Special adoption events are being held in seven Iowa cities between now and Thanksgiving as part of National Adoption Month. Bambi Schrader is spokeswoman for Iowa Kids Net, the organization sponsoring the adoption ceremonies. There are events today  in Cedar Rapids and Davenport as children are joined with their “forever families,” and more events are coming up.

For events in Waterloo and Webster City, there are about 30 families involved in adopting between 25 and 40 children as many families adopt sibling groups. During the events, DHS officials, judges, KidsNet staff and other community boosters hold special courthouse programs as multiple families’ adoptions are finalized on the same day. Schrader says it’s easy to learn about the adoption process by going to the group’s website, Iowa-kids-net-dot-com.

“They can make an inquiry and they’ll get some information sent to them about becoming a foster and/or adoptive family,” Schrader says. “Then, they would attend an orientation which would include the application process and record checks, then they would take a 30-hour training while the licensing process is going on.” In addition to this weekend’s adoption events in Cedar Rapids and Davenport, more events are scheduled for November 22nd in Waterloo, and on November 23rd in Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Sioux City and Webster City.

(Reporting by Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City)