City and county officials, along with members of the Family Enrichment Center and the Department of Community Services, celebrated 20 years of partnership between the center and the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday morning.

City and county officials gathered Monday at the Family Enrichment Center to celebrate the start of National Adoption Awareness Month.

City Commissioners Sue Parrigin, Melinda Hill and Carlos Bailey spoke about the importance of adoption. Warren County Magistrate Doug Gorman read an official proclamation.

“In a perfect world this place wouldn’t be here, and we wouldn’t need it,” Gorman said of the center. “But we don’t live in a perfect world. And so, thank god we have you here and all of your staff.”

Parrigin said: “I can’t think of a better mission than to empower families and prevent child abuse. We are so thankful for agencies who are working on getting forever homes for these children.”

FEC Executive Director Nickie Jones said the center has served more than 1,500 families in the past year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We had to continue our services, and it was more important than ever,” Jones said. “Today, we come together to raise awareness about the need for forever homes for 167 children who are awaiting adoption in our area.”

Jones said 101 children this past year have found their forever homes through the work of the center and the Department of Community Services.

The FEC also held a ribbon-cutting Monday to celebrate 20 years of partnership with the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber will be the site of the annual Christmas party that the Bowling Green Young Professionals puts on to support the FEC. The party is scheduled for Dec. 16 at 5 p.m.

“It is bar-none my absolute favorite thing we do as a part of young professionals,” BGYP Chair Ian Loos said. “We go shopping and we take donations as well. We are very grateful for the community partners who help out with the event. You can contact the chamber if you want to help.”

Fonda Walker, recruitment and certification worker for the Department of Community Services, said Monday’s celebration was a profound occasion.

“It means so much to have agencies like the Family Enrichment Center to partner with the Department of Community Services to make this event,” Walker said. “Because adoptions are just as important as anything else our community does. It’s probably one of the most important things our community supports.”

Walker said she was proud of the 101 adoptions that took place over the past year, and it serves as a showcase of how supportive the community has been.

“With as many struggles and hurdles that children and families go through – this is just a monumental event,” she said. “ It’s probably become more urgent just because more families are struggling so we are seeing more children coming into foster care.”

– Follow reporter John Reecer on Twitter @JReecerBGDN or visit bgdailynews.com.