BATON ROUGE - November 19 is now Adoption Awareness Day in Louisiana, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced in a press release Saturday.

Edwards said the day is dedicated to raise awareness for adoption, and for families willing and able to provide a home to a child in foster care.

"I encourage anyone who has a heart for children and the desire to expand their family to consider adoption and make a powerful difference in the life of a child," Edwards said. "There are hundreds of children in our foster care system waiting to find loving, safe and permanent homes."

There are approximately 107, 918 children in the U.S. that are in foster care. On Nov. 19, which is National Adoption Day, courts around the country will open in order to help those children find a permanent home.