Twenty-Four Children Adopted Just in Time for Mother’s Day

Twenty-four children were adopted into forever homes on May 6 – just in time for Mother’s Day.

According to News4Jax, an adoption event in Duval County, Florida was hosted by Family Support Services and Judge Michael Kalil.

The two dozen children were adopted into 11 different families.

Judge Kalil said, “I’m thrilled to see so many children start their new lives at this ceremony.”

“We’re finalizing these adoptions just in time for the families to celebrate all the wonderful mothers this Sunday. And we’re very excited to be resuming our annual Mother’s Day adoption event with the first such event in-person at the courthouse since the start of the pandemic,” he added.

Live Action reports that one of those adopting two of the children was Morgan Butler, a single mother who adopted 11- and 12-year-old brothers.

“It wasn’t something I really planned out, it kind of just happened this way, and I’m totally cool with it. They just came into my life at a good time and it just, it all worked out,” she said.

After the ceremony, one of Butler’s newly adopted sons said, “I was really excited for getting adopted.”

Video Credit: News4Jax

Live Action also notes, “Carolyn Walker was another person taking place in the ceremony, adopting her grandchildren, ages 11 and five. The younger child got the honor of serving as Kalil’s honorary bailiff.

“Another couple, Molly and Geoffrey Lane, adopted two sibling groups — one group of three siblings, and another group of four siblings. According to FSS, the Lanes are experienced foster parents who work to keep siblings together whenever they can.

“Many of the children adopted in the ceremony were older, and statistically, older children are less likely to be chosen for adoption. Yet aging out of the foster care system can have dire consequences.”

Indeed, according to the Gladney Center for Adoption, more than 23,000 children age out of the foster care system each year.

Nearly half of adolescents who age out of the system experience homelessness by age 26.

Nearly half of children who were in the foster care system are unemployed, with 71% making under $25,000 per year.

And seven in 10 girls who age out will be pregnant by age 21.

These numbers are heartbreaking.

Thankfully, due to the generosity and kindness of the 11 families, there’s great hope that the 24 now newly adopted children will not become a part of those statistics.

At Focus on the Family, we care deeply about children in the foster care system. We believe that every child deserves to know the love of a family and that every family deserves the chance to thrive.

To learn more about our Wait No More events, free post-placement resources and online content, visit our Wait No More website by clicking here.

And to learn more about Focus on the Family President Jim Daly’s story in the foster care system, click here.