Doug and Deanne Walker have 19 children, 10 of whom are adopted. These loving parents have been up and down and all around adoption, and seem to me to be an endless bucket of adoption knowledge and wisdom. On top of that, the Walkers are welcoming, inviting, and friendly! This series of articles covers everything from being an organized home executive to failed adoptions to finding the right agency. So as you read, imagine taking a comfortable spot on Deanne’s sofa as she openly shares her insight into each topic.
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Adoption costs have skyrocketed in the last few years. For specifics on how much adoption costs, look at Adoption.com’s Wiki section about adoption costs.
Some good parents are ready to create families but are prohibited because the cost is just too much. Some begin the adoption process, then realize they won’t be able to follow through because it will be too expensive. Some just grit their teeth and go into debt to add to their family. It’s a tragedy, really, that many loving homes remain empty simply because of money.
Gratefully, some good people believe in families and also have the means to help others adopt. They give money as grants to help toward adoption. But it takes a lot of research to know the best way to give money. Of course, one wouldn’t usually just hand over money to hopeful adoptive parents and then just expect that they will use it for adoption–that could end up being a scam which would result in a child not being placed. But there are ways to successfully offer a grant.
1. Research.
Call agencies; look up agency reviews online; ask around. Find a reputable agency that really does act as a “trust” for the money and will responsibly use it to help create families.
2. Locate a Non-Profit Adoption Grant Organization.
These organizations do exist. But how they are funded and how they administer their funds varies. So again, do your research and find an organization that matches your desires.
3. Find a Child You’d Like to Place a Grant On
Be sure to make sure the organization you go through will put all your donated funds toward that child’s adoption.
4. Find a Potential Adoptive Family to Give a Grant
Find the family and the agency they’re associated with. Contact the agency and have them administer the funds for the family’s use for when they are matched with their child.
If you’ve decided to adopt and need a grant, it will take some research to find an agency or organization which offers grants. Beware–many organizations have strict stipulations that exclude individuals based on religious beliefs. So do your homework and make sure you match up before proceeding. You can also search for children who have grants placed on them.
This author hopes that adoption costs will someday decrease so more loving families can be created and more children can be rescued.
More from the Walkers
Introducing the Walker Family (Video)
Finding a Reputable Agency: 4 Essential Criteria
Organization – A Busy Home Executive Shares Her Secrets
How Did Growing Up With Foster Siblings Impact Your Decision to Adopt? (Video)
Olivia: Once Disrupted, Now Thriving
Touch Bonding: The Magic and Power of Touch
What REALLY Matters in Raising Children (Video)
Helping Adopted Kids Bridge the Gap of Bonding
We Know They’re Ours, and We are Theirs (Video)
Don’t Take It Personally – It’s About Her Abandonment, Not Your Ability to Parent
I’m a Mom with 5 Children Under the Age of 2 . . . And I’m Pregnant (Video)
Adopting a Child Who is Aging Out
What Good is Money in the Bank if You Don’t Have Your Family? (Video)
What it’s Like Being in a Huge Family (Video)
Can I Have Him? And Other Phrases That May Offend Adoptive Families
Thirteen-year-old Stands Strong, Even After Adoption Disruption
What To Do When an Adoption Opportunity Just Feels Wrong
How We Know Adoption is Right For Us (Video)
We Thought We Were Finished . . . Time to Go to Asia! (Video)
Resolving Feelings of Guilt After a Miscarriage
Rebounding from Failed Adoptions: 3 Heartbreaking Experiences
Siblings’ Reaction to Bringing Home a New Adopted Child (Video)
How Do You “Just Know” That You Should Adopt? (Video)
Adopting a Drug-Addicted Baby and Raising Him to Reach His Potential
Continuing Proper Parenting Even When Under Negative Scrutiny
Losing Gideon . . . What We Absolutely Know (Video)
