Kids & Family

Six is Enough for Joanne Acerba, at Least for Now

Gloucester Township single mom opens her home to another at-risk child.

ORIGINALLY REPORTED AT 5:31 P.M. on Nov. 22.

When she was growing up in Washington Township, Joanne Acerba said Eight is Enough was one of her favorite TV shows. 

"Somewhere in my mind, I thought that would be the size family I'd have," said Acerba, now 49, the director of curriculum for the Gloucester Township School District. "But when I turned 40 and wasn't married yet, I loved children so much that I adopted."

She now has six children, ranging in age from 14 to her youngest, Angelica, 11 months, who she calls Angel. Angel was among 51 children who had their adoptions finalized Friday in court in Camden.

"This is an unprecedented year for adopting children in Camden County because we are executing the most adoptions ever, in one day, in our history,” said Camden County Surrogate Pat Jones. 

Camden County consistently finalizes the highest number of adoptions per year in the state, a county spokesman said. These adoptions represent the full spectrum of cases facilitated by the Surrogate’s Court throughout the year, including domestic and international adoptions as well as adoptions facilitated through private agencies and the New Jersey State Department of Children and Families.

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Acerba knows about the at-risk children in some of these adoptions. All six of her children were under the custody of the former state agency known as the Division of Youth and Family Services. She has acted as a foster parent for 20 children over the last decade and now adopted five and raised six.

She said she still holds out hope of getting married some day, but it's not in the forefront of her mind.

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"If that happens, it's fine; if it doesn’t, that's fine, too." Acerba said. "I can’t predict what will happen in the future. I don’t know what crazy guy would come to a house with six children. If it's in the plan, it's in the plan."

In addition to Acerba's adoption, parents from Audubon, Camden, Cherry Hill, Clementon, Collingswood, Gloucester Township, Haddon Township, Merchantville, Pennsauken, Voorhees, Waterford and Winslow also completed adoptions.

Acerba said she doesn't plan to adopt any more children, but may do foster care when her children get older.


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