WESTFIELD—The Greater Westfield Boys and Girls Club will be having the 10th annual Adoption Party Sunday, Nov. 5, to help address the need for adoptive families.
The event, which is being hosted by the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE), is an effort to help find adoptive homes for the over 800 children in foster care in Massachusetts. The party will include events for children, as well as informational sessions for prospective adoptive families.
“Our mission is to find adoptive homes,” Joseph Sandagato, Director of Communications and Public Relations, said.
“To increase awareness for families and promote the need for adoption,” he added.
The event, which is free, will be occurring on Sunday, Nov. 5, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Boys and Girls Club on Broad Street in Westfield. Events will include birdhouse construction, games and a pizza party. In addition, Sandagato said that families interested in adopting are provided with information.
“For families that want to learn more about the process, there’s resources to help facilitate that,” he said.
The party, which has occurred for 10 years, has provided about 50 children with placement in homes, according to Sandagato, and around 200 people, between families, children and workers, are expected to be in attendance.
Sandagato said that MARE works with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families to help with community-based adoption. Sandagato noted that the entire state has children in need of adoptive families but that Western Massachusetts is at an especially high need. He added that 21.6 percent of MARE’s cases are in Western Massachusetts.
If you or someone you know is interested in attending the event, then information on registration, which is required, can be found at www.MAREinc.org, or by calling (617)964-MARE.
‘Sunday’s Child‘ is an article appearing monthly in The Westfield News featuring a child, or children, available for adoption.
