“Families Found in Every Form”
Image by Alisa Dyson from Pixabay
The Genesee County Probate Court and the Family Division of the Genesee County 7th Judicial
Circuit Court, along with local adoption agencies will host an Adoption Day celebration on Tuesday,
November 25, 2025, beginning at 1 p.m., at the Genesee County Circuit Courthouse, located at 900 S.
Saginaw St. in Flint, Michigan. The event is open to the public and will feature open adoption hearings.
For the final time the Honorable Jennie E. Barkey, Genesee County Probate Judge, will be presiding over
the public adoption hearings. Representatives from Genesee County Department of Health and Human
Services and several adoption agencies will attend. The featured speaker will be Cole Williams, an
adoptive parent and executive director and co-founder of The Delta Project. Williams is known for his
engaging and inspiring public speaking.
This local celebration is part of a nationwide effort to bring attention to the number of foster children waiting for adoption and to celebrate all families who adopt. Currently, there are 396 children in Genesee County who are placed in foster care ,and 89 of those children are available for adoption and are waiting for a loving, permanent home.
“This day marks the beginning of an exciting journey for these deserving children and families,”
Presiding Probate Court Judge, the Honorable Jennie E. Barkey explains.
“This celebration offers us an opportunity to take a moment to acknowledge what is important – family; and we encourage other individuals and families to consider adoption, as we celebrate the joy of adoption and express our thanks for adoptive parents throughout our community. This celebration is also a reminder to us of the importance of those who work so tirelessly on behalf of children in foster care.”
Michigan Adoption Day is held annually in November. Participating courts across the state finalize adoptions, host celebrations for adoptive families and educate the public about the adoption process. Michigan Adoption Day is co-sponsored by the Michigan Supreme Court, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange and the Child Welfare Services Division of the State Court Administrative Office.
Throughout the month of November, which is National Adoption month, the Genesee County
7th Judicial Circuit Court encourages all Michigan residents to learn more about how they can change the
lives of children through adoption by visiting https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs .
For further information in the Genesee County area, contact the adoptions department by telephone at 810-424-4470, or by email at adoptionsdepartment@geneseecountymi.gov . There are a variety of materials and resources for those that are interested.
