FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  November 6, 2008

CONTACT: (609) 633-8507 Kate Bernyk

** MEDIA ADVISORY **

The Department of Children and Families (DCF) will celebrate National Adoption Month this November by co-hosting 14 events to honor adoptive families and finalize adoptions of approximately 260 children currently in foster care.

The majority of this month’s events, stretching from Cape May to Essex County, will be held over a three-day period, culminating on Saturday, November 15, with the state’s largest National Adoption Day celebration held annually in Newark.

This year’s celebrations include many adoption finalizations for adolescents in foster care, as well as many sibling groups being adopted together.

A complete list of the scheduled events is below. Please note that adoption court hearings are closed to the press, but each event listed notes whether members of the press are invited to any scheduled family celebrations and other receptions following the court hearings. If there is no event, reporters or photographers may be connected with an adoptive family in their area.

If the press is interested in covering one of these events or being connected with a family, please call the DCF Press Office, 609-633-8507, for further information.

National Adoption Day was initiated in 2000 by the Alliance for Children’s Rights, with support from organizations including the Freddie Mac Foundation and the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.

For more information on adoption, call 1-800-NJ ADOPT (992-3678) or visit the DYFS adoption Web site at www.njadopt.org.

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Saturday, November 8, 2008 

CAMDEN COUNTY 
Camden County Courthouse
Hall of Justice, 101 S. 5th Street, Camden, NJ
11:00 a.m.
Approximately 35 children in foster care will finalize adoptions, along with several children being adopted privately. Following the court hearings, the new families and children will receive age-appropriate books and other gifts provided by the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). Press are invited to attend this reception.


Thursday, November 13, 2008 

MIDDLESEX COUNTY 
JFK Square, Room 201
Paterson Street, New Brunswick, NJ
8:30 a.m.
Approximately 10 children in foster care will finalize adoptions, along with several children being adopted privately. This event is being co-sponsored by the Middlesex County Bar Association. Press are invited to attend the reception after the hearings.


OCEAN COUNTY 
Ocean County Justice Complex
120 Hooper Avenue, Toms River, NJ
9:00 a.m.
Approximately 25 children in foster care will finalize adoptions, along with several children being adopted privately. The new families will be invited to a reception after their hearing at:
Mancini Hall, 120 Washington Street, Toms River, NJ. Press are invited to attend this reception.


Friday, November 14, 2008 

ATLANTIC COUNTY 
Atlantic County Civil Court Building
1201 Bacharach Boulevard, Atlantic City, NJ
12:30 p.m.
Approximately 7 children in foster care will finalize adoptions, along with a few private adoptions. There will be a brief speaking agenda after the hearings are completed, with speakers including representatives from DCF, the presiding judge, an adoptive parent, and an adopted teen who had finalized his adoption that day. Press are invited to attend this reception.

BURLINGTON COUNTY 
Burlington County Superior Court
49 Rancocas Road, Mount Holly, NJ
10:00 a.m.
Approximately 13 children in foster care will finalize adoptions. The new families will be invited for a celebration brunch at: Burlington County College, 1 High Street, Mount Holly, NJ. There will be a brief speaking agenda at the college with representatives from the Family Court and DCF. Press are invited to attend this brunch reception.

CAPE MAY COUNTY 
Flanders Crystal Ball, Room 9
Boardwalk and 11th Street, Ocean City, NJ
6:00 p.m.
This is a celebration for families in the Cape May County area who have or will finalize adoptions in 2008. No adoptions are scheduled in Cape May for this particular day. Press are invited to attend this reception.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY 
Cumberland County Courthouse
West Broad and Fayette Streets, Bridgeton, NJ
9:00 a.m.
Approximately 12 children in foster care will finalize adoptions, along with a few private adoptions.

GLOUCESTER COUNTY 
Gloucester County Courthouse
2 North Broad Street, Woodbury, NJ
1:30 p.m.
Approximately 4 children in foster care will finalize adoptions, along with a few private adoptions.

HUDSON COUNTY 
Hudson County Administration Building, Family Courthouse
595 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ
1:30 p.m.
Approximately 20 children in foster care will finalize adoptions. The new families will be invited to a lunch reception following their hearings at: William J. Brennan Jr. Courthouse Rotunda, 583 Newark Ave, Jersey City, NJ. This event is co-sponsored by the family court, CASA, the United Way of Hudson County and UPS. Press are invited to attend this reception.

MERCER COUNTY 
Mercer County Superior Court
175 South Broad Street, Trenton, NJ
9:00 a.m.
Approximately 32 children in foster care will finalize adoptions.

SALEM COUNTY 
Salem County Courthouse
92 Market Street, Salem, NJ
9:00 a.m.
Approximately 6 children in foster care will finalize adoptions, along with a few children being adopted privately.


Saturday, November 15, 2008 

ESSEX COUNTY 
Robert N. Wilentz Building
212 Washington St., Newark, NJ
9:00 a.m.
Approximately 75 children in foster care will finalize adoptions. The new families will be invited to a reception after their hearings at: Rutgers University Law School, 123 Washington St., Newark. The event is co-sponsored by CASA and the Superior Court. Press are invited to attend this reception.


Thursday, November 20, 2008 

MONMOUTH COUNTY 
Monmouth County Courthouse, Jury Assembly Room
71 Monument Park, Freehold, NJ
1:30 p.m.
Approximately 15 children in foster care will finalize adoptions, along with a few children being adopted privately.  This event is co-sponsored by CASA, county surrogate’s office, law guardians, the bar association and Wegman’s.


Friday, November 21, 2008 

UNION COUNTY 
Union County Courthouse
2 Broad Street, Elizabeth, NJ
1:00 p.m.
Approximately 32 children in foster care will finalize adoptions. A reception for the new families will follow the hearings in the courthouse. The event is co-sponsored by CASA, the bar association and the Union County Family Court. Press are invited to attend this reception.