Nearly 500 children in Minnesota foster care waiting to be adopted

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - While November has been dubbed “National Adoption Awareness Month,” state officials say 499 children are waiting in Minnesota’s foster care system for someone to adopt them into safe, loving, permanent families.

“Of the 499 children waiting to be adopted, almost 74 percent are between 6 to 18 years old, more than 58 percent are siblings who need to be adopted together and 54 percent are children of color,” Beth Voigt, Minnesota Department of Human Services, said.

MN ADOPT, Minnesota DHS, and county, private and nonprofit adoption agency partners hosted Celebrate Adoption: Circus of the Heart on Nov. 1 in Oakdale to provide information to those interested in adoption and celebrate the 686 children adopted last year.

“We’ve been hosting this event for 18 years, and, while thousands of children have been adopted over that time, many – especially older youth and sibling groups – are waiting for families now,” Minnesota Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson said.

“These children are our priority. They don’t have the luxury of time. If they leave the foster care system without safe, loving, permanent families, they face uncertain futures and struggles ahead. We must act on their behalf now.”

For more information on how to adopt visit www.mnadopt.org