Don’t let the 2024 election drown out National Adoption Month

With all eyes on the 2024 election, the nation’s attention is focused on inflation, immigration and abortion. However, it is critical that we do not allow vital elections to overshadow the needs of the millions of vulnerable children around the world awaiting their forever families. The first Tuesday in November will culminate one of the most controversial elections in U.S. history while also marking the start of National Adoption Month, which is celebrated annually in November. We must not allow the media and endless debates between candidates to drown out or neglect the important conversation about protecting children.

Our nation’s next leader will champion and implement policies that will impact the lives of vulnerable children for years to come. Policy matters because people matter, but often policy ignores the impact on the most vulnerable: children. Will our political candidates finally meet the growing needs of expecting children in the United States and around the world? How will candidates prioritize adoption as a life choice and an alternative to abortion?

Government advocacy and diplomacy are critical to effectively continue to protect children. I recently saw a brick wall that has made advocating for vulnerable children more difficult than ever, even within our own government. The current administration is too concerned with redefining the concept of family than finding permanency for the 369,000 children living in foster care in the United States. We make fun of illegal immigration while more than 300 children promised to American families languish in Chinese orphanages. Federal and state policies determined by the November elections will directly impact support for child protective services and the ability of families to navigate adoption.

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Adoption should be considered as a safe, permanent and loving alternative for children who, for various reasons, are unable to live with their biological families. As a nation, we not only need political and government intervention on behalf of families and children, but we need the church to rise from the mire of political pandering and prioritize hurting people over projects and policies. We need a church that preaches the gospel and exemplify God’s glory, goodness and grace to vulnerable children.

We hope and pray for National Adoption Month this year to raise awareness of the urgent need for adoptive families to provide permanency to children. The needs of these vulnerable children must be of national and international urgency. Every day, a child’s basic needs go unmet, creating generational uncertainty and pain. Unfortunately, the political climate may drown out this critical message.

National Adoption Month has the potential to be a powerful way to bring people together across political, religious and social divides. Adoption issues go deeper than the rivers that flow red and blue, as they relate to the universal values ​​of humanity. The Congressional Coalition for Adoption is the largest bipartisan coalition on Capitol Hill, bringing together fierce opponents and passionate advocates who champion adoption as a solution to a range of child welfare challenges facing our country.

Perhaps the most debated issue to be voted on in this election is abortion. While pro-choice conversations about abortion focus on a woman’s so-called right to choose, the broader conversation about alternatives to abortion is rarely, if ever, discussed. Adoption is a compassionate option for women facing an unplanned or crisis pregnancy. While the Abortion Federation of America demands money from the government to pay $15,000 to $20,000 for third-trimester abortions, millions of families are ready, willing and able to adopt these precious children.

Pro-life and pro-choice advocates can find common ground in promoting adoption as one of the most beneficial alternatives to abortion. This election cycle gives us a unique opportunity to elevate the conversation about adoption. Advocates who value life and family should advocate for candidates and policies that make adoption more accessible to expectant mothers and potential adoptive families.

This November, don’t let the most historic election of our time overshadow National Adoption Month. Let this be a catalyst for holding our politicians accountable for speaking out in support of adoption as a cornerstone of family building and children’s rights.