Winnie the Pooh was just one of the participants in the 2013 National Adoption Day, Nov. 23, 2013. The biggest such event nationwide was held at the Durango Juvenile Court Center, 3131 W. Durango in Phoenix.

Winnie the Pooh was just one of the participants in the 2013 National Adoption Day, Nov. 23, 2013. The biggest such event nationwide was held at the Durango Juvenile Court Center, 3131 W. Durango in Phoenix.

On Saturday, November 23, the Superior Court for Maricopa County held another in its series of successful Adoption Days.

As the court describes it, “National Adoption Day is a collective national effort to raise awareness for the more than 100,000 children in foster care waiting to find permanent, loving families.”

I have covered the event before in Arizona Attorney Magazine, and it is a remarkable occurrence. This year, 312 children were adopted in this local version of the national event. As the court says, “For the past six years, Maricopa County’s NAD event has been the largest adoption day in the United States.”

Congratulations and thanks those to all who participated. Here is a video about one participant’s story, followed by some more information from the court about the November 23 event:

Amy Flanagan is opening her heart and home to another loving child.

On National Adoption Day, November 23rd, Flanagan, a Peoria resident, adopted her fifth child into her forever family.

“Seven-and-a-half years ago, I planned on adopting one child” Flanagan said. “But did I plan on adopting five? No.”

Flanagan’s newly adopted child was one of 312 kids who were adopted on NAD.

“We call National Adoption Day, our ‘Gotcha Day.’ It’s a day everyone has been waiting for a long time. It’s a huge sigh of relief for a lot of families,” Flanagan said.

For the past six years, Maricopa County’s NAD event has been the largest adoption day in the United States.

“National Adoption Day is a joyous celebration where our community comes together to recognize the importance of finding permanent, loving families for each and every child,” Presiding Juvenile Court Judge Colleen McNally said. “The day brings together hundreds of people including judges, attorneys, adoption agencies, adoption professionals, child advocates and members of the public who are dedicated to creating forever families for waiting children.”

The festive atmosphere of Maricopa County’s National Adoption Day event is heightened by a visit from the Phoenix Suns Gorilla mascot; games and activities for kids; photos of the newly created families and cake and ice cream.

Judges, Commissioners, court staff and members of the public volunteered their Saturday to take part in National Adoption Day.