In celebration of National Library Week, DePaul staff members from our Christiansburg and Cedar Bluff offices presented several local libraries with donated books focusing on a topic near and dear to our hearts: adoption. During the month of April, Adoption Specialists Oma McReynolds and Andrea Oquendo in Christiansburg met with library staff at the Iris Brammer Public Library and Pulaski County Library to donate children’s books that explore what it means to be adopted, as well as provide information on the adoption services DePaul offers to local families.
“We hope to promote adoption awareness by providing books to the community that address the needs of children who joined families by adoption,” said Oma. “The themes these books convey are representative of the adopted children in our community.”
DePaul was able to provide the books thanks to funding from the Post-Adoption Support Services (PASS) grant, which supports children and families following adoption. The donated books include “Yes, I’m Adopted” by Sharlie Zinniger, a story about a child who explains the differences in families and how he came to join his family through adoption. Another book, “I Wished For You: An Adoption Story” by Marianne Richmond, tells of a young bear and his mother and how they became a family, touching on many of the questions children often have when they are adopted.
In the Cedar Bluff area, Adoption Specialist Leslie Dunford presented books to Tazewell Public Library, Russell County Public Library, and Lonesome Pine Regional Library. Leslie also made a stop by North Tazewell Elementary to donate books and meet with a kindergarten class to give a reading of “Violet Comes to Stay” by Jan Karon.
Thank you to all of the libraries and staff who participated in our appreciation event, and for sharing the message of the importance of adoption in building families. If you are interested in learning more about the adoption services offered by DePaul, please contact us at 540.265.8923 or info@depaulcr.org.