By Jamie Lu
Every child deserves a loving home, but the process of adopting a child can often be confusing and overwhelming. This September, Old McMicky’s Farm is hosting its annual Child Adoption Education Day to help families better understand the adoption process and feel more equipped to welcome a child into their lives.
The first Child Adoption Education Day in 2016 was attended by over 30 new prospective adoptive families — and this year, event coordinators expect to see even more growth. The event takes the mystery out of adoption by walking “people through the adoption process so they know how it works and what to anticipate,” according to Ralph Zuckerman, owner of Old McMicky’s Farm.
The event is being held in partnership with Family Support Services, the leading children’s agency for Pinellas and Pasco counties, and Children’s Network of Hillsborough, the leading children’s agency for Hillsborough County. Families will have a chance to hear presentations by local agencies about the adoption process as well as the firsthand accounts of five local adoptive families and their children about the impact adoption has had on their lives. Following the presentations, prospective adoptive parents can also meet with the agencies and the adoptive families to learn more about the process.
In addition to Child Adoption Education Day, the farm also hosts Child Adoption Match Days, in which children spend the day with prospective adoptive families and are then matched to their forever homes. These events are important to the people at Old McMicky’s farm because “it is part of our farm’s mission to serve local children and families and our community,” said Zuckerman. “Actually, at our last match day a couple of months ago, three children were matched with their forever families. The Child Adoption Education Day’s goal is to help find more prospective adoptive families.”
To support Child Adoption Education Day, community members can spread the word about the event or become a sponsor. Sponsors will be widely promoted and recognized in the community.
The event will take place on Saturday, September 28, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. All prospective families are welcome to join, no matter where they are in the adoptive process, and can attend by registering for free on the farm’s website at https://oldmcmickys.com/child-adoption-education-day-3/. Sponsorship information can also be found at this link.
Through Child Adoption Education Day, Old McMicky’s Farm and local agencies will work to eliminate any obstacle that stands between a child and the “loving, safe, secure and encouraging family” that they deserve.
