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Contact: Steve Kelso (616) 202-8376 Steve.Kelso@KentCountyMi.GOV
December 5, 2022
Kent County Family Court to Celebrate Adoption Day
(GRAND RAPIDS, MI) The Kent County 17th Circuit Court, Family Division will celebrate Adoption Day on December 8, 2022, from 9 a.m. until noon. This year marks the 26th annual Adoption Day in Kent County. Twenty-one adoptions are scheduled to be finalized at this year’s event. It will be the first time that Adoption Day has been fully held “in person” since the pandemic. Adoption Day is held to raise awareness about adoption and to encourage more families to consider adopting children in the foster care system into permanent and loving homes. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says that there are approximately 3000 Michigan children who are available for adoption at any given time.
“Here in Kent County, our Circuit Court judges oversee more than 200 adoptions in an average year,” says Holly Hernandez, a Kent County Adoption Case Worker. “Adoption Day not only celebrates the success stories, but it helps us get the word out that there is much work left to be done for Michigan’s unadopted children.”
Media is welcome to cover the event. While adoption hearings are normally confidential and closed to the public, many families have agreed to have their hearings open to the media on Adoption Day and several have agreed to be interviewed.
Adoption hearings will begin at 9 a.m. and will be held every half hour in four courtrooms. Media who are interested in covering adoption day are encouraged to contact Steve Kelso at their earliest convenience to make arrangements for coverage. Media members who are not able to pre-arrange coverage are asked to check in with court staff on the 10th floor.
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