Contact: Kenny Jahng, 973-500-8536, kjahng@fivestone.com

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., July 23, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ -- This week, well over 100,000 racing fans will have a chance to hear a personal appeal from Tony and Lauren Dungy on the subject of adoption at the world's largest spectator sporting facility, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Indianapolis Super Bowl-winning coach is featured in a 30-second public service announcement, framing the current orphan crisis and need for adoption awareness. The video spot will be featured on an exterior 12-foot electronic billboard scheduled to run for 15 hours a day throughout the four-day event composed of the NASCAR Nationwide Series and GRAND-AM Road Racing and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Brickyard 400 races. The Super Weekend at the Brickyard runs from Thursday July 26 through Sunday July 29.

According to a national survey, more than one-third of Americans have considered adoption, but less than 2 percent have actually adopted. (Source: Harris Interactive and Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption (2007). National Foster Care Adoption Attitudes Survey). 

The Dungy family has partnered with The Adoption Journey Project (www.adoptionjourney.org) to help provide practical tools for couples considering adoption.

"Everyone has the chance to do something about the orphan crisis. It is relevant to families across the country just like the ones attending this week. But the bottom line is, we need to act," said Tony Dungy.

"In foster care alone, there are approximately 116,000 children waiting to be matched with a loving family right now. That's almost as many as the number of fans who will show up to fill the seats of Indy Motor Speedway this weekend," noted Marc Andreas, Vice-President of Client Marketing at Bethany Christian Services, the nation’s largest adoption agency.

The www.AdoptionJourney.org site features content such as FAQs by couples who have already gone through adoption, webcasts, adoptive families' stories, leaders involved with adoption initiatives, and biblical references related to adoption. Additional resources, such as financial planning tools are being published on an ongoing basis on the website.

Related Link: Tony & Lauren Dungy Video Message: www.adoptionjourney.org/share/brickyard

About The Adoption Journey Project
The AdoptionJourney.org Project is a collective of organizations who want to break down the barriers to adoption: Bethany Christian Services, Lifesong for Orphans, and Lifeline Children's Services.  The goal is to encourage honest conversations about the adoption process, offer comprehensive yet easily accessible information about domestic and international adoption, and connect those who have already adopted with those who are thinking about it.