On the Saturday before Thanksgiving, Dallas County District Court judges and court officials donated their time to finalize the adoptions of 17 children living in foster care, helping them join loving, permanent families at the annual National Adoption Day celebration.
Amidst a courthouse decorated with balloons, the event for joyful families featured costumed superheroes to celebrate the families, as well as first family portraits with professional photographers and many special activities to mark this life-changing occasion.
Dallas CASA coordinated the event, which brings together children, families, Dallas CASA volunteers, Child Protective Services staff, judges and attorneys.
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Judge Delia Gonzales and her staff donated their time to preside over adoptions.
Officials from the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, the District Clerk’s office, Henry Wade security staff, the Dallas County Child Welfare Board and the Dallas County juvenile department were in attendance. Chairs of the event are SanJuana Ramirez, Nicki Stafford and Lisa Truppa, members of the Dallas CASA Children’s Council.
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The event was held on the 3rd floor of the Henry Wade Juvenile Justice Center.
National Adoption Day is celebrated in more than 400 communities nationwide, with more than 90,000 children adopted from foster care since its inception in 1999. In Texas, nearly 6,000 children are currently eligible for adoption. The goal of National Adoption Day is to recognize the importance of adoption and celebrate the families who open their hearts to children in need of loving homes.
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Dallas CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) seeks to protect children, restore childhood and help child victims of abuse or neglect achieve their full potential. The agency’s trained and supervised community volunteers are assigned by judges to advocate for the best interests of children who have experienced abuse or neglect and are living in the protective care of the state.
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For many children in foster care, their Dallas CASA volunteer is the only consistent, caring adult in their lives during a frightening, uncertain time. Dallas CASA envisions a day when all children experience safe childhoods and grow into resourceful, healthy adults. Now in its 45th year, Dallas CASA serves more children than any of the more than 900 CASA programs nationwide. Since 2019, Dallas CASA has been able to accept 100% of court appointments to Dallas County child welfare cases. In 2024, 1,009 Dallas CASA volunteers were assigned to advocate for 2,042 children in protective care.
Volunteers are needed, to learn more, visit the Dallas CASA website