FAITH-BASED ADOPTION APPEAL SEEKS FAMILIES.Byline: Troy Anderson Staff Writer Encouraging members of churches and synagogues to adopt some 600 foster children who need homes, Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich Michael Dennis Antonovich (born 1939 in Los Angeles, California) is a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors representing the Fifth District, which covers northern Los Angeles County, the Antelope, Santa Clarita, Pasadena, and parts of the San Fernando and San hosted a faith-based community A faith-based community is a community with members who all believe in the same religious concepts, or at least they did when it was founded. Many faith-based communities are communes, although this is not a requirement. breakfast Thursday at the Arboretum arboretum: see botanical garden. arboretum Place where trees, shrubs, and sometimes herbaceous plants are cultivated for scientific and educational purposes. An arboretum may be a collection in its own right or a part of a botanical garden. in Arcadia. The effort was part of National Adoption Month, during which the Department of Children and Family Services will hold a series of events aimed at recruiting more adoptive families, including for many older and sibling children and those with special developmental or physical needs. ``There are more than 22,000 children in our county's foster care system,'' Antonovich said. ``Hundreds are in need of adoption - especially our older children who may be emancipated e·man·ci·pate tr.v. e·man·ci·pat·ed, e·man·ci·pat·ing, e·man·ci·pates 1. To free from bondage, oppression, or restraint; liberate. 2. without the love, security and support of a family. Every child deserves a loving and safe home.'' Antonovich is also asking the faith community to involve these children in their congregations and help them develop community connections. DCFS DCFS Department of Children and Family Services DCFS Division of Children and Family Services DCFS Descriptional Complexity of Formal Systems (conference) DCFS Data Communication & Functional System Director David Sanders David Sanders is an Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at Purdue University[1]. His expertise concerns gene therapy, cancer research, biodefense, and pandemic influenza. said his department is on pace to place 2,100 foster children in adoptive homes this year, up from 1,938 in 2004. He said DCFS has made the adoption process easier for families and has reduced the length of time it takes to adopt a child. In 2001, it took nearly five years to go through the adoptive process; now it takes an average of four years, five months. This includes the 12-to 18-month process required by law to allow for family reunification Family reunification is a recognized reason for immigration in many countries. The presence of one or more family members in a certain country, therefore, enables the rest of the family to immigrate to that country as well. . Pastor William Turner of the New Revelation Church in Pasadena said he intends to encourage members to adopt children and plans to set up job-training centers for foster children who leave the system when they reach 18. ``I think faith-based programs and working together are key solutions for many of the problems we face,'' Turner said. ``So we want to see how we are going to collaborate and help meet the needs of those in distress.'' As part of the public awareness campaign, DCFS is launching two faith-based adoption programs this month, including ``Church Families for Waiting Children,'' which will enlist churches in helping find families for African-American children. In addition, the ``Church Mentor Program'' is designed to connect specific waiting children with church members who will involve them in their congregation and help them develop permanent connections. Information on how to adopt a foster child is available by calling 1-888-811-1221, or on the Web at dcfs.co.la.ca.us. Troy Anderson, (213) 974-8985 troy.anderson(at)dailynews.com |
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