BAKERSFIELD, Cali — November is National Adoption Awareness Month, and during this time, families and organizations share information about the joys and blessings of adopting a child.
The Amato family know the joys firsthand, as their adoption was made official on Friday.
“The judge pronouncing that she was our daughter today was just a beautiful ending to that chapter,” Ross Amato, Father of Emmy Joy, said.
Three-and-a-half-year-old Emmy Joy is finally officially apart of the Amato family after a two and a half year long process.
“It is very exciting, there were some ups and downs, but we are blessed to finally have her home now,” Ross Amato said.
The Amato family has 7 biological children, and as of Friday, they are adding one more to their family to make it complete.
“We have a heart for kids with special needs, it is harder to adopt kids with down syndrome, so we set out for an adoption for children with down syndrome.” Tamara Amato, Mother of Emmy Joy, said.
With Kern county celebrating Adoption Awareness Month for the 18th year in a row, adoptive parents along with organizations are encouraging the community to consider adopting kids with special needs, teens, and those who are in the foster care system.
"Adopting through foster care is really, in my opinion, the best thing that you can do for a child in your community,” Jana Slagle, Communications Director at Kern County Department of Human Services, said.
The Kern County Department of Human Services not only helps families get involved with children in the foster care system, but they also provide support for parents who have just recently adopted children.
“Sometimes people don’t know that after you do adopt a child there are still resources available, you’re not just left on your own if there is any struggle that you are having,” Slagle said.
According to the Amato family, having adopted Emmy, they believe that she has brought more love and happiness into their lives with her compassionate and sassy personality.
“You know you start out thinking that you are the one helping the child, but when you bring a child like that into your home," Slagle said. "You end up being the on that is really blessed.”
