Reading, MA – There are over 1,700 children in Massachusetts who are waiting for adoption right now. Often, the adoption process is perceived as overwhelming and challenging to navigate. To help Massachusetts families and adults considering adoption, Jordan’s Furniture is hosting “The Adoption Option” this Sunday, October 2, from 8:30 am to 11:00 am at their Reading store.
Adults and families interested in learning about adoption are invited to this free informational event. They can speak with social workers about the adoption process and hear from experienced adoptive families about their stories. Guests can also meet some children and youth in foster care in an informal setting full of fun games and activities.
“We are so proud to continue our support of foster care adoption and to do our part to help find homes for these great kids,” says Jordan’s Furniture President Eliot Tatelman. “Over the many years, our annual Adoption Option has proven to bring results. It connects families who hope to meet children and children who hope to meet families. It’s a win-win!” Tatelman adds, “Plus, at the event, guests can talk to families who have already adopted to hear their unique stories and to get their individual perspectives.”
Jordan’s Furniture is hosting the event in collaboration with the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) and the Massachusetts Department of Children & Families (DCF) to help find permanent families for children in state foster care.
“Among all of the ways in which we educate and connect families to waiting children and teens, events such as The Adoption Option provide families with the most opportunity to invest directly in the matching process”, said MARE’s Executive Director Bridget Chiaruttini. “We are grateful to continue our multi-decade partnership with Jordan’s Furniture to find adoptive homes. With more kids than ever waiting for permanent families, it is crucial that we find more families willing to make this life-changing commitment.”
As a direct result of Jordan’s partnership over the past 22 years in the foster care adoption community, over 530 children have been placed into adoptive homes through a variety of supported programs and initiatives.
In Massachusetts, over 3,200 children currently in foster care have the goal of adoption, and more than 1,700 of those children have no relative or other potential adopter. Nationwide, there are over 115,000 children in foster care in need of adoption. Older, school-aged children, sibling groups, children of color and/or children with special needs tend to wait the longest for families.
Prospective adoptive parents can be almost any age (18+); single, partnered, married, LGBT; homeowners or renters; experienced parents or new to parenting. Families of various income levels can adopt, as long as they have a stable source of income to support a child. There are no fees to adopt a child from foster care. Financial subsidies may be available, and children adopted from foster care are eligible for a tuition-waiver at Massachusetts state colleges and universities.
The event is open to the media. If you are planning to attend, please RSVP to anae@mareinc.org.
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MARE is a private, non-profit organization, founded in 1957 to find adoptive homes for children and teens in foster care, including sibling groups and children who are traditionally harder to place. For more information about MARE, please visit mareinc.org.
Jordan’s Furniture, the premiere furniture and mattress retailer in New England, has one of highest grossing sales per square foot records in The United States. With indoor features like Beantown, IMAX 3D Theaters, a 4-level ropes course, indoor water shows, an iconic holiday village display, and full-service restaurants, Jordan’s Furniture is the leader in combining entertainment with shopping. Store locations are destinations, with the average time spent on-site over double the industry average. Customer Service at Jordan’s is paramount. Jordan’s 1400 employees, the “J-Team”, excel at providing an unparalleled shopping experience. Established over 100 years ago and starting as a family business, Jordan’s Furniture is a community leader in their markets and believes in giving back to the community through charitable partnerships. They currently have seven store locations including Avon MA, Natick MA, Reading MA, Nashua NH, Warwick, RI, New Haven CT and Portland ME, along with a Distribution Center Taunton, MA. For more information about Jordan’s Furniture, please visit jordans.com.
