I have admitted before and will admit it again, I am a celebrity junkie! One of my favorite actors is Mark Wahlberg who is starring in a new movie being released during National Adoption month on November 15, 2018 titled Instant Family. I could not be more excited to see one of my favorite stars portraying an adoptive parent adopting a sibling group through foster care!
I have followed Mark Wahlberg since the early 90’s with the release of the song Good Vibrations, which he became initially famous for when he was known as Marky Mark (don’t laugh, I am smiling too) and by the way I still listen to this song, it’s a great song! I have been impressed not only by his rise from obscurity to such success, but most importantly I am impressed by his devotion to his faith, family and giving back to his community. Wahlberg established The Wahlberg Youth Foundation; whose mission is to serve underprivileged inner-city youth. With the release of this movie my awe in Mark Wahlberg has increased exponentially!
Choosing to focus on a dire social need, such as finding homes for children currently in foster care and a family’s adoption journey, Instant Family, stars Wahlberg and Rose Byrne and is the true life story of Sean and Beth Anders who adopted a sibling group of three through foster care. Stars Mark and Rose hope that the film will shed some light on the need for adoptive parents in the foster care system and we in the adoption industry hope it does as well.
Currently it is estimated that there are over 400,000 children in the U.S. foster care system and with the national opioid crisis, this number continues to rise, leaving more and more children without permanent homes and parents. Children range in ages from infants to teens with slightly more boys than girls in foster care. The average age of a child in foster care is eight years old with the average time spent in foster care for a child about a year and a half. Foster care is intended to be a temporary solution and not meant to be long term care for a child, however for many children, they languish in foster care unintentionally for years, which can cause unintended harm due to multiple placements. These children effectively slip through the cracks and become lost in the system.
The solution is a permanent placement through adoption. All children are capable of so much, even those who have experience traumatic pasts. After all, our children are our future and we should invest in them. I am personally hopeful that Mark Wahlberg through his work in Instant Family will inspire some to begin their own adoption journey through foster care and provide a permanent home and family to a child in need. Kuddos Mark Wahlberg and everyone associated with this film for shinning a light on the need for adoptive families!