Each month our nation celebrates something special, November is recognized as National Adoption Awareness month. In 1995, President Clinton expanded Adoption Awareness week to the whole month of November. National Adoption Awareness month focuses on the adoption of children who are currently in foster care. According to the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System of 2014, 264,746 children entered foster care which means that a child enters care every two minutes in the United States. There are two paths towards adoptions, foster care to adopt and straight adoption.

Many people you might know are adopted or have adopted children. Jamie Foxx, Steve Jobs and Nicole “Snookie” Polizzi were all adopted. Viola Davis from “How to Get Away with Murder” adopted a daughter and the infamous couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie also have adopted children from Cambodia, Ethiopia and Vietnam. Some of our own Spring Hill College badgers are adopted as well. Tom Burcham, who is a senior as SHC was adopted from Romania at a young age. Tom has six siblings, four of which are adopted as well. Tom mentioned that adoption is a testament to the love and value of life that a person can hold. He said, “Each person deserves a chance to live an amazing life.” Tom believes it is important to raise awareness for adoption, “Taking a child from a poor living situation takes an individual away from a population that they might otherwise have the ability to change. I think that adoption is for those who cannot have a child, or for those who really truly believe that all life is sacred.” Adopting a child internationally or nationally brings hearts together to build a family.

Dr. Fox who is a biology professor at SHC has three adopted children. Dr. Fox said she always had thoughts about adopting a child. When the time came to start a family Fox did not even hesitate at the idea. Her oldest child was adopted from the United States and she became his mother at birth. Years after her son was born the thought of adopting a child from outside the United States arose, “I always wanted to adopt from China and then we did.” Dr. Fox now has two daughters who were both adopted from China. Dr. Fox said adopting is not for the faint of heart. She expressed that it is a long laborious process and it takes years along with a financial costs. There are many steps people need to take when adopting. Dr. Fox said, “You have to have home studies and go to seminars and read books and educate yourself first.”  Dr. Fox said that through adoption she learned patience through the process of adoption. Dr. Fox said, “Adoption is not for everyone, fostering is not for everyone so if you can’t or you don’t feel led to do that you can still support adoption and fostering by supporting the families that are and that all beginnings with educating yourself.” Dr. Fox said that there are many nonprofit adoption organizations that people can donate to help families financial. By educating yourself about adoption and donating to adoption organizations you will be helping a families grow.