17 children found their forever homes in Northwest Indiana on Friday morning, in celebration of National Adoption Day.
Coordinated by the Lake Superior Court’s Juvenile Division, Indiana Department of Child Services (D.C.S), Lake County CASA, and Geminus Community Partners, the National Adoption Day festivities finalized the legal adoption of 17 children to Region families and concluded with a luncheon at Gamba Ristorante honoring those who have fostered to adopt.
“This is a huge day for these families that are finally getting their forever homes,” said Nicholas M. Neal, vice president of community programs at Geminus. “Some of these families have been going through this process – it can go from one year to 10 years. You never really know, and that’s why this is a celebration day, a fun day. It’s a chance for these families to say ‘Hey, we’re here.’ It’s a great day all around.”
Geminus provides a wide range of support and intervention services for families in need, working frequently with children and families on the road to adoption. They partner closely with the courts, including Judge Thomas P. Stefaniak Jr., who presided over the day’s adoptions.
“It’s always a great day, and today didn’t dissatisfy,” Judge Stefaniak said. “I had a 7-year-old tell me it was the best day of his life. Two brothers came in, dressed to the nines, and beautifully dressed in suits and ties. There was a 2-year-old, a wonderful kid who was very mature. It’s the culmination of everything and evidence of what it looks like when the system works.”
Stefaniak stressed the strength of the partnership between the Court, Geminus, and D.C.S., including the efforts of D.C.S. Regional Manager Twan Stokes.
“We’re very appreciative to have this day that acknowledges all the love and support families are willing to give to offer a lifelong commitment like this,” Stokes said. “Oftentimes the journey begins by attempting to reunify families, and when that does not work we want to provide the most solid permanent option available to kids, and nothing is more permanent than adoption. These families have stepped up and decided that although they started as foster parents, they’ll make a commitment for these kids to be their own – just like their biological kids.”
A number of speakers addressed the gathered families, thanking them for their commitment to their children. Including Clarissa Tibbs, supervisor of community partners at Geminus, who is herself adopted.
Lake Superior Court’s Magistrate Matthew Gruett hopes that National Adoption Day’s impact, and the stories told by people such as Tibbs, spread beyond the families the day is celebrating.
“Seeing a family follow through and adopt a child gives those people on the fence or considering adoption that extra push to open their home up,” Gruett said. “We’ve seen some wonderful people, whether it’s families or foster parents who never had a previous connection with the child, do just that. They open their home and give that child a permanent place to live. That really hits home with us.”
To learn more about Geminus Community Partners, visit geminus.care. For more information about the Indiana adoption process, visit indianaadoptionprogram.org.
