In 1976, Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis declared an Adoption Week to promote awareness of the need for fostering and adoption. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan expanded it nationally.
Marlin reflects on Reagan’s powerful words from that time, which still ring true today:
“Families have always stood at the center of our society… At a time when many fear that the family is in decline, it is fitting that we give special recognition to those who are rebuilding families by promoting adoption.”
Reagan emphasized that more children with permanent homes mean fewer children with permanent problems.
Marlin encourages us to be mindful during Adoption Awareness Month of the millions of children who need loving forever families.
Each of those kids has their own story. What they really need at the core is a family to love them.
These short, heartfelt Minutes with Marlin deliver quick moments of wisdom, faith, humility, and encouragement… perfect for busy homestead days when we need a gentle reminder of what really matters.
Learn more about Plain Values at https://plainvalues.com
Transcripts
Marlin Miller:
In 1976, the governor of Massachusetts, Michael Dukakis, you might remember him because of his eyebrows, the size of small boats, announced an adoption week to promote awareness of the need for fostering and adoption in the state of Massachusetts. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan expanded on Dukakis’s idea and created the first Adoption Awareness Week federally. Now, since then, the entire month of November has become Adoption Awareness Month. I dug up the words that Reagan used. I think it’s really interesting to see into his thinking on this. Families have always stood at the center of our society, preserving good and worthy traditions from our past and entrusting those traditions to our children. Our greatest hope for the future. At a time when many fear that the family is in decline, it is fitting that we give special recognition to those who are rebuilding families by promoting adoption.
More children with permanent homes mean fewer children with permanent problems. That is why we must encourage a national effort to promote the adoption of children, and particularly children with special needs. And then moving on, National Adoption Week gives us an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to give every child waiting to be adopted the chance to become part of a family. During this Thanksgiving season, let us work to encourage community acceptance and support for adoption and take time to recognize the efforts of the parent groups and agencies that assure adoptive placements for waiting children. Most importantly, let us pay tribute to those special couples who have opened their homes and hearts to adopted children, forming the bonds of love that we call the family. Reagan’s words are especially strong and poignant today. Let’s be aware and let’s be mindful of the millions of families that have opened their homes to the children around that need parents who love them and care for them and provide for them.
Each of those kids has their own story. Each of them has their own past. What these kids really need at the core is a family to love them and give them what they really long for, their own forever family.
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