On Saturday, November 23, 2024, children and their families will be recognized at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse (832 East Fourth Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202) for their adoption in celebration of National Adoption Day. Beginning at 10:00 a.m., the event will feature an opening ceremony with special appearances by DC Comics and Marvel Superheroes. District Court Judge Aretha Blake and District Court Judge Rex Marvel will preside over the program. After the ceremony, the families will move outdoors to enjoy carnival games, activities, and treats to commemorate the day.

Since 2000, National Adoption Day has been celebrated by over 400 communities across the nation on or around the Saturday before Thanksgiving to finalize and celebrate adoptions from foster care. National Adoption Day is particularly focused on the more than 108,000 children in the United States that are waiting in foster care for an adoptive family. The average wait for a child in foster care to be adopted is nearly three years. More than 20,000 children age out of the foster care system every year with no family or permanent home.

This year, the court will recognize a total of ninety- seven (97) youth who have received decrees between November 2023 and October 2024, all of which were adopted through Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services.

Read the full announcement below.