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CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
TWENTIETH COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO. R-13-189 ENACTMENT NO. _____________________
SPONSORED BY: Don Harris, Ken Sanchez
RESOLUTION
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Declaring The Fourth Saturday In June Albuquerque Adoption Appreciation Day To Show Support For The Families Of Children Youth And Families Department (CYFD) Adoptions And For The Families That Adopt Children On National Adoption Day (Harris, Sanchez)
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DECLARING THE FOURTH SATURDAY IN JUNE ALBUQUERQUE ADOPTION APPRECIATION DAY TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR THE FAMILIES OF CHILDREN YOUTH AND FAMILIES DEPARTMENT (CYFD) ADOPTIONS AND FOR THE FAMILIES THAT ADOPT CHILDREN ON NATIONAL ADOPTION DAY.
WHEREAS, National Adoption Day is a collective national effort to raise awareness of the 129,000 children in foster care waiting to find permanent, loving families; and
WHEREAS, for the last eight years, National Adoption Day has made the dreams of thousands of children come true by working with courts, judges, attorneys, adoption professionals, child welfare agencies and advocates to finalize adoptions and find permanent, loving homes for children in foster care; and
WHEREAS, National Adoption Day is celebrated in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and more than 300 events are held each year throughout the country to finalize the adoptions of children in foster care, and to celebrate all families who adopt; and
WHEREAS, adoption provides benefits to society as a whole by allowing children to join established families who are ready to raise children; and
WHEREAS, adoptive families also benefit from adoption, many couples who are childless, who are unable to have more children, or want to bring another child into their home are overjoyed by the opportunity to welcome a new member into their family through adoption; and
WHEREAS, 35 children were adopted in Albuquerque on November 17, 2012, as part of National Adoption Day; and
WHEREAS, there are more than 2,000 foster children in New Mexico waiting to be adopted.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE:
Section 1. The City Council hereby recognizes and shows its appreciation and support to those families who have adopted children from foster care through the Children Youth and Families Department (CYFD) and seeks to encourage more families to adopt foster children.
Section 2. The City Council hereby proclaims the 4th Saturday of June, Albuquerque Adoption Appreciation Day as a day for the City of Albuquerque and all of its citizens to recognize and show their appreciation and support to these families.
Section 3. The City shall provide annual passes to the Zoo, Biopark, and Explora to families of children who are adopted in Bernalillo County on National Adoption Day, whether or not the children were from private adoptions or CYFD adoptions, and the City shall provide annual passes to the Zoo, Biopark, and Explora to families of children who are adopted in Bernalillo County through the Children Youth and Families Department (CYFD) whether or not the adoption occurs on National Adoption Day. The annual passes must be claimed within sixty days of the end of the month in which the family obtains their Adoption Certificate.
Section 4. The Administration is encouraged to hold a separate event at the Zoo for families with children currently in foster care, but the event will not be publicized due to the confidentiality laws regarding children in foster care.
Section 5. Up to thirty thousand dollars ($30,000) is hereby designated within the City Council Projects activity to carry out the purposes of this resolution.
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