Question: starting process, state, 1-5yr girl, finding agency (Bethany?)

We looked at Bethany and sent in Our Application. (and was approved) But after Talking to them in more detail we decided to to not use them. We have decided to go with Family Hope Connection. A much better choice for use. With Family hope you have many more options open. [URL=http://adopt.8m.net]Our home[/URL] :)

Family Hope is another one on my list to call. Are you doing a waiting child adoption or infant/int'l adoption? Thanks for the info. Sharel

Angelical, Please consider Lutheran Service Society. We have been working with them for several months and have had no problems. From the beginning, through the classes and home study and up to now, we have been matched with children locally and from across the country. We have been updated, informed and treated with the upmost respect with compassion. Since ours is a non-traditional family, the agency has been very understanding and knowledgable. We are using the Westmoreland County office and our case worker is Kirsti. Their main website is [url]http://www.lsswpa.org.[/url] I think the Pittsburgh region is fortunate to have professionals like Kirsti and Dawn from Lutheran Service Society and Three Rivers Adoption Counsel (to name a few). :)

I read these posts with much interest. Several years ago (1993) we also wanted to adopt a girl from PA between the ages of 1 and 5. We had two bio sons. I wrote to every county agency in PA (all 67) with a letter stating that our homestudy was done etc. etc. Out of 67...I only heard back from four...they all said the same thing..."We have no children available". I didn't understand this because there were thousands of children in foster care. We were wanting a child of any race and were very open to special needs...if she had a sibling that was wonderful because we wanted to adopt twice anyway. After three and a half years I started doing research on my own. Long story short...many years and three adoptions later...I am now the proud momma to three beautiful girls from south India. What someone said about Kirsti at Lutheran Service Society was right on. We did not adopt through them but needed a cover letter by an agency registered with the Indian government. They were very kind and helpful to us and their fee for this letter was very low. Kirsti helped us out even though we were not adopting through her agency. I will be forever thankful to her for that because without the letter we could not proceed with an Indian adoption...our placing agency was in Canada. So now that we have brought our third daughter home in June...we definately would like to adopt again...Yes...that would be child number six!! But I would like to once again check into domestic adoption. Now that we are a transracial family...I pray that it might be easier this time. I have never heard of Family Hope Connection...can someone tell me more about them as well? I live in Seneca PA...half way between Pittsburgh and Erie...anyone else in my neck of the woods? Adoption is such a precious thing. I cannot tell you how our daughters have blessed this family. Best wishes to all who are searching for their child. Karen gkasche@usachoice.net

Thanks for all the great replies, everyone.... Let me update you on what we have done..... My husband and I have a rather unique set of circumstances. Since our bio son was premature, he couldn't go into daycare. So, my dear husband got a job that is from 6pm - 2:30am. So, with me working from 7:30am - 4:30pm, there's no time at all during the week for us to do ANYTHING! So, we had to be very very selective about which agency to go through. I started calling all of the agencies in the southwest pa area. On a lark, I called the one through the Native American center (Rainbow Adoptions), figuring though that we couldn't use them because we aren't indian. Surprisingly, though, we can! AND, the social worker is great. We are doing all of our training on our own and through meeting with her - - AT OUR HOUSE. We are even having a meeting with her at the Family Connections Day at the Pittsbugh Zoo! lol So, now we are almost done with our homestudy. Our CPR/First aid class is next Saturday (have to travel to Monessen, PA for that - - but was happy to find a class that did both sections on one day :rolleyes: ) And, by the meeting at the zoo on Aug 23, our homestudy should be complete! woo hoo I wish all of you the best, and for anyone in this area, I do recommend Rainbow Adoptions. Sharel