Thirteen children found a forever home on National Adoption Day Nov. 18 at the Adams County Justice Center.

"National Adoption Day is all about bringing awareness to the community that there's a need," said Katie McDougal, Adams County Human Services Director. "There are children who have been lingering in foster care, and they deserve forever families."

The point is to bring some celebration to the lives of those families.

"Even though they don't need the official piece of paper to know they're a family, seeing the joy this day brings to make it official and permanent is incredible for everyone," she said.

The Board of County Commissioners, the Human Services Department, and the 17th Judicial District hosted the adoption celebration. According to Adams County, 120 adoptions should be finalized by the end of the year.

National Adoption Day was developed to help the 113,000 foster care children waiting for a permanent home. Since 2000, more than 75,000 children have been adopted during this annual event, according to officials.

According to officials, about 150,000 adoptions happen with the annual program. On average, foster care children are in the system for three years before being placed in a home. More than 20,000 children age out of the system annually without finding permanent or family.

For more info about being a foster parent, and adopting, visit adcogov.org/adoption.