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Situation back ground, and hope for a response.
We are in PA, it's commonwealth. There is a coalition for the adoption process here. With that, each county is their own governing body, and you have to do this that way.
For our county there is 3 places that do this, 2 of these are over worked and can not take any "new" families on. No freaking wonder there is so many kids in need of families here.
Anyway!! point is....I got refered by 2 to the 3rd. Going to the 3rd, to have it all "free" and grant covered, We have to adopt over the age of 10 (not what state says). NOT what we want either. But they are THRILLED as non profit agency to do it all up front, and if you end up going out of state or under age 10, we have to pay them the 2500, instead of the state.
According to the state web site the age is 5. So either the state hasn't updated the web site, or they have not informed the organization paid by the state for our county to do this, or the organization hasn't updated the common knowledge. What ever it maybe, we are family fund raising the 2500 just incase.
Also state of PA maximum number of children in a home total be natural/adopt/foster is 6. Exceptions are done, and can be statement of interest for one, as home study is done.
My husband and I have 13 siblings between us, we are Uncle/Aunt I think last count ws 32, and "great's" 14 times I think so far. The sibling groups accross the US, are tugging hard on our heart strings, 3 different ones.
As we were in class, 2 things we exspressed, this is going to be the first of many additions to our family. This is something we have hopes in doing for many years to come, as our home has room to adopt another child or children, we plan and want to untill we are to old to do it anymore.
We exspressed or interest in a sibling group that had already been split up here in PA that just devistated us, and that we wish there was organizations or people who granted money, or funded additions so that you could have enough bedrooms for more children. The instructors response was "there are a number places that do that" I asked where because I have been hunting for these places for weeks.
She said "oh just do a search on the net" well I have tried and have come up empty.
Local churches, business etc, are NOT options please do not suggest using these, I have also started making contacts to local businesses and construction companies etc, to do web sites, etc in exchange of "left over building supplies" wouldn't even cost them anything but the time to make a stock pile for us to pick up.
I have also visited the dave thomas site, and it isn't helpful, and a few referal sites from there.
So I ask to everyone please, "WHERE" are these organizations and groups that would donate the supplies? the work? or what not to accomplish adding on 2 bedrooms and 2 baths to our home, This would allow us to easily take any of the sibling groups that are out there.
Crazy? probably, but it's just who we are, and this is what I would like to do and dedicate my life to till I am to old to be able to. this is what our calling in life is.
So please please, if you know any organization or famous person or "what ever"
Getting the exception is not a problem, the time we have spent with these folks already, we have the personality and demeanor etc. SO far they do not feel giving us an exception would NOT be an issue at all, But only if we were able to add on the needed bedrooms to facilitate the need.
The rest of the house is not the "biggest" in the world, but the addition would allow for a dining area. The FULL basement has a TON of play room as it is.
My husband did construction for many years, so doing 90% of the work aside from heat/plumb/elect needed is completely an option for us.
Refinance, loans, etc are not an option for us at this point. Maybe a few years down the road.
2nd Funding question.............
With the fact we know we are not going to meet the 10 year old requirement, There is only 2 options of young men we have looked at here, But nation wide it opens our options GREATLY.
Where might their be funding to cover the 2500 fee we will need to pay this group, as well as possible travel exspenses and so forth?
The rest is local, like Beds, dressers, clothing, things like that, there are 100's of local places that will assist in all of those things.
If you know some famous person I could write to and say, ther is a sibling group in ohio of 4 children we would love to bring home, to do so we need to make a large addition to our home, and purchse a bigger fridge, and 2 sets of High capacity wash/dryer sets... LOL We need a passenger van as well please, Here is my estimate, would you be willing to donate or pay the bills if I have them sent to you for these items?
It's just an idea but there you have it... Please anyone any suggestions let me know.
My heart is bleeding, There is a sibling group in arizona of 2, there is a sibling group of 4 in Ohio that is really tugging on our hearts, If you know anyway we can get the help we need to be able to bring either of them home please please share it.
Thank you, My hope is in all of your hands, as I have come up dry for weeks searching for the answers, if there is a will there is a way, and I am darn determined to figure out a way to grow our family.
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I am just really really confused here (it's late so it may be me) But adoption through the PA State system should be free, and a child over 10 would come with a subsidy. I am in the South Eastern part of the state and there are a number of agencies (PM me if you want to know who NOT to use) Are you near a county line? Around me it is quite prevalant for people to use an agency in another county (even a county agency) There is funding available for one time home modifications for adoptive families. Plus you have the tax credit. btw I have no idea at all where the age 10 thing is coming from, we just finalized over the summer - they were 5 & 8 at the time Is the 2500 you are mentioning the cost for the homestudy if you adopt from another state? I thought it was 1700 with the possibility of that being paid by the placing state. In the whole state there are only 2 kids?? there are 22 pages of boys over 10, and 8 sibling groups, just on the main state site, and many many kids are never listed online.
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I wrote to the state for answers to the questions of why will they not pay this group for the homestudy etc... so waiting the answer back on that as well.
We are dumb founded to their restrictions of age 10 or over, due to the State saying 5 or over.
The 2500 is the fee I am guessing they recieve from the state for doing the process of everything for us.
They recieve payment from the state once we adopt, What happens if we use the homestudy to adopt a child under the age of 10, they will not be paid by the state *so they say* As well as if we would utilize the Home Study to look abroad instead of PA, again the state will not pay them for their service, This is where the 2500 fee would fall to us to pay since the state is not going to pay them for their time/effort.
Hope that helps, I am disturbed by this as the states web site says... age 5! I will probably rattle the cage of the organization we are using as I directly questioned the situation to the state quoting the letter they mailed us about the process, that "changes and conerdicts what the SWAN site states.
I guess this would leave me a nervous ball of excitement, waiting on the homestudy to be done and in hand to be able to question the states that hold the children we would inquire about. If they are willing to pick up the fee.
The age point,
I have concerns and responsibilities to my natural children, so we want to be sure of no aggression issues for our 7 year old son. As if we only bring home a son, They would be sharing a bedroom. This is where in my reading and alot of the profiles usually suggest the child being the "youngest" in the house. So this is why we search in the 8 and younger group.
I am a bit concerned to the training we have recieved, they paint this as a vicious horrible plan of action, I swear they are trying to talk everyone "out" of it. The class had 4 couples, and a single person to attend, The single person changed their mind and decided against it after they recieved the letter from them. 2 of the 4 couples walked out after the first class, nearly RUNNING out the door having changed their minds.
I thought this would have "something" positive, aside from our hearts, and I tell you this web site and the people here, are the only thing that keeps us going.. SERIOUSLY! I felt so distrot after the classes we attended, then I came here. I swear it's like I can feel the hand full of you I speak to and with in forums or chat, with your hands on my back, on my shoulders and so forth. Supporting saying, it's worth it. YOu can do it!! Stick with it!!
If you have any suggestions on how to quickly change who we are using, by all means please do!! We are not extremely satisified with the people we are using, but like I say Even the Department of social services told me they no longer participate in the process, and they contract the same people to do it for them. I also do not think changing counties would be an option, I had tried, and was refered back to my own county.
I can understand the state not paying for the fees etc, if you go outside of PA to do this, but I would think as big of a national issue they campaign saying this is, there isn't national programs or other states you would think WOULD be willing to pick up the tabs. You know what thinking and reading what I just said, it's sickening. We are 1 country! One united states, why the *blank blank blank* isn't their more "national" level programs!
We have a restriction on any child/children we take, and I do not want to say it because it can be taken VERY wrong. But we live in a very small community, and very strange one at that. The social workers I have talked to very aggressively agree to this restiction, as well as it is their suggestion the same knowing the community and area we reside in. If we were some 15 minutes in any direction or neighboring town etc, I wouldn't be concerned with this AT ALL.
Point is for PA, the search here, there is one hansom young man that comes up for us. There was 3 but 2 I am hoping left the site due to finding their forever families.
Honestly I would give the world to be able to chat with you sometime, your exsperience would be wonderfully abused for advice :) in a very loving way of course! :love:
I will PM you and anyone is welcome to PM me if this is a taboo public answer for "assitance" etc.
There is a sibling group of 4 we have fallen madly for their photo and profile in another state.
This is something we are striving to achieve.
Thank you, and hope to talk with you soon *hugs*
Anyone else as I said your welcome to PM me if this is a taboo public offering of information
I know it sounds horrible and picky, the sibling groups in PA, the boys are older and considerably older then our son. He already feels like a 5th wheel in a house full of girls, the poor guy even said mom, if we are getting more kids for our house, can they be boys? I'm tired of pantys, bras and nail polish, I just want someone to play cars with ok??? So taking a young man I would hope to keep him near my sons age.
Anyway I have gone off topic to much I believe so I will close for now *hugs* GGT!!!