#AdoptHope Wrap-Up

Wharton students, left to right: Natalie, Ainsley, Armin, Nilesh, Kashfia 

Our #AdoptHope event held at Shops at Liberty Place last week was a huge success in spreading awareness about the many children in foster care who await the love and support of a forever family. Many passers-by were given the opportunity to ask questions they had about adoption and foster care, pick up pamphlets provided by several different adoption agencies, and gather information on the many children that we work with here at the National Adoption Center.

The goal of this event was to educate others about adoption through the use of informative resource tables and provide interactive activities that reveal surprising myths and facts adoption. NAC staff, our Philly Fellow got to working side-by-side with students from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania to create this event. We are extremely pleased that we had the opportunity to celebrate National Adoption Month with others in the community and continue to push forward with public awareness initiatives.
        

Quote from Brittani, Wharton student and event performer, “I know I personally learned a lot about adoption and so did the rest of the team, which is awesome because now we will be able to educate others”

Myra, Adoptive mother of special needs children, and Beth, NAC's Marketing Director

                                   

We had a scrapbook where people could record their thoughts about adoption and family, here are a few of the messages left:

“Special children need special homes”

“I definitely want to adopt someday”

“It’s a wonderful thing”

What would be your message?

Match Parties Return to the UK

The National Adoption Center’s influence is not just national but international. Over three years ago, adoption staff from the British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) contacted us inquiring about our match parties. Our staff shared their expertise and best practice materials on how to design and execute a match party.

Fast forward a few years and in early 2011, the UK held their first “activity day,” better known as an adoption or match party here in the states. While these events have had extremely successful outcomes, creating “matches” for 23 out of the 120 children who have been to the three events held so far, these activity days remain extremely controversial as the UK tries to spread awareness.

The UK’s first match party took place in the mid-1970s and quickly went out of favor in the 1980s with critics describing them as “adoption speed dating” which forced agencies to find new family-finding methods. As time has progressed and figures have shown a drop in placements, the UK has decided to reconsider hosting adoption parties, a method which has taken place for over 30 years in the US and have proven to be twice as effective compared to any other method of family finding for children.

“Activity days” have now returned to the UK as a pilot project involving nine local authorities, several adoption agencies, and made possible by the external funding and management of BAAF. BAAF’s adoptions staff has remained in contact with the National Adoption Center throughout their re-launch and our organization has been thrilled to help share materials and lend a hand in the creation of a successful match party.

As an organization that has been successfully hosting match parties for over 25 years, our program which has blossomed into a model for the country, is proud to have branched overseas and support BAAF’s efforts in bringing children in need one step closer to a loving, caring, permanent home.

To read more about BAAF’s “activity days” click here. 

Virginia Adoption

Virginia’s General Assembly recently passed a state law which allows any adoption agency, including state-funded agencies, to turn away qualified adoptive parents based on religious and moral beliefs, including sexual orientation. The legislation codifies last year’s State Board of Social Services regulation to allow faith-based organizations to reject prospective parents based on gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and family status. While the prevailing debate mainly focuses on faith-based convictions to join children with gay parents, the sweeping language leaves room for further discrimination by private agencies on the basis of religious and moral criteria of their choosing. Governor Robert McDonnell signed this anti-gay adoption bill when it reached his desk. Virginia now joins North Dakota as the only two states having what is termed a “conscience clause” in law. This is in contrast to nine states which explicitly prohibit this kind of discrimination in adoption. Virginia state law already prohibits unmarried couples to adopt, but does allow single people to adopt, regardless of sexual orientation.

There are approximately 1,300 children in Virginia waiting to be adopted and this law further limits the number of safe, loving and permanent caregivers that are available to them. The National Adoption Center STRONGLY rejects the premise that any prospective parent(s) should be rejected based on race, gender, religion and sexual orientation. What do you think?

What's a Match Party Like?

contributed by Abbigail Facey, Program Intern

As the teens enter the room one can feel the excitement building. It takes these thirty young people only a few minutes to gain their composure, survey their surroundings and strike up conversation with neighboring youth; the hum of chatter and laughter quickly begins to fill the room. Amidst this sea of budding friendships, prospective parents and adoptive families offer nervous smiles, and firm handshakes, as they attempt to begin conversation with these lively young people.

“For some prospective parents, this is the first time they have attended a Match Party,” explains Crystal, an adoption coordinator with NAC. “While they are excited to finally meet face-to-face with children, versus reading their bio or viewing their picture—there is a certain level of anxiety that each family faces.”

NAC – which expands adoption opportunities for children living in foster care – has led the way for 25 years in facilitating matching events, designed to introduce prospective parents to older youth who hope to be adopted. By focusing on teenagers, NAC’s goal is to eliminate the sense of competition often present between older youth and younger children at typical matching events.  

“When children of all ages attend match parties, families tend to  inquire more about the younger kids, those under 10,” says Sheina, an adoption coordinator at NAC. “That wasn’t fair to the older kids.” 

For Sheina, the best part about the Teen Match Parties “is seeing families who originally were interested only in children under 8 years old, having great conversation with a 12 year old and completely change their outlook.”

At these parties, the youth spend quality time with their peers who face similar challenges; they are able to express their feelings and show their personalities in a safe and supportive environment. Myenisha, a child who attended a Match Party, said “You get to meet families and other kids in the same situation.” This connection helps children understand that, while they may be experiencing significant transitions within their lives, they are not alone.  “The children tend to be relaxed at the event because they have been prepared by their Case Manager or Adoption Recruiter,” says Crystal.  “We let them know that they always have support and are not alone.”

NAC’s latest Match Party this past Fall was at The Funplex in East Hanover, New Jersey. After having created 14 similar parties with her team over the past three years, Allen said “We have it down to a science.  We were initially worried about there being too many distractions for the kids at the event, but it worked out really well.”

One way NAC's staff prepares teenagers for the Adoption Party event is through two pre-party events, led by a motivational group facilitator. These events assist teens in becoming more comfortable and confident about moving forward with the Match Party.

The process of finding qualified prospective adoptive parents poses a greater challenge for NAC—unfortunately, a smaller percentage of prospective families consider adopting older children. Even with the realities of a smaller pool of families interested in teens, NAC has a long and successful history of success.  These are teens who might still be lingering in the foster care system alone, who instead successfully found a forever family. 

 “The hard work put into the event is well the worth the effort,” Sheina said. “The entire office does a lot to prepare for the event—the paper work, the calls made for monetary donations is all worthwhile to see parents and kids engaged in conversation. The ultimate goal of our efforts is to create a match between prospective parents and children.”

That effort does not go unnoticed by the children attending the event. Thalia who attended described the party as, “awesome… because there’s a lot of people who care about you.”

As NAC approaches its 40^th year anniversary, Thalia can be sure that those who care about her and her story will continue to work toward finding the perfect home for her and others who need someone to make a difference in the way they grow up.  

Success Story - Lucas

Today we celebrate the adoption of Lucas, a teen whose dream came true when his foster parents, Nancy and David, adopted him this year!

Lucas was featured on Wednesday’s Child Philadelphia in 2008 and then again a year later. Wednesday’s Child Philadelphia, sponsored by the Freddie Mac Foundation, is a weekly child feature on NBC10 with former Philadelphia Eagle, Vai Sikahema.

Starting the journey to be only foster parents, Nancy and David welcomed Lucas into their home when Lucas was seven years old. They prayed he would find a home and agreed to have him until that goal became a reality. Seven years later, Lucas still had no permanent home.

In 2011, Nancy and David realized that their home was Lucas’ home and made it official in court! Lucas says he is still getting used to calling them mom and dad and corrects himself when he calls them by their names.

Vai met up with Lucas’ family to hear more about their great story. Lucas says he is so happy they adopted him. Nancy and David say they have been blessed to be the lucky couple to have Lucas permanently in their lives. Diagnosed with mild mental retardation, Lucas is for the first time in a regular education class. He is doing well and has many friends.

When Vai asked what their favorite family activity was, they all said simply playing cards and spending time together. So they pulled out a pack of Skip-Bo cards and Vai quickly saw why they liked that activity. The four shared laughs and stories and had a great time.

The Wednesday’s Child program, sponsored by the Freddie Mac Foundation, is a great recruitment tool. In fact, over 62% of the children featured on Wednesday Child Philadelphia now have a permanent home.

Changing the Foster Care Adoption Process

The September issue of Children and Youth Services Review provides a qualitative study of nine families going through the foster care adoption process; three of them have already dropped out. Researchers noted the factors that support completion: a caring, competent social worker; supportive family and friends; involvement in counselling or parent-support activities. They also identified hindering factors including poor worker performance; the time-consuming and daunting nature of the process; and matching parameters that were too rigid. They also found that families needed to hear from workers often during the long waiting process.

The research recommends rethinking the manner in which agencies match children by having prospective parents check criteria they would accept or not accept and presenting only children who exactly match those criteria. Do you believe these suggestions will help expedite the process?

Identity

contributed by intern, Abbigail Facey

Understanding one’s identity is a process that takes time to fully appreciate. For many it takes years to understand not only who they are but how their lives correlate to the functioning of the greater society. “How do I fit in the world?” is a question generations before us have pondered and one that will likely be contemplated for years to come. "What makes me unique, different from everyone else, and valuable to the world?" - question echoed throughout the ages.

Personally, I have found that the process of understanding my identity is directly correlated to the connection I have with my family. They have impressed upon me the importance of staying associated with others, honoring the aged, valuing hard work and dedication, and reaching out to those in need. While each family may have varied values and belief systems, I believe each of those value systems significantly impacts the development of one’s identity. To understand one’s identity is to develop a purpose driven life.

I believe that the National Adoption Center helps youth to do just that; develop a connection to the world and understand their identity in society. How? By championing adoption for all children in need, even the older youths, thus working to ensure that every child can have permanent connections to family. I would not be where I am today had it not been for the direction, guidance, care, and influence of my parents. I believe every child deserves the influence of parents who will offer the love and support a child needs especially in their formative years.

I am absolutely thrilled to be interning for an organization that cares so deeply about the development of youth. The Center works, not only for the betterment of young people, but society through its programs that work to prevent incarceration, homelessness, and high school dropout. (All of which occur at higher rates for those children who age out of the system.) It is my hope that through this internship I will learn the success stories of adopted children and their parents. I hope this in turn will help me to know more about the process of adoption, and may lead me to consider adoption for my family in the future.

Match Parties - are you for or against?

The National Adoption Center plans and executes multiple Match Parties throughout the year. These parties are a signature recruitment vehicle for the Center and a truly wonderful opportunity for children & youth looking to be adopted to interact with prospective parents in a safe, secure and fun environment. Our success rate is often as high as forty percent.

Countless new “forever families” have been created thanks to our Match Parties, yet we sometimes receive pushback from folks who believe these events are exploitive to the children. What do you think?

Wednesday’s Child Philadelphia Spolight on Traquan

Meet Traquan! He is a respectful and outgoing 12-year-old with a passion for sports, matchbox cars and art classes. He is well-behaved and enjoys school, but above all he loves animals (especially dogs)! He would like to work in a pet store when he gets older, and he dreams of one day running his own animal shelter.

For Traquan, the location of his Wednesday’s Child taping was a no-brainer: an animal shelter! Traquan spent the day with Wednesday’s Child host Vai Sikahema and the crew at PAWS (Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society), a no-kill organization that cares for cats and dogs in need of homes. Traquan had the chance to play with Coco and Fred, two sweet and adorable dogs up for adoption. Traquan also held tiny kittens that craved attention while he and Vai chatted about his hope to find a family that loves animals as much as he does. He finished the day with a tour of the facility to get a better idea of how a shelter operates. Even though Traquan couldn’t take any animals home with him, he left knowing that the shelter would take good care of them until they could find their forever home!

The most memorable moment of the day was when Traquan revealed that he feels a special connection with foster animals because they are a lot like him. Just like Traquan, they are all waiting to go home to a good family that will keep them forever. He would take them all if he could, but first he needs to find his own loving and supportive family—pets preferred!

Will you be that family for Traquan?

Wednesday’s Child Philadelphia Spotlight - Aaliyah

Meet 12-year-old Aaliyah. This beautiful preteen can be described as fun, loving, and energetic.  Aaliyah likes to draw, jump rope, and dance. In the 6th grade, she does well in school and really enjoys art class.  In the future she would like to become a doctor or nurse so she can help others.        

Aaliyah recently met up with Wednesday’s Child host Vai Sikahema at Philadelphia’s Please Touch Museum for a day of fun and excitement.  Aaliyah had a great time pretending to be Vai’s doctor.  They did grocery shopping and toured the SEPTA portion of the museum. They played the large  piano and overall simply had a great time. 

The day was definitely a success!  Vai later sat with Aaliyah at the cafeteria where they shared a meal and spoke about family.  Aaliyah says race does not matter.  She wants a family that will love her, play with her, and encourage her dreams for the future. 

Will you be that family for Aaliyah?

Thanks to a Special Sponsor - Wendy's

The National Adoption Center relies on contributions from the public and private sector to do its critically important work.  One of our best partners is Wendy’s. Following in Dave Thomas’ tradition, this month Wendy’s not only continues its customary fundraising efforts but also gathers it employees to conduct a holiday gift drive for kids in foster care in the tri-state Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware region. So many children and youth will have a brighter holiday season thanks to generous partners like Wendy’s. We hope you will frequent them this month and throughout the year, and thank them for their generous support.

Raising Adoption Awareness This Thanksgiving Season

What can I do to raise adoption awareness?


I recently read an article about a remarkable, sixth-grader from Bowling Green, Kentucky named Noah. Noah learned a simple fact about kids in foster care that bothered him and from that he became inspired to spreading awareness about foster care and adoption. Noah learned that when kids are forced to move from home to home during their time in foster care, most of them carry their belongings in trash bags since they do not have proper luggage or backpacks. After hearing this troubling fact, Noah decided to organize a bag-collection drive so that kids in foster care could have proper luggage to make their moving process easier. Noah’s actions are ideal for this season of giving and a perfect way to help celebrate National Adoption Month this November.

Many of us want to help spread the word about foster care and adoption, but don’t know where to start. Here are a few ways that you can help:

Be Creative: Create fliers detailing the need for foster homes and ask to leave them in places of business. Don't forget contact numbers to your local foster care agencies.

Donate: Gather basic supplies and donate to your local foster or adoption agency. Call ahead and find out what they need. Many need school supplies, shoes, clothes, toys or bags.

Mentor: Through Big Brothers Big Sisters you can meet with a child 2-3 times a month and make a huge difference in his life by spending time with him. Not every child in the program is in foster care, but many are.

Volunteer: Many organizations that provide services for foster youth need volunteers to do many different duties. Some may include wrapping holiday/birthday gifts, sorting through donations, reading to the children or even playing games. Find out what your local children's organization needs are and see what you can do to help.

Involve Your Community: Ask your place of worship to offer a special prayer or sermon for children in foster care waiting for adoption.

Be Charitable: If you are unable to donate your time, donate some much needed funds to a credible, non-profit organization focusing on the needs of children. Every penny counts when it comes to helping children in foster care.

Eleven year old Noah is making a big impact - how can you?

Is there anything that you are doing or ideas that you have that are not listed above? If so, let us know! We’d love to hear your ideas.

To find out more information about Noah’s cause, visit:

www.acasefordignity.com

From the Desk of Gloria

This is National Adoption  Month and I look back 38 years to the day the National Adoption Center opened its doors.  It was a time that adoption was mainly for babies and no one knew whether anyone would consider adopting a child with Down syndrome or cerebral palsy, a child who was blind or a family of children who wanted to stay together.  Today, after having helped create families for 22,000 children, I think about the dramatic changes that have made that possible.  Among them were increasing interest in adoption from the federal government, the initiation of adoption subsidies, adoption events where prospective adopters could meet children waiting for families, focus on teenagers with the recognition that there are families who are interested in adopting them, the advent of adoption through the Internet, the rise of social media empowering would-be adopters to become more savvy when approaching agencies, and the advent of the Center’s  AdoptMatch program which allows those interested in adoption to connect online with welcoming agencies, then rate the service they receive.   The Freddie Mac Foundation and the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption continue to make substantial contributions to making a permanent home reality for so many children.  So are media throughout the country who in print, on the air and online spread the word that 115,000 children in this country still wait for families.  The National Adoption Center is unwavering in its belief that “there are no unwanted children…just unfound families.”  It will continue to find them.

Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Spotlight: Thomas!

Happy Monday everyone! After a great weekend here in Philly, there is no better way to start the week than with a Wendy’s Wonderful Kids spotlight!

This week, I’m featuring Thomas, a smart 17 year old who is awaiting his forever family. Like most teenage boys, Thomas loves to hang out with his friends, talk to girls, listen to music and spend time on his computer. What many don’t know about him is that he is a gifted writer focusing on poetry and music lyrics. He’s even had some of his work published in his school’s magazine! Thomas says that his writing is a creative and positive way to express himself.  He keeps a collection of his songs in a book that he has been working on since the 7th grade.

When Thomas grows up, he has dreams of joining the marines for two reasons. One reason is to serve his country, and the second reason is to make his family proud. Thomas would like to have a forever family that likes to travel to different places. He needs a family who will listen, care, and respect his dreams and aspirations for his future. A forever family will give him the stability and structure he needs to know he is being supported through every move he makes.

If you are interested in becoming Thomas’ forever family, or becoming the forever family for any of our Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, please contact Crystal Allen at callen@adopt.org or 877-799-6900.

Lest We Forget

This is a guest post from one of our staffers, Nancy. 

Lest We Forget –

Join me in a little fill-in-the-blanks exercise?

                “Is that your _______ answer?” 

                “And that’s ___________!”

                _____________ resting place.

The word for all three examples, of course, is FINAL. It’s a simple word, quite versatile, actually, forming phrases which connote possibilities of second-guessing or backing out, standing steadfast, and is even a synonym for “last”.  But when it comes to a ________ization hearing decreeing an adoption, the word holds different weight!  (For adoptive parents, words such as JOY, ECSTASY, and even DISBELIEF that they are _______ly parents, comes to mind.)  

November is National Adoption Month. Members of the National Adoption staff are scheduled to attend Adoption Day celebrations, fairs and expos to bring adoption awareness and encourage this option to begin or grow a family. Typically, during this month we get more calls about how to adopt, as the wonder of adoption is on the minds of many. There is a buzz of excitement in our offices in anticipation of attending finalization hearings which highlights this pinnacle in forming forever families.      

With the holidays just around the corner, newly formed families are excited to give thanks together for the first time, create new traditions, and bequeath family heirlooms, recipes and traditions to brand new generations. Truly, adoption positively transforms houses into homes, couples into families. An adoptive parent myself (21 years and counting), I hope families whose adoptions are made permanent never forget the joy of these moments. This is a milestone to celebrate! But…

…lest we forget, there is another aspect to adoption decrees—just as _________.  The other side of the coin, just as real and life-changing, is the impact of __________izations on birth families. Finalization, for them, terminates their parental rights. For some, this could be a much sought relief, but for others, the beginning of lifelong grief. 

Ours was an open adoption and we kept in fairly close contact with our child’s birth mother for a number of years. Our gratitude to her was (and still is) beyond what words can ever express. Because of her decision, we had the fortune to create a family and share our lives with an amazing daughter. My husband and I had the idea to honor our child’s birth mother by sending a small gift (along with pictures) on our child’s birthday each year. We spoke about this with our daughter to the degree we felt she could understand as a further way to explain adoption to her. And part of our discussions centered around our gratitude to her natural parents.

Some people might say the gesture was merely a token.  I understand that sentiment and in some ways can agree.  Some might say the gesture was insensitive—unnecessarily dredging up the pain of separation.   To some degree I can also accept that reaction. 

To us, though, it was one way of not forgetting both sides. Granted, what we did could never be anything but a symbolic way to show our gratitude for this sacrifice. Adoptive parents may never know all the reasons their child’s natural parents chose not to raise their child, or whether that decision was made for them and something over which they had no control. But finalization is an appropriate time to appreciate that for every tear an adoptive parent sheds in elation, a birth parent may shed even more in loneliness, regret, and anguish.

Birth parents will always be a part of an adopted child’s life.  I daresay many natural parents continue to invest in their child’s welfare, as a silent partner, through thoughts, prayers or intentions in hopes their child has the brightest of futures and the happiest possible life.  (If the roles were reversed, I could imagine myself doing the same.) 

Not all adoptive parents are in the position to directly honor their child’s birth parent(s) but I wanted to write about a suggestion I have in line with this.  I propose the idea that adoptive parents do something in tribute to their child’s birth parents every year—whether on their child’s birthday, finalization anniversary, or another significant day (National Adoption Day, for example)—as a way to honor them—even though the birth parent may never know. 

To remember how finalization could have impacted a child’s birth parents, adoptive parents might hold  A Day of Honor or Day of Remembrance in which they do something (dedicate a volunteer opportunity or make a donation to a charity or family in need, for example)  intentionally, and do it as if the birth parents were the recipients. Adoptive families could create this new tradition and include discussion about adoption with their child(ren), encouraging their adopted child to honor their birth parents too.    

Haven’t we all watched a simple act of kindness, which made us (and others) follow suit?  An unsolicited “thank you.”  Holding the elevator door. Picking up someone’s dropped package.  Small, day-to-day pieces of life that snowball and can bring out a smile and make us remember how nice it is to care (and be care for).  Kindness begets more kindness—stranger to stranger, friend to friend, employer to employee, parent to child, child to parent, etc.  Sometimes it’s surprising to be on the receiving end of out-of-the-blue kindness; you’re never really sure why someone was so humane and thoughtful.  And while caring is catching, I am not necessarily advocating doing something nice for someone just to do something nice (although there is nothing wrong with that).  But doing something on a larger level specifically with the birth parents in mind—is not really a “pay it back” or “pay it forward,” but rather a not-so-random act of remembrance.   No flag waving.  No fireworks or press releases.  This is an inside job, and a very silent tribute to honor their sacrifice.

Yesterday was Veteran’s Day, a day when for one minute (11:11 am) people are encouraged to silently pay tribute to those who served (and currently serve) our country.  If we decided to participate, it didn’t necessarily matter whether or not we personally knew a Veteran or someone on active duty.  This is a symbolic gesture of a people in thanks who remember the sacrifices made.

So lest we forget the sacrifice of birth parents, I would hope this idea is enough to engender action.  I believe as adoptive parents and families we can find ways to (emblematically, as it were) “fill in the blanks” of those lives who immeasurably changed ours. 

Mark Your Calendars Because National Adoption Day is Just Around the Corner

It’s that time of year again. The air is brisk, the leaves are changing, and it’s almost time for us give thanks for the positive things in our lives. Many kids in foster care all over the US will be giving thanks this season for the new beginnings they are about to embark on with their new forever families. National Adoption Day, which takes place on November 20th this year (Saturday before Thanksgiving), will be the day hundreds of adoptions will be completed.

National Adoption Day is a collective nationwide effort that celebrates and raises awareness about families who are adopting and the 123,000 children still living in foster care in need of a home to call their own.

National Adoption Day was launched in November 2000 with seven participating states. Today, all 50 states participate along with the District of Colombia and Puerto Rico. The National Adoption Day Coalition includes advocacy organizations, like our friends at the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and the Freddie Mac Foundation, to help encourage others to adopt from foster care.

This year, Philadelphia Family Court will celebrate on November 19th with the finalization of many adoptions and a festive party to follow. Every Monday in November, the National Adoption Center will be staffing informational tables in the lobbies of Center City buildings that get high foot traffic. (http://www.adopt.org/content/eventcalendar.html)

Go to http://www.nationaladoptionday.org/ to learn about events, volunteer opportunities and how to become an adoption advocate. So this season, before you start in with the turkey legs and cranberry sauce, get involved and help a child find a forever family.

Adoptive Parent on Match Party

This past Saturday, we hosted a Matching Event at Brunswick Lanes in New Jersey. There were thirty-five children and youth in attendance and almost all received at least one inquiry. Here’s just one piece of feedback we received from a prospective parent:

I would like to thank you and the dedicated staff that collaborated on the Match Party on Saturday for a very memorable experience and opportunity. The event was eye opening in so many ways. The children were beautiful, charming and funny. Those pictures on the website do no justice to their beauty. I was familiar with some of the children from the website and the profile book. I have been busy searching for our "sons" and it was funny seeing them in person. It could somehow be related to meeting celebrities. They came alive and became ever so real. Their personalities were amazing; they were open about their wish for a family; shared their goals and favorite foods and other things; and made us feel comfortable with their laughter and jokes. To be honest, I did not want it to end. We fell in love with so many of the children we encountered. My husband is now praying we hit the lottery, so we can build a bigger home to fill up with children.

This is why we do these events, to have a guided interaction between the youths and adults so they can relax, have fun and get to know each other. We know once these groups meet that some matches will be made that day and hopefully a good percentage of these matches will result in placements. We also know that we are making the prospect of meeting more families and being adopted a bit less scary for the youth. After all, this day wasn't so bad, right? The youth also see that there are people out there interested in adopting older children, a message they may not have gotten enough. For adoptive parents the road can be long and intrusive and by having actual youth in front of them they can re-energize to make it through the last parts of the process to make their adoption dream a reality.

Watch here for announcements about our next Matching Events, you only need to be a homestudied family who wishes to adopt to attend.

Adoption Mondays

The program team is exceptionally busy for the upcoming National Adoption month in November. Sheina Martinez, Crystal Allen, and Amy Cressman are coming to a Philadelphia lobby near you! These dedicated adoption coordinators decided that for National Adoption month they would create awareness about the needs of the children in foster care who are waiting for a forever family by setting up displays in the lobbies of some of the largest office buildings in Center City Philadelphia.

They will be available each Monday in November to answer your questions about adoption and provide adoption information to interested families. Look for them if you are in the Philadelphia area from 11a.m. to 2 p.m. in the following locations:

Monday, November 1, Comcast Center, 1701 JFK Boulevard

Monday, November 8, 1500 Walnut Street

Monday, November 15, 1500 Market Street

Monday, November 22, Liberty Place, 1625 Chestnut Street

Do stop by and say hello!!

Affording College

We often hear that potential adoptive parents, especially those already fostering children, are reluctant to adopt fearing college costs. The thought is that there is more support available if the child is never formally adopted than if he or she is.

If this concern is holding you back from creating a permanent relationship with a child, please read on. First there is The Fostering Adoption to Further Student Achievement Act, which states that when a child age 13 or above is adopted from foster care, the adoptive parents' income does not have to be factored into any federal financial aid application. This means the student will be considered independent and only his or her income (if any) will be considered when figuring out financial aid. For more information go to this Voice For Adoption Factsheet.

Next there are also many scholarships available from both state and private programs. For a very complete listing click here for the Child Information Gateway's College Scholarship and Tuition Waivers page. An additional resource is here: CollegeScholarships.org

Read more about the Education Training Voucher (ETV) program here. ETV awards grants to current and former foster youth to help pay for college or specialized education. In most states, eligible students may receive grants of up to $5,000 per academic year.

And also, another great resource is to be found here, the Orphan Foundation of America. (This is for children from foster care, not the strict definition of orphans, i.e. biological parents may still be living.)

Hopefully this information will help you make the choice to adopt easier for your family!

South Carolina Law

There is a new law which hopes to improve the adoption process in South Carolina. The improvements will come in two ways: (1) Time limits will be in place that will allow foster families to adopt children more quickly and, (2) It will put less emphasis on keeping birth families together, in cases where the parents are substance abusers or mentally ill. (Full details here)

Do you think these actions will result in more adoptions of children in the foster care system? What other measures can we take?