By Karen Gleason
The 830 Stories
November has been proclaimed “Adoption Awareness Month” in Del Rio.
Mayor Pro-tem Jim DeReus, standing in for Mayor Bruno “Ralphy” Lozano, read Lozano’s proclamation at the start of Tuesday’s city council meeting.
Before reading the proclamation, DeReus shared a personal anecdote about the importance of adoption to his own family.
“I know my son’s going to be embarrassed, but when I saw this agenda item, it was very personal because we adopted, and so this is very important because there are so many kids that need a good home,” DeReus said.
He read the proclamation, which had been signed by the mayor.
“Whereas, every child deserves a loving, nurturing and permanent home, and whereas, there are nearly 60 abused and neglected children in state care from Val Verde County, and of these children, 18 are currently waiting for adoption. Generally, these youth are teens who may have unique medical, psychological or physical needs, and
“Whereas, adoption gives these children a safe haven, a brighter future, as well as great joy to the adoptive parents, and whereas, adoption is the permanency plan for approximately 6,186 children in Texas, and whereas, there are more than 380 children waiting for adoption in Region 8B, and whereas, these children need extra patience and support to help them overcome previous hardships, and
“Whereas, in 2020, there were 5,270 children who were adopted in Texas, and whereas, 1,970 youth with special needs were placed in adoptive families in Texas, and whereas, we are grateful to families able and willing to adopt children who have special needs, and
“Whereas, it is important to stress that a disability, low income or unmarried status does not preclude the right to adopt, and whereas, children waiting for adoptive parents, and families who have adopted these children, require and deserve community and public agency support, now, therefore, I, on behalf of Bruno J. Lozano as mayor of the city of Del Rio, Texas, do hereby proclaim the month of November 2021 as ‘Adoption Awareness Month,’” DeReus read.
In honor of the month, the proclamation reads further, the city encourages Del Rioans, community agencies, religious organizations, businesses and others to celebrate adoption, honor families that grow through adoption, further awareness of the changes and issues in adoption and focus attention on children who live in the shadow of an uncertain future while they await permanent families.
“Thank you for all that you do to help children,” DeReus said as he presented the proclamation to Kelly Dalton, Belong regional director/west and Regina Hernandez, Belong case care specialist.
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Contact the author at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com
