Rita Soronen

National Adoption Month, held every November, is a special time each year to celebrate families that have grown through adoption and raise awareness of the more than 125,000 children still waiting to be adopted from foster care in the United States.

When it comes to helping employees who have decided to adopt a child, nobody beats NVIDIA. The California-based artificial intelligence company that offers employees up to 20 weeks of paid parental leave and assists employees financially with the costs of adoption, was named the most adoption-friendly employer in America last week by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption (DTFA) NVIDIA topped the foundation’s 100 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces list, an annual report that highlights organizations across the country that support their employees who grow their families through foster care and adoption.

Last week, The Adoption Exchange Association (AEA) and the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption (DTFA) announced the creation of a joint plan to train professionals and students interested in the field of adoption.

Back in 2004, there were more than 118,000 kids waiting to be adopted from foster care. Advocates, child welfare professionals and policymakers across the U.S. were desperate for solutions that would land these vulnerable youngsters in the homes of loving, permanent families.

Many of us have spent years aggressively advocating for families and for children and youth in foster care who cannot return home. This year, we have an opportunity on Capitol Hill to ensure that even more children achieve the ultimate goal of having a permanent, loving family who can meet their needs.

The United States and its northern neighbor are plagued by many of the same child welfare system challenges. Recent reports have suggested there is a “foster-parent crisis” in Canada, citing a drastic lack of qualified foster parents relative to the number of children in need of foster homes.

by Rita Soronen We hear it every day. “Adopt out of foster care? No, the system is just such a mess.” Or, “I’d like to think about it, but honestly I’ve heard all these kids have problems.”