During his weekly video address, Senator Chuck Grassley discusses the National Heart Gallery Exhibit that he co-hosted with Senator Mary Landrieu. The National Heart Gallery Exhibit showcases photos of foster children across our nation in need of "forever families" through adoption.
Click here for audio.
Here is the text of the address:
There are 107,000 kids in foster care waiting for adoptive families. This month, a presidential proclamation launches activities nationwide to help build awareness for adoption of children and youth from foster care.
One of those events is the National Heart Gallery Exhibit. There are nearly 100 Heart Galleries across the country. These galleries are traveling photographs of children in foster care who want "forever families." One of those galleries was unveiled on Capitol Hill this week, and Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and I co-hosted the unveiling to help to build support.
I've worked to pass legislation that's on the books and making it easier for children in foster care to be adopted into permanent, loving homes, including with grandparents. And I've worked to make legislative improvements in the foster care system. Expanding on those efforts, two years ago, Senator Landrieu and I put together a Foster Youth Caucus in the Senate to focus on helping young people when they age out of the foster care system, typically at age 18.
As many as 29,000 children age out every year without ever having found an adoptive placement, and without the security of a family, they often end up in very bad situations. Adoption can help to determine another outcome. I will continue to do whatever I can to help promote adoptions.
National Adoption Month started as national adoption week in Massachusetts in 1976. President Reagan proclaimed the first National Adoption Week in 1984, and in 1995, President Clinton made it an entire month.
Today, National Adoption Month is an opportunity to put a special focus on the kids waiting for adoptive families.
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