Foster children find permanent homes during Milwaukee's Adoption Day celebration

A rare look at new beginnings in Wauwatosa as 13 children are welcomed into a total of 10 families.

The event Monday morning at Milwaukee County Children's Court celebrated Milwaukee's Adoption Day. November is also Adoption Awareness Month.

Arvia Coley has waited about two and a half years to adopt 4-year-old Azaria. The child's biological parents fought the process, but eventually had their right terminated because they couldn't adequately care for Azaria and her cognitive delays.

During their time together, Arvia has worked to provide a stable, loving home for the child. Following testimony from Coley and family case manager Candyce Phillips, a judge agreed that permanently placing Azaria with Arvia, gives her the best chance at a promising future.

Arvia is already a mom to two biological teen boys and another adoptive son, 5-year-old Zamir. Zamir is also Azaria's biological brother.

\"I think it's very important to keep siblings together so they'll bond and know each other,\" Coley said. \"Because I think it's difficult, you have one child and another child is somewhere else and then they never meet.\"

\"It's very hard for us to find families that are willing to take in a whole group, especially if it's more than two,\" Phillips said. More than two is even harder.\"

So far this year, the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families said 677 children have been adopted from foster care, but there are more than 1,200 who still need families.

Visit the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin's website to learn more about foster and adoptive programs to see how you can help children find forever homes.