s story, even as they grieve the loss of daily parenting. Open adoption acknowledges this loss while providing ongoing connection that can bring comfort and peace. Adoptive parents begin their parenting journey with openness and honesty rather than secrets. And children start life with a complete understanding of their identity and the knowledge that they were loved by two families. Modern adoption doesn’t close doors. It opens them, creating new beginnings that honor everyone’s journey and build foundations of trust and love.
Listening to Adoptees During National Adoption Awareness Month
Celebration is part of this month, and so is listening. Many in the adoption community encourage us to use November to hear adoptees’ voices, whose experiences shape how adoption should be practiced.
Over the years, listening to adoptees has taught me how important it is for children to know their whole story. When adoption is open and communication is honest, children grow up with answers, not secrets. They understand where they came from and why so many love them. This openness helps them build a strong sense of identity and confidence. I’m grateful for the courage and wisdom adoptees share with all of us.
Nationwide Adoption Outreach
Lifetime has a nationwide outreach program to achieve our goal of open adoption education. I often appear on national television as an expert on adoption-related issues. I also began hosting an adoption radio show called Let’s Talk Adoption, which has since evolved into a podcast. I’ve also published several books on adoption.
Lifetime gets around 300 phone calls every day and has 50 phone lines. There are counselors available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for emergencies. We advertise in most states, and many birth mothers find us on our sites and through Google searches. Other birth mothers find Lifetime through counselors, personal recommendations, hospitals, physicians, TV appearances, pregnancy resource centers, and other nationwide outreach programs. My adoption agency offers a comprehensive, proven adoption process.
The Birth Mother’s Point-of-View
Adoption is a selfless choice for a pregnant woman, made out of love. At Lifetime Adoption, we know that choosing adoption also brings deep loss and grief for birth mothers. That’s why we offer counseling and support to help women work through these feelings and find peace with their decision.
Lifetime Adoption helps birth mothers get counseling, clothing, and other essentials. We aim to give women stability so they can make the best decision for themselves. We never pressure anyone to choose adoption.
Lifetime offers licensed counseling to every potential birth mother and helps them create a personalized adoption plan. Our Birth Mother Blessing program, Peer Counseling Service, and scholarship opportunities give birth mothers the support and resources they need to move forward with confidence.
Considering adoption for your baby? Call or text 1-800-923-6784 to talk with a caring counselor, any time of day, at no cost or obligation.
Tips for Hopeful Adoptive Parents
My best advice for couples starting their adoption journey is to give it your all, but also make time for your life. Once you’ve finished the paperwork and other tasks, set them aside. You can always check back tomorrow and see what needs to be done next.
Work toward the baby meant for you, but don’t let the process take over your life. Enjoy your time together as a couple before adoption blesses you.
As we celebrate National Adoption Awareness Month, we remember that every adoption story is about new beginnings. It’s a fresh start for a birth mother who made a loving choice, the start of parenthood for couples who have dreamed of a child, and the beginning of a beautiful life for a child who knows they were wanted and loved. These new beginnings reach families, communities, and future generations. That’s the power of adoption, and that’s what we honor each November.
Adoption Jewelry for National Adoption Awareness Month
After adoption answered my prayers of becoming a mother, I was inspired to design adoption jewelry. I created adoption prayer bracelets as a reminder to pray for adoption, and they make a great gift!
Along with my original beaded style, I’ve added a modern, minimalist bangle bracelet. This bangle comes in four options. You can order it with:
- An adoption symbol charm
- A charm that features 1 Thessalonians 5:17
- A charm with the verse Numbers 6:24
- An adoption symbol charm and gem-cut charm
Each Adoption Prayer Bracelet purchase helps women who have chosen adoption for their children. Proceeds go directly to the Lifetime Adoption Foundation, which offers support, scholarships, and resources to women and families in need. Shop at AdoptionPrayerBracelet.com for her favorite style and color.
National Adoption Awareness Month Frequently Asked Questions
When is National Adoption Awareness Month?
National Adoption Awareness Month is observed every November in the United States.
Why do we celebrate National Adoption Awareness Month?
The month raises awareness of adoption, supports children waiting for permanent families, and honors everyone touched by adoption: birth parents, adoptive parents, and adoptees.
How did National Adoption Awareness Month start?
It began in 1976 as a statewide Adoption Week in Massachusetts. President Reagan proclaimed National Adoption Week in 1984, and President Clinton expanded the observance to the entire month of November in 1995.
What is National Adoption Day?
National Adoption Day is a separate event within National Adoption Awareness Month, held on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. It was established in 2000 and is best known for celebrating finalized adoptions of children from foster care. In 2026, that Saturday is November 21.
How can I celebrate National Adoption Awareness Month?
You can share an adoption story, learn about open adoption, support a scholarship or foster care organization, listen to adoptee voices, or give an Adoption Prayer Bracelet to someone special. Each bracelet purchase supports the Lifetime Adoption Foundation.
I’m pregnant and thinking about adoption. Where do I start?
You don’t have to decide anything today. Call or text 1-800-923-6784 to talk with a counselor who can explain your options, including open adoption, and answer your questions without pressure.
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on November 5, 2022, and has since been updated (most recently in October 2026).