TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - July 27, 2010) - The Adoption Council of Canada (ACC) announces our 2nd annual grassroots fundraising event, AdoptWalk, which this year is expanding to Saskatchewan as well as Ontario. Following our successful inaugural walk in Mississauga, ON last fall, this year's walks will help to raise awareness about the need to find permanent homes for more than 30,000 children and youth in foster care across Canada.
The 5-kilometre Ontario AdoptWalk will take place Sunday, September 26, 2010 at Riverdale Park West, Toronto. The Saskatchewan AdoptWalk will take place in November 2010 at the Shaw Centre, Saskatoon. To register for the walk, please visit www.adoptwalk.ca and click on "Join the Walk!".
AdoptWalk began as a joint initiative of the Adoption Councils of Canada and Ontario. This year, the Adoption Council of Canada is also partnering with the Adoption Support Centre of Saskatchewan. The ACC's goal is to hold AdoptWalks in four provinces in Canada in 2011: Ontario, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and New Brunswick. "We're so committed to making this goal a reality that we've secured Marketwire to distribute AdoptWalk press releases nationally, which will help ACC increase awareness for the event across Canada, and in other parts of the world where ACC collaborates with organizations such as the North American Council of Adoptable Children (NACAC)", says Sandra Scarth, ACC President.
"This is a huge and important undertaking – an effort that can change the lives of so many children and youth." Unless adoptive parents step forward, these children will remain in foster care or institutional placements until they have reached legal age, when they will age out of the child welfare system without the permanent, lifelong connections that every child and youth deserves.
"We need to get these kids placed with loving families. Through AdoptWalk, we are partnering with organizations like Jockey Being Family, Westjet, Via Rail Canada and our first media sponsor, Marketwire, to help find them homes. We encourage other partners to join us in creating awareness and raising the funds we need that will enable us to provide educational resources to Canadians," says Scarth.
| WHEN: |
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Sunday, September 26, 2010 / November 2010 |
| WHAT: |
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5km walk, followed by entertainment, a BBQ lunch, and activities for the kids. |
| WHERE: |
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September walk: Riverdale Park West, Toronto, Ontario |
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November walk: Shaw Centre, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan |
In Canada, nearly 80,000 children and youth are in the care of child welfare organizations. Of these, some 30,000 are legally free for adoption. The majority of these children are aged 6 and older.
"There are so many myths surrounding the adoption of older children," says Scarth. "A lot of parents assume these kids are troubled, but that's not necessarily the case."
Scarth herself adopted two children when they were aged 5 and 9. Both are now adults, and will be walking by her side at the Toronto AdoptWalk in September.
Individuals and teams can register and donate at the events, or at www.adoptwalk.ca.
The media are invited to attend, and encouraged to participate as well. Get out your walking shoes.
"You can make a world of difference for these waiting children and youth," says Scarth.
About the Adoption Council of Canada (ACC)
The ACC is the national information and referral service for adoption in Canada. Based in Ottawa, the ACC raises public awareness of adoption, promotes the placement of waiting children and youth, and stresses the importance of post-adoption services. Furthermore, the ACC aims to provide understanding of the benefits and challenges of adoption for children, birth families, and adoptive parents while facilitating communication among all groups and individuals concerned.
About the Adoption Council of Ontario (ACO)
The Adoption Council of Ontario (ACO) is a non-profit charitable organization formed in 1987 by representatives of the adoption community. The ACO Board of Directors and general membership represent all aspects of adoption: birth parents, adoptees, adoptive parents, and adoption professionals from Ontario. The ACO adoption resource centre is supported through memberships, donations and program fees.
About the Adoption Support Centre of Saskatchewan (ASCS)
The Adoption Support Centre of Saskatchewan (ASCS) is the primary adoption information and resource centre in Saskatchewan. ASCS offers support and referral services to birth parents, prospective parents, adoptive parents, adoptees, extended family or community, professionals, students, schools, community organizations and other institutions who are interested in education related to adoption.
Thanks to our sponsors!