November 22, 2014, is a day Mike and Larissa Dvorak will treasure forever. It is the day their family of six grew to a family of nine by adopting their three youngest children, ages 6, 8 and 10.
This special day was, shared with 4,500 other families on National Adoption Day. Since 2000, National Adoption Day is dedicated to nationally raising awareness of the more than 100,000 children in foster care in the United States waiting to find a forever family. This year on November 21, nearly 300 families in Arizona, including 20 children who will be adopted into Child Crisis Arizona families, will become forever families. The celebration takes place at the Durango Juvenile Court Center. Each child being adopted receives a goody bag with a stuffed animal and the adoptive family receives their first official family photograph by a professional photographer right after their hearing.
The Dvorak’s had four grown children and decided they had more love to give. The couple became licensed foster parents through Child Crisis Arizona and took in the sibling group who lived in our Phoenix Emergency Children’s Shelter off and on for several years. After fostering the children, Mike and Larissa knew they were meant to be their parents forever. Four months into their six month waiting period to adopt their adoption specialist, Ken Hoffman, and their Department of Child Safety caseworker determined they would be eligible to take part in National Adoption Day. “We were thrilled because we knew that we were meant to be a forever family and we did not want to wait any longer to become their parents,” says Larissa. “We felt honored to be part of National Adoption Day because we knew how much that day would mean to so many people and to be a part of it would be like a giant celebration that all of the families would share and remember forever.”
On National Adoption Day, adoptions across the country are finalized, families who adopt are celebrated and honored, and local adoption agencies, courts and advocacy organizations collaborate in nearly 400 cities. For the Dvorak’s the day was exciting and humbling. “We arrived at what seemed like a party with balloons and characters and bounce houses and lots and lots of kids! There were volunteers everywhere to get us to the courtroom and help us find our way,” remembers Larissa. “The hearing was short and we all cried when we said the names of our children, acknowledging them as our own. The judge was so wonderful and fun and allowed us all to take a photo with her afterward. It was just a really special day!” she continues. This year the Dvorak’s will celebrate National Adoption Day by taking their children out to a fancy dinner.
In Arizona, there are more than 18,000 children currently in out-of-home care due to abuse, neglect and abandonment and nearly 2,400 of them are waiting for a forever home. To learn more about adoption, attend National Adoption Day on November 21 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Durango Juvenile Court Center, 3131 West Durango Street, Phoenix, AZ 85009.
