NWF Health Network, with various community partners, is expanding its Christmas adoption ceremony program to two new counties, and adding family reunification in Leon County.
Five children will be adopted in Okaloosa County by three families in a ceremony Monday in Fort Walton Beach. Two children will also be officially adopted by their forever parents Monday in Santa Rosa County, in Milton. It’s the first time that Christmastime adoptions are being hosted by NWF Health Network in the two counties.
Additionally, Leon County’s ceremonies, held Friday, will include reunifications where children temporarily removed from a parent or guardian’s care are returned. Nine families will be reunited. Another two families will adopt a total of four children in ceremonies in Tallahassee.
Six children will be adopted on Christmas Eve in Pensacola in Escambia County by three families. Another five kids will be adopted by two families in Panama City in Bay County on Christmas Day.
Over the past eight years, more than 40 children have been adopted in Christmas ceremonies facilitated by NWF Health Foundation, with 22 more being added this year.
“Our annual Christmas adoption ceremony is one of the most meaningful days of the year,” NWF Health Network CEO Mike Watkins said. “Today, we celebrate families who have opened their hearts to give children the permanency and stability every child deserves.”
Each county has a local partner for the events, including Camelot Community Care in Escambia, Leon and Santa Rosa counties; Children’s Home Society in Okaloosa County; Safe Families for Children of North Florida, Tallahassee Memorial Hospital and Florida’s Early Childhood Courts in Leon County; and Twin Oaks Juvenile Development in Bay County.
NWF Health Network is the only organization in the nation to conduct annual Christmas adoptions, ensuring families in its care have an even more special holiday each year. This is the ninth year NWF Health has conducted its annual Christmas adoption ceremonies.
