Nebraska officials including Gov. Pete Ricketts are putting out a call for people to adopt foster children, as the numbers have declined during the pandemic. State officials say there have been 304 adoptions so far this year and 360 in 2020. But in each of the preceding five years, Nebraska logged more than 500 adoptions. Ricketts says Nebraska currently has 646 children who are waiting to be adopted. On Monday, he signed a proclamation of November as “Adoption Awareness Month.” Stephanie Beasley, director of the state’s child and family services division, says adoption helps connect kids to loving families that provide them with a foundation of support and a sense of belonging.