POUGHKEEPSIE – Dutchess County Family Court judges joined with key county staff to celebrate National Adoption Day 2023 at the Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum (Poughkeepsie Children’s Museum) on Friday evening. The celebration, including pizza, snacks, and treats, was organized by the Dutchess County Family Court judges along with Dutchess County Children and Family Services to celebrate the children of Dutchess County who are growing up in caring families after being adopted.
Kelly Myers, the Court Attorney Referee at Dutchess County Family Court told Mid-Hudson News that, over the last three years, 62 Dutchess County children have been adopted from foster families in the county. All 62 children and the adoptive families were invited to the celebration, with many accepting the offer.
Dutchess County Family Court Judges Joe Egitto, Jeff Martin, Denise Watson, and Tracy MacKenzie, joined by Poughkeepsie Mayor-elect Yvonne Flowers conversed as several children raced around the room, enjoying themselves and bonding with other kids.
Judge MacKenzie, known for her permanently-affixed smile, was beaming. “I came from a large family where some of the children were ones my mother gave birth to, and some of the children were adopted, but there was never a distinction, we were all siblings, and we were all my mother’s children.” As a Dutchess County Family Court Judge, MacKenzie presides over many adoption proceedings and became emotional when asked about the process. “When I preside over an adoption, I feel so blessed to one small part of their journey to become these beautiful families,” she said. “I am always amazed and overwhelmed by the love that they give and receive!”
National Adoption Day is a collective, grassroots effort to raise awareness of the more than 113,000 children waiting to be adopted from foster care in the United States. A coalition of national partners — the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, Alliance for Children’s Rights, and Children’s Action Network — launched National Adoption Day in 1999.
During this annual event, courts and organizations in more than 400 communities across the country have opened their doors on or around the Saturday before Thanksgiving to finalize and celebrate adoptions from foster care.
National Adoption Day has recognized more than 75,000 children moving from foster care to a permanent family.
