11.17.12

Hoeven Recognizes Adopted Families During National Adoption Month

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John Hoeven is joining with members of Congress and the president to raise awareness about the importance of adoption in conjunction with nationwide push to recognize November as National Adoption Month and Nov. 17, 2012 as National Adoption Day.

As part of his efforts to promote adoption, Hoeven participated in Voice for Adoption’s Adoptive Family Portrait Project. Voice for Adoption is a national non-profit organization advocating on behalf of waiting children and adoptive families. The organization sponsors the annual Family Portrait Project as a way to honor families from across the country who are providing loving and stable homes for children in need. This week, the project held an event on Capitol Hill to recognize several of these adoptive families, including the Jerry and Julie Neidlinger family of North Dakota. Hoeven sponsored the Nedilinger family to represent North Dakota during the event. The Nedilingers have eight children, four of whom are adopted.

“We want to thank and honor the many families across the country who, like the Nedilinger family, have been positively impacted by adoption,” Hoeven said. “These families know firsthand the joy and fulfillment found when forming these important family bonds. This month’s events serve as an important way for us to show our admiration and appreciation for adoptive families and adoption advocates, while sharing in their commitment to increase awareness about the adoption process.”

This year marks the 12th annual National Adoption Day. The day aims to help finalize adoptions from foster care in all 50 states; celebrate and honor adoptive families; increase awareness of children in foster care waiting for permanent, welcoming homes; encourage more individuals to adopt children from foster care; and build collaboration among local adoption agencies, courts and advocacy organizations.

Currently, more than 400,000 children live in foster care in the United States, with more than 104,000 of these children awaiting adoption. In North Dakota, 230 children in foster care are awaiting adoption.

Neidlinger Family

Jerry and Julie Neidlinger pictured with their four adopted children. The Neidlinger family was featured this week during the Voice for Adoption’s annual Adoptive Family Portrait Project event held on Capitol Hill.