Nov 15, 2008 11:33 pm US/Eastern
Balt. City Families Grow On Nat'l Adoption Day
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
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Nationwide, thousands of children are waiting for adoption. That wish came true for several Baltimore City families Saturday.
Nationwide, thousands of children are waiting for adoption. That wish came true for several Baltimore City families Saturday.
Gigi Barnett reports it's all part of National Adoption Day.
For the families that stood in a Baltimore City courthouse Saturday, legalized adoption was months, even years in the making.
Thousands of Maryland families became new parents, new sons and daughters on National Adoption Day.
"We went from zero to three in less than three years. It's like add water and stir, instant family," said Mark and Sharon Dziwulski, parents.
Two and a half years ago, Mark and Sharon adopted Stormy and Kyla. On Saturday, they came back for two-year-old Jacob, and they decided to stay in Baltimore to find their children.
"Many people in our church have adopted internationally, and my wife was the one who decided why don't we do it locally. We had some other friends that were involved in foster care and saw the great need," said Mark.
Family law attorney Erika Slater says more than 510,000 children are in foster care nationwide. Some 100,000 of them are ready for adoption.
"We here in Baltimore City have such a need for wonderful homes for these children, and it's one you can see today. They're funny and cute, and they just want to have a home to call their own," said Slater.
"We have to step up and adopt the children to give children homes and families so that they can be complete," said Patsy Price.
The Department of Social Services says this is the last step in the adoption process in which children get their new family, new home and new last name.
At least 40 children went home to new families in Baltimore City. Montgomery and Baltimore Counties also hosted adoption ceremonies.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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