Financial Assistance for Adoptions

Family and friends I urge you to consider adoptions if you are interested in adding children to your life.  Living at COTP with babies waiting to be matched has broken my heart for the world of adoption.  We photo list our special needs babies who are waiting here.  There is a photo list of children and family groups in my hometown of Sioux Falls waiting for families.  

If financial assistance is the issue for you see below some of the resources out there.  I received this list for Lutheran Social Services when I was in the States this March.  The list was updated as of February 2012.

  

CHSFS Adoption Support Fund

Scholarships between $70-3,000 based on the family need and child’s need.  Available to all international and domestic adoptions.

Requirements:  None

www.chsfs.org/adoptionsupport 800-952-9302 intchild@chsfs.org

Gift of Adoption Fund

Grants, $1,000-7,500

Requirements:  Domestic or Int’l, must have approved Home Study

www.giftofadoption.org

The Lydia Fund

Adoption grants

Requirements:  International adoptions only.  Must be Christian and married.

www.lydiafund.org

MN Adopt

Reimbursement program based on child's need for families that have adopted children under MN state guardianship

Requirements:  Child must have special needs or be a part of a sibling group

http://www.mnadopt.org/adoptionassistance.html

A Child Waits Foundation

Offers low-interest loans and adoption grants to families who have exhausted all other means of payment

Requirements:  Child must be older than five or have special needs

www.achildwaits.org 866-999-2445

Love Knows No Borders

Adoption Assistance

Requirements:  None

For information, send self addressed envelope (2 stamps) to Love Knows No Boundaries 500B Monrow Turnpike PO Box 350 Monroe, CT, 06468

Cadman Foundation

Fundraising and grant opportunities

Requirements:  Preference given to married couples and those adopting a child with special needs.

http://cadmanfoundation.org/wiki/tiki-index.php

God’s Grace Adoption Ministry

Matches fund raised by family’s community up to $2,5000

Requirements:  Christian, two-parent families

www.ggam.org

Katelyn’s Fund

$3,000 Grants

Requirements:  Married, heterosexual, Christian, married couples

www.abbafund.org

The Micah Fund

Grants for international adoptions

Requirements:  Children are lack or bi-racial.  This grant is for families who live in the Midwest only.

www.michahfund.org

Show Hope

Grants for International adoptions

Requirements:  Christian families

www.showhope.org

Britany’s hope

Adoption grants

Requirements:  waiting children with special needs

www.brittanyshope.org

Moriah Adoption Fund (through All God’s Children agency)

Adoption grants

Requirements:  Special needs children, older children, or sibling groups

http://www.allgodschildren.org/moriah_fund/

Golden Dawn Adoption Assistance

Adoption grants up to $2,000

Requirements:  Special needs children, African children, sibling groups.  Families with be Latter-Day Saints or Christians

www.goldendawnaa.org

Helpusadopt.org

Adoption grants up to $15,000

Requirements:  None

www.helpusadopt.org

National Adoption Foundation

Fundraising assistance, grants, and loans

Requirements:  None

http://www.nafadopt.org/fund-your-adoption/fund-your -adoption.shtml

OATH Ministry

Grants for families adopting internationally

 Requirements:  None

http://www.oathfairhope.org/apply.html

State Non-Recurring Expense Subsidy

Requirements:  None

http://www.nacac.org/adoptionsubsidy/stateprofilies/southdakota.html

Sea of Faces Foundation

Grants between $1,00-3,000 for families adopting from a developing country

Requirements:  Must have referral at the time of application-you can apply after the child is already in the home.  Must be married, heterosexual, Christian couples

www.seaoffaces.org

Adoption Tax Credit

Requirements:  None

http://www.nacac.org/taxcredit/taxcredit.html

http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc607.html

I Support Adoptions

Assistance for families in need

Requirements:  None

http://www.isupportadoptions.org/ISA/Home.html

A Mother’s Love

Fundraising opportunities

Requirements:  None

http://www.amotherslovefundraising.com/amotherslove.html

Lifesong for Orphans

Matching grants and interest-free loans

Requirements:  Chistian, married couples adopting internationally

http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/index.htm

Pathways for Little Feet

Interest-free loans

Requirements:  None

http://www.pathwaysfor littlefeet.org/

Home For Good Foundation

Free Christian-based fundraising materials

Requirements:  None

www.hfgf.org

Elijah’s Truth

Grants available

Requirements:  Must live in Minnesota, North Dakota, or South Dakota

www.elijahstruth.com

JSC Foundation

Grants available

Requirements:  Christian homes

Wwww.iscfoundation.orgindex.cfm

Make adoption costs fully refundable in the 2012 & 2013 Tax Years

The average cost to adopt a child is any where from $25k- $35k or more. Currently, for the 2011 Tax Year Adopting families are eligible for:
• A maximum of $13,360 for 2011 returns
• Fully refundable as long as the adoption is initiated in 2011 or before, and finalized before the end of 2012 (domestic) or was finalized in 2011 (international)

But in 2012 the Tax Credit is going to change:
• A maximum of $12,360 for 2012 returns only

The 2012 Tax Credit will not be refundable for adoptions initiated after 2011, which means a large number of families may not be able to get any of the $25k- $35k back and possibly prevent people from adopting a child at all.

In 2013 it will revert back to a maximum tax credit of $6,000 for parents adopting children with special needs, and there will be no adoption tax credit available for all other adoptive parents beginning in tax year 2013.

We are petitioning to make the adoption tax credit permanent and refundable, so that more money is available to families allowing them provide a financially stable home to the adopted child.

To learn more and sign this petition click here.

To read two great adoption stories from COTP visit here and here.

Pierre Needs A Family!!

by Robin "Bonnema" Knight
Pierre is another little boy who needs a family of his own. Pierre is 3 years old and has been with us for almost 2.5 years. Pierre has cerebral palsy and sickle cell anemia.  His sickle cell anemia is being closely monitored and he receives medication for this.  He also has a history of seizures.  He responds with smiles and movements when being spoken to or held. Pierre seems to really enjoy time spent in the swimming pool.  He cannot sit, hold his head, or roll over unassisted.  Please help us find Pierre a family.

To see photos of this cutie click here.
To see other children at COTP that are waiting on families click here.

Are you Isaiah's Mom or Dad?

Children of the Promise shared Robin 'Bonnema' Knight's note: Are you Isaiah's Mom or Dad?
(Written by his preschool teacher)

Isaiah is a handsome two year old boy.  All of the staff love Isaiah for his great smile and giggle.  He loves to follow us throughout our days.  He wants to help and experience everything going on.To Isaiah the world is an exciting place, but he is not ready to explore it solely.  A good example of this is our dog, Roxy.  Many people here in Lagosette, Haiti are scared of dogs.  Isaiah seems to have that same fear.  Even though he is scared of the dog, if he can hold on to your leg and know that someone is there he is curious too. He will watch, talk about, and point to the dog.

To read the rest of this story and see cute pictures of Isaiah click here.

Don't you see that children are God's best gift?

"Don't you see that children are God's best gift?"

                                                                      -Psalm 127:3

Everyday I feel so blessed to be working with these wonderful preschoolers.  What a gift?  I love each of them so much. 

I never knew being in Haiti would be so hard on my heart.  I want these children to have homes.  I want them to have moms and dads.  Most of my preschoolers have families, but are just waiting for their adoptions to be completed.  Yet, other children aren't even matched. 

There is one little boy that I would take home if I could.  Everyone who comes to COTP falls in love with him.  A few weeks ago I became acutely aware of his eating disorder.  Therefore, I began researching eating disorders in children.  The studies said that there is no such thing as eating disorders in children of his age, but what he really needs is love-consistent love.  Then he will feel safe and secure.  It is more of an attachment disorder.  I thought this couldn't be right, because it appeared in his eating habits.  I contacted my aunt who is a councilor.  She too gave the same opinion as my research. 

This little guy has gone through many things that don't allow him to feel secure.  Abandonment being one of them.

As for now I plug away at loving on him.  Giving him consistency at preschool.  But, it is still so hard, because I know he is not matched.  He doesn't have a family waiting for him. 

We still don't know whose gift he will be.  For now he is mine.