November 22, 2014 – NATIONAL ADOPTION DAY – NATIONAL CRANBERRY RELISH DAY

 

                                          NATIONAL ADOPTION DAY

Every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, across the United States, it is National Adoption Day.  This day raises awareness of the more than 100,000 children in foster care waiting for permanent, loving families.   This day has helped the dreams of many children and families come true.

On November 23, 2014, many courts and communities will come together to finalize thousands of adoptions of children from foster care.   There are more than 300 events that are held annually on National Adoption Day as the finalization of the dreams become a reality.  In total, there has been more than 40,000 children that have been adopted from foster care on National Adoption Day.

A Coalition of national partners including The Alliance for Children’s Rights, Children’s Action Network, Freddie Mac Foundation and Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption started National Adoption Day in 2000.   In November of 2000, the sponsors worked with law firms, state foster care agencies, child advocates and courts to complete hundreds of foster care adoptions in nine jurisdictions nationwide.

• 2001 – 17 jurisdictions participated
• 2002 – Casey Family Services and the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute jointed the National Adoption Day Coalition, helping 34 cities across the country finalize 1,350 adoptions and celebrate adoption.
• 2003 – Courts and community organizations in more than 120 jurisdictions across the nation finalized the adoptions of 3,100 children.
• 2004 – More than 3,400 children were adopted from foster care in 200 events in 37 states after courts and community organization finalized the adoptions.
• 2011 – More than 300 court and community events were held on National Adoption Day.

For more information on National Adoption Day, see: http://www.nationaladoptionday.org/

National Cranberry Relish Day – November 22
Image Credit: orangesandavocados.com

NATIONAL CRANBERRY RELISH DAY

Each year on November 22, cranberry lovers across the country celebrate National Cranberry Relish Day.  This day is celebrated one day prior to National Eat a Cranberry Day.
Believed to have originated in the New England States during the early 1900′s, Cranberry Relish is a traditional part of many families Thanksgiving dinner.
Each Thanksgiving beginning in 1971, Susan Stamberg, an American radio journalist who is a Special Correspondent for National Public Radio and guest host for Weekend Edition Saturday, provides NPR listeners with her mother-in-law’s recipe for a cranberry relish sauce.  This special recipe, known as Mama Stamberg’s Cranberry Relish, is unusual as it has horseradish as one of its principal ingredients.  The recipe was originally published by Craig Claiborne in his food column in 1959.
There are many different recipes and combinations that make up cranberry relish and people have their favorites.  The common ingredient, of course, is cranberries, other ingredients may include: apples, oranges, pineapple, sugar, salt, pecans, orange zest, lemon juice, and brandy. 

Happy National Cranberry Relish Day and enjoy one of the following “tried and true” recipes:
http://www.npr.org/2012/11/16/165226388/a-splendid-table-set-with-mama-stambergs-relish
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/the-best-of/cranberry-relish-recipe2/index.html
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/fresh-cranberry-relish/
http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-fresh-cranberry-relish-69903