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In a nutshell:
We wish to adopt (probably some level of special needs, possibly domestic, *much* more likely international/Russia, Ukraine, Romania...)
We have a modest income (about $65K in a normal year, but I have been unemployed for several months and will re-start work in January'04, so 2003 will wash-out as low-income year)
To the best of our understanding, costs of adoption, relevant services and fees, travel/lodging/food/etc, and immediate post-adopt needs (incl medical) will run approx ***$30K***
This is a staggering sum. HOW DO WE FUNDRAISE???
Not options: No money from family. No money from employers. Cannot get equity loan on house. Not members of a church community (dh goes regularly but he goes and leaves, is not involved with any activities there). Not members of clubs.
We really feel as though *we* are the orphans in this matter, without a support network to assist us in the business of collecting money for this goal. This is not to say we don't have our little circle of friends, that we don't have family, it's just that they are not sources of income.
So assuming it's "just us," how can we find funds??? I thought of a few things -- your feedback?
(1) Writing to all local churches "we are not members of your congregation but we ARE members of your comunity, and we hope you will help us" -- will this fly???
(2) Putting up flyers at local groceries, directing to website for info, a way to donate.
(3) Making biz-cards/flyers to leave everywhere, with contact/website/donation info
We HAVE identified a nationally-backed nonprofit organization to handle all incoming funds, so that they are handled in a responsible, legal and legitimate manner (so there's no chance of anyone being worried we're scamming). They can only disburse to legally-defined acceptable purposes and then only directly to the service-provider (so actually we could never lay hands on any of the money that we raise for any personal use). If we don't use the funds, they get rolled-over for use by others when we have completed our process. We felt this was very important considering we don't have the "legitimizing" force of a church or other visible group/organization behind us to reassure people.
SO- what do you think of my 3 ideas? Do you have any others? We live just outside a major city (Philadelphia), so maybe that would help somehow?
GREATLY appreciate any ideas! Comments! HELP! We are very serious about this and only the funding is holding us back.
THANK YOU!!! Suzette
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Maybe you should consider adopting from a country that doesn't cost as much. Panama is only $15,000 to $16,000 for everything. I think I have also seen of other countries that cost about that amount also.
Here's how we're doing it. We had $2,000 saved up by the time our home study was done. We got a zero percent interest credit card that we have been paying some of our larger expenses with. This helps us have more cash on hand to write checks to the agency. Our adoption should be completed by late spring or summer next year, so in January my husband is going to change his W-4 so that little or no taxes will be taken out of his check and we can use that extra money to pay back the credit card. Then with the $10,000 tax credit, we won't owe any taxes next year.
We have two bio daughters that are in expensive sports, (a competitive cheerleader and a level 8 gymnast), so we are doing every fundraiser offered to try to get most of their expenses paid through the fundraising. Selling candy bars, cookie dough, etc. And we're cutting back on all extra spending. Our daughter and other family members want their Christmas present money spent on bringing our little boy home!
I didn't feel comfortable asking our church for money, but we have cut back on the amount that we give to the church. God knows it's going for a good cause.
So, after the tax credit, the adoption will only cost $5,000 to $6,000.
Good luck,
Joan
Hi,
My husband and I were also concerned about where we would get the money to fund our adoption from China. I decided to become a Pampered Chef independent consultant to help raise/save money (I also have a full time day job). It's been going great! In a few short weeks, I've saved almost $1000 toward the adoption. If another job isn't an option, a suggestion that I have is a Pampered Chef product fundraiser. You get to keep 40% of the profits (if you, friends, family, co-workers, etc) sell $2000 in products, you keep $800 (the more you sell, the more you get!).
Let me know if you want to talk further about this, because I'd be more than happy to help you or anyone else with holding a fundraiser for your adoption (or help get you started as a consultant to earn even more!).
Ellen Federici
etmme @ adelphia . net (remove spaces to email)
almost finished with our paperchasing, hoping to be DTC in December!
I too was very concerned with the cost. I ruled out Russia immediately due to cost. I went with Bulgaria and have an absolutely beautiful son.
I think my expenses were about $20,000-22,000. (I haven't actually tallied everything up yet, it was about $18,000 on last check) I was short for my first visit, so I had to borrow $3000.
I'm very proud that is the only financing I had to do. I was nervous every step of the way. But alot the expenses are paid a little at a time, so, I just skipped going out to dinner, brought a pb & j a couple extra times for lunch instead of lunchmeat, drank water instead of soda for a couple weeks.
You big expenses will be your homestudy and the agency fees and INS. What adds up a little at a time is notarizing, certifying, Apostilles, etc.
On another point, my income is 1/2 that of yours and I had no trouble meeting income requirements for adoption.
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Everyone has offered good ideas. We only considered intercountry programs where total cost was 20,000 or less. Also, there are low-interest adoption loans available too. Try doing a web search for them.
Caveat about the grants- they may only be awarded a few times or once a year, may only cover a modest amount, and apparently are VERY hard to qualify for. We thought we had a compelling case, similar to those told in the "we got one (a grant, that is)" stories, but none of the grant agencies thought so.
We earn less than you, and only had a few thousand saved, if that. We mainly relied on belt-tightening, credit cards for the trip only and for which we transferred all the balances to a 0% interest card, and a low interest loan for some of the agency fees. Our adoption ran 20,000 or so total for two kids (we adopted siblings) and we managed to borrow for less than half. It would have been less than that, but our process unexpectedly took almost a year less time than we originally thought, so we had to scramble to get the second half of the agency fee and our travel money together.
I too am looking for a way to shrink the cost. I am approaching the adoption process as a way to give back to society, more than fulfilling my need to have a child. I have 2 bio children, and could have more, but I think it's selfish to create more children when there are so many hungry.
That said, while I have a fairly good income, I do not have a lot of excess. I already cut excesses so there is little to squeeze from bringing PB&J to work. And I don't drink coffee...
My question is whether anybody has been able to defray some costs by doing work outside an agency to facilitate the adoption. Is it possible to contact the foreign agency directly? I am an attorney and am fully capable of doing my own paperwork here in the states, I don't need handholding, and I don't need someone to book my flights. The way I see it is if I cut the expenses I have more to provide to my children. Money is finite, it doesn't grow as I need it, and the agencies are making quite a nice fee on this for routine work that is typically the same over and over. Now many of you that are willing to pay the fee, or for whom having an extra 5k-10k to pay the agency fee is not a problem might think this is just cutting too many corners, but that 5k-10k could pay the fee for another child to the foreign country. Or it could pay to add on another room to house your new child(ren). In my business agency fees for adoption are regarded often as padding, they are substantially bloated to pay the salaries of the directors for those "non profit" agencies. But to get back on point, has anybody been able to succesfully negotiate the foreign adoption without using a US "Agency"? Any help, details, ideas, or tips on how to make this affordable are welcome. And no, I likely don't qualify for grants, I work for a Non profit myself, so my salary is not large, but is enough that I am disqualified for most grants I suspect. Thanks!
Another option is Ebay. It's amazing how much money you can make selling stuff you'd normally donate to charity anyway. It's the ultimate "part-time" job. You decide how many hours, and you can work at home. Friends and family members who aren't in a position to donate funds towards your adoptions are probably more than happy to clean ou their attics and basements and give you items to sell. You can make $100 a week just working 5 or 6 hours!
You should really think a little more about adopting. You should not adopt to give back to society.
Adopting a child takes alot more than feeding and sheltering a child who is without.
You need to love your child unconditionally. Children adopted Internationally often times require a great deal more time, devotion and of course love than some others due to the effects of institutionalization.
Please don't be offended, I don't mean to offend. I just you to be sure of your motives before you proceed.
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makosphere, I only post this because you specify that you choose to adopt some level of special needs, and are considering domestic.
Did you know it costs next to nothing to adopt a child from foster care in the USA? In my state and county, it costs a grand total of $325. That includes application fees all the way through court costs for finalization.
If the child is in foster care and already legally free, then there is no risk of the child going back to bio parents, either. (The time that is a risk is if the child is NOT yet legally free for adoption.) Some people choose to accept children not yet legally free, but that is not a requirement.
Also, children who have special needs are often provided with a subsidy payment monthly until they turn 18, to help the adoptive family defray the extra costs of caring for those extra needs.
Most of the children waiting for adoptive homes in the foster care system are older, but there are many young children with various levels of special needs. If the level of special needs that you'd consider is "asthma" or "club foot", then maybe this isn't for you, as most of those children aren't considered special needs here. But if you'd consider something more, like a diagnosis of hepatitis, or learning disabilities, or wheelchair use, or if you'd give an age range that includes school-aged children, then it's an avenue you might want to think more about.
Good luck in whatever you choose!
I agree 150% w/ Q's Mom. The ONLY acceptable reason to adopt a child is because you want to have (another) child and love him/her unconditionally. If society is helped along the way, that's a wonderful secondary effect, but it should never be the primary motivator. A child should not have to bear the overwhelming burden of being someone else's charity case.
Maybe look into your local social service department. There are MANY MANY children right here in your ownbackyard who are free for adoption and not to mention.... FREE being the import word here. The county pays the attorney fees.... there are so many kids right here in america.... look into this it worked for me
I think perhaps you misunderstand me. I hagve always intended, from very small childhood, to have a large family and I have pretty much assumed it would include adopted children. My maihn notive is not charity, but ll Bay, you throw that out there like it's too much of a burden for a child to be charity. Did you think, even for a minute before you wrote? Any child in an institution is fully cognizant that they are a burden on society, that they have nobody to care for them, most feel unloved, uncared for, and like they are on the outskirts of normal society. I can't believe anybody with even a little compassion could think it would EVER be better for a child to remain instititutionalized. These children live with that every day of their lives and if they are adopted past the age of 5 or 6 they know fully well that there is some level of charity involved in their being adopted by a foreigner, especially one with a nice house, a nice car, money to throw gifts around the orphanage... It just trades one charity for another, but after the adoption the adoptive parent must make sure the child knows how much they are wanted, and valued, and must work very hard to make this child as secure as possible.
And how do I know this??? Because it was once me.
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I guess I should ask you if you are in the habit of insulting people you have never met. Of course I thought about what I was writing. I have read all the latest adoption literature and adoption studies, and personally spoken with many adoptees, including adults whose parents made them aware they were a charity case. These people suffered horribly as a result, and never felt loved for and as themselves. What child, what human, deserves that? I adopted children, older children who remember their past, from an orphanage because I wanted to have children, and believed adoption was the best route for me. I am blessed enough to have a spouse who agrees. That's it, end of story. No charity intended, though certainly good was done. But the ultimate good is that I have two beautiful children who love me and whom I love. Never in a million years will I let them feel like they were wanted solely out of charity.
I have a really easy way to fundraise. I started A Twinkle of Hope to help defray my own adoption and infertility cost. It is so easy. I sell Partylite but think that bringing books to people is so overwhelming, so I just have sheets for certain items. The websit is below. It is as easy as a school fundraiser. Give sheets to all your friends and family and ask them to help you by asking their friends and family. This way you do not have to do it all by yourself.
The website is:
[url]www.webnow.com/atwinkleofhope[/url]
Good luck to you,
-Jo