Dianna Theresa had considered adopting a child for quite some time. Then while driving to work one day, she noticed four Children’s Bureau billboards asking for foster and adoptive parents. For days she passed by the billboards and in her heart knew that it was time for her to make a call to Children’s Bureau.
Dianna became certified and was immediately matched with a 1-year-old boy. When it came time for the boy to move in with her, Dianna’s social worker called to tell her that the birth mother of the boy had just given birth to another child, a baby girl. They wanted to keep the children together and asked Dianna if she was willing to be an adoptive parent to both children. Dianna says that on faith she said yes. Both adoptions are now finalized and Dianna says that seeing the billboards is what brought her together with two beautiful children.
With hundreds of children waiting to be placed in foster or adoptive homes, Children’s Bureau is hoping that its newly launched pro-bono outdoor advertising campaign will encourage others like Dianna to contact the agency for information about the program. The message, Create New Memories — Adopt or Foster a Child, can be seen on more than 800 billboards, bus shelters and buses (in English and Spanish) throughout Los Angeles and Orange Counties beginning in January through March. Created by The Ballpark Advertising Agency, the campaign is valued at nearly one million in pro-bono outdoor advertising thanks to the generosity of Citibank (Banamex USA), Clear Channel Outdoor, La Agencia de Orci & Asociados, Regency Outdoor, Titan Worldwide, Van Wagner Outdoor and Vista Media.
“We created four versions of the ad in a scrapbook style with the message that these children come with all kinds of experiences to share such as playing ball, a graduation, day at the park or a birthday. These moments then become cherished memories when shared with a caring family. We also used older children and sibling sets in the ads because of the increased need for families willing to open their home to these often hard-to-place children,” said Alan Berkes, agency principal for The Ballpark Advertising Agency. Mr. Berkes also serves as a director on Children’s Bureau’s board and is chair of its public relations committee.
Children’s Bureau thanks everyone who is helping to recruit new families via word of mouth, foster and adoptive parent referrals, employee and mentor referrals.
The need for families is endless with 119,000 children waiting for adoption and new ones coming in every day. Please attend our next information meeting on April 26 from 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 27265 Luther Drive, Canyon Country, CA.
For more information, please call 661-272-9996.