Adoption Advocate Video

Taken from the the web page: “I am an advocate for adopting. I wasn’t adopted and never needed to be, but that doesn’t stop me from feeling for those kids who are in need of it. Many couples and even singles want to adopt, and there are even waiting lists they often have to be on. So why, then, are there orphanages around the country and world full of kids wishing for adoption? If they get passed up as a...

The Dissolution Or Disruption Of An Adoption

Editors note: This is not a “feel good” topic, but it is the reality for many families. Adoption disruption is not an story to blog about, and it’s never an easy decision to make, but until things change, it will continue to become a reality for more families. Written by Linny If you keep an eye on adoption sites that feature children available for re-adoption, it would seem there are more and more...

On the Outside Looking In: The Adoptive Parent Exp...

Written by Keadie People often wonder why adoptive and preadoptive parents need support. It is assumed that adoptive parents have “all the joy and none of the pain”. Many have no idea what trials and tribulations adoptive families endure to “become real”. The devastation of childlessness can be a crippling disability, terribly misunderstood. Pre-adoptive parents seek to share their joy with their...

Life As A Foster Child

I recently asked a dear friend of mine to talk about her experience as a foster child. As you read her story, think about ways in which the system could improve so as to provide stability, security, and loving emotional support throughout a child’s youth. Should the goal be reunification, or should it be, for example, a “least restrictive environment” focused upon the child’s psychological needs,...

Are You Tough Enough To Adopt? (Part 1)

Just in case you’ve not heard or seen, it takes an incredible toughness to go through the adoption process. Our society likes to believe that those who adopt, simply get the idea, gather up a few hundred dollars and whisk out to their local ‘adoption agency’ or ‘birth person on the street’ to ask, ‘Can we have your baby?” If this is what you’ve thought adoption was about, you’re very wrong. The names...

Things To Think About Before Adopting A Sibling Gr...

One of the members at our adoption forums is considering adopting a sibling group of older children. She asked for some advice and I wanted to share her questions, and my answers here for our readers that may have the same questions. What makes that difference between good and horrible? With my kids (half bio. siblings), the difference was what age they were removed from their abuser, how many foster homes they were in and...

How To Adopt A Child In The United States

In this article, I’ll list the basic steps on how to adopt a child in the United States, either through a private agency/attorney or from the state foster-to-adopt system. To adopt a baby/child from a private agency or attorney, I would suggest the following: 1. Seriously sit down and create a list of what you’re hoping for. Be honest with yourself. Believe me when I say that there are families for every baby. Don’t...

The Cost Of Adoption In The United States

If you’re just starting out on an adoption quest, it can seem VERY overwhelming, indeed! Adoption in the United States isn’t easy or quick. People hoping to adopt need to be well versed in what they’re looking for and what they’ll need to have in an agency, attorney or their foster care service…or any combination of those. Prospective parents first question is usually “how much does adoption cost in the United...

Tips on the Domestic Adoption Process

The two types of domestic adoption, infant and state waiting child, are very different and have completely different needs and requirements. Children who have waited in the Foster system have a traumatic past. That past involved the state trying to reunify the family under hardship circumstances until it became clear that keeping the biological family together was not in the child’s best interests. Any child, no matter...

Alabama Adoption

When Air Force family Henry and Stephanie Hayes started foster care for children four years ago, they weren’t necessarily looking to adopt. They’re the parents of two birth children and had opened their Montgomery home to 11 foster children over the years. They were content. That is, until they met baby Jaylan. “He is medically fragile and when we learned that he would not be able to return to his birth...

Event To End Florida Gay Adoption Ban

Florida’s Adoption Ban is the only law in the country that categorically prohibits gay men and lesbians from adopting children. This discriminatory law hurts thousands of children who are languishing in Florida’s foster care system by denying them a permanent home. The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida is proud to announce that Cynthia Nixon, Sex and the City star and LGBT rights advocate, will join us on...

A Home For The Holidays: 12/23/09

As the parent of three children that we adopted through foster care, please watch A Home For The Holidays with your family this holiday season. A Home For The Holidays shares, through the eyes of a child, the joy of having a family – not just for the holidays, but every day and forever. Each December, Wendy’s International, Inc., the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and Children’s Action Network present A...

Families Change: A Book for Children Experiencing ...

All families change over time. Sometimes a baby is born, or a grown-up gets married. And sometimes a child gets placed in foster care. Children need to know that when this happens, it’s not their fault. When a child gets adopted they need to understand that they can remember and value their birth family and love their new family, too. Straightforward words and full-color illustrations offer hope and support for...

I Don’t Have Your Eyes

Family connections are vitally important to children as they begin to find their place in the world. For transracial and transcultural adoptees, domestic adoptees, and for children in foster care or kinship placements, celebrating the differences within their families as well as the similarities that connect them, is the foundation for belonging. As parents we can strengthen our children’s tie to family and embrace the...

Families For Orphans Act

Anshula has recently come into an orphanage. She is four years old and alone. Where should she spend her childhood? In an orphanage? In temporary foster care? Or in a permanent and loving family? The answer should be obvious: a safe, permanent and loving family. Unfortunately, the U.S. government and many aide organizations do not seem to agree. In fact, the U.S. sometimes spends millions of dollars, ensuring just the...

Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption Awards $7.75 M...

DUBLIN, Ohio, July 1, 2009 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ — The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption announced today a total of $7,750,000 United States grants issued this year, including $7,223,000 from Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, the Foundation’s signature program. In addition, $594,700 was awarded to Wendy’s Wonderful Kids grantees in Canada. The remaining $480,000 in U.S. grants provided critical...

Enjoy A Frosty This Weekend And Support Adoption

This Father’s Day Weekend (June 20-21), Wendy’s is helping consumers treat Dad and help foster children at the same time. Wendy’s third annual Father’s Day Frosty Weekend provides an easy and tasty way to support the cause of foster care adoption and help the more than 129,000 children in the U.S. who are waiting for the love of forever families. During Father’s Day Weekend, Wendy’s will donate 50¢ from every...

Support Adoption And Send A Free E-card For Father...

It’s no secret around here that I am a big supporter of the work The Dave Thomas Foundation For Adoption does. Now you can help and it won’t cost you a thing. Create and send a free fathers days e-card, or choose a celebrity created one through their site Frosty Card and Wendy’s will donate 25 cents to The Dave Thomas Foundation For Adoption. Father’s day is this Sunday so stop by their site and...

It’s That Time Of The Year Again

Tomorrow, June 5th, is my daughter’s 14th birthday, but we won’t be celebrating. Let me explain…. When we adopted her, she was eight years old (We also adopted her two siblings at the same time). For the first couple of years, the week leading up to her birthday was always a time of turmoil for us. Moodiness, nastiness and sadness would fill her up and hurt anyone in her path, usually us, her family. Some...

Home For The Holidays: Foster/Adoption Special

Tune into CBS on Tuesday, December 23 8 p.m. EST/PST or 7 p.m. CST/MST For the 10th Annual A Home for the Holidays Special Celebrating Foster Care Adoption! Don’t miss this heartwarming one-hour television show! Celebrity performers will share the stage with extraordinary American families who share their joy and their stories of foster care adoption. This year’s show features Faith Hill and includes Tim McGraw,...

‘Jockey’ Adoption Services & Prog...

I’m excited to pass along this terrific program to you, made possible by Jockey (yes, the underwear company – lol). They are working with families who adopted through foster care to provide them with post-adoption support such as respite and parent support groups. As you know, we adopted three children though foster care and often gripe on this blog about the lack of services offered to those of us who have...