LDS Family Services and Families Supporting Adoption invite you to attend an,

Adoption Information Meeting
Saturday, April 10, 2010
7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Carlsbad Stake Center
1981 Chestnut Avenue

Carlsbad, CA 92008

We will discuss several aspects of the adoption process, as well as provide a Q&A panel, including adoptive parents, a birth mother, and LDSFS social workers.

This meeting is for anyone who is interested in adoption, has been, or currently is involved in the adoption process, and all adoption advocates.

If you have any questions regarding this meeting, please feel free to contact Erin Packard at sandiegofsa@gmail.com.

The Adoption Tax Credit

NCFA is pleased to release Adoption Advocate No. 21 entitled, “Tax Benefits for Adoption: The Adoption Tax Credit." This Adoption Advocate is a practical guide to the adoption tax credit. It includes a full explanation of and examples of how to apply the tax credit, as well as information on: the history of the tax credit; current status of the credit; and pending legislation to extend the tax credit. Please feel free to copy, distribute, or link to this publication. Click Here to read Adoption Advocate No. 21.

You can contact NCFA by mail, phone, fax, and e-mail: National Council For Adoption 225 N. Washington Street Alexandria, VA 22314 703-299-6633 (Phone) 703-299-6004 (fax) www.adoptioncouncil.orgncfa@adoptioncouncil.org

Angels Foster Family Network

I recently received an e-mail from an adoptive parent named Katrina. Her family is currently adopting a baby from San Diego County through an agency called Angels Foster Family Network, and Katrina was kind enough to share some information about the process.

First, Katrina clarifies that, "Angels is a Foster Agency only." "These babies are not up for adoption yet, but about 50% of them do end up being placed for adoption. Once a baby has been in your home for at least 6 months they can stay with the foster family if they wish to adopt them, unless they are being reunified with their biological parents."

As far as placement time is concerned, Katrina says that, "One of the couples we went to training with did end up adopting their first placement. One of the couples went through 3 really difficult sibling sets that all went home and we had two other placements before we got this baby. We were lucky because they were very short placements. The 1st was only 5 days and she was 19 months old and the second was 1 month and she was 10 months old. The little one we are adopting right now was with us for 2 years before we know we would be able to adopt her. She actually went and spent weekends with her bio parents after living with us for over 18 months. I was also the one who visited with these parents every week for 5 hours with her. So, the mind set really needs to be that you are just loving and taking care of a baby until the courts decide what to do with them."

As many of you who have taken the foster parent training courses have learned, "Some of these babies have been severely abused." Katrina expressed that, "It can be hard to sit in a room with someone that hurt their child and know that they could go back to live with them. Last month there was a baby that had 21 broken bones. Our baby was taken away because her father had been shaking her. Angels does not take severe causes where they think the child won't be capable of normal life but some of these children have had a very rough start."

Katrina also noted that their is a financial assistance when going through the county, "It cost nothing after you are certified (which I think cost around $200.00) The State pays you. They pay $380.00/month plus gas and if the child is adopted, the State pays for everything and your child receives medicare and a monthly stipend until they reach 18."

"You can also be specific with Angels. You can say you only want an infant up to 6 months old, or that you are willing to take a sib set that has a 2 year old and a baby. You can say you want only a certain race or sex too."

It is very important to note that ,"Angels does not allow you to be involved with any other agencies at the time you are licensed with them."

Katrina concluded her e-mail by acknowledging that this is just one of many ways to unite families, and that people should prayerfully consider if this is the right choice for them.
"The thing about Angels is that sooner or later you will be able to adopt a baby. There is one family that tells their story where it took them 10 times. I guess you just really have to rely on faith that the one Heavenly Father wants you to have you will end up with. "

If you would like to learn more about Angels Foster Family Network, you can visit their website at http://www.angelsfoster.com/.
Angels will also be holding an orientation meeting this week on Wednesday, March, 3rd, (and the first Wednesday of each succeeding month) for anyone interested in learning more about joining Angels. The contact person is Annika (619) 283-8100 x 221

Likewise, if you have any questions for Katrina, she would be happy to help. She can be contacted at skmorrisss@yahoo.com.

Adoption Fundraising

Although adoption through LDSFS is much more affordable than adoption through other private agencies, it is still not cheap. A great way to help meet your financial obligations regarding your adoption is to have a fundraiser. An adoption fundraiser accomplishes three important tasks:

1. You raise the money required for your adoption.

2. You spread the word about your adoption.

3. You stay busy and are proactive during your adoption process.

For our first adoption, my husband and I had a yard sale. We asked our family and ward members to donate items to sell. The fundraiser quickly took on a life of its own. We had so many donations that we had to extend the yard sale to a second weekend and still had several items remaining that we donated to a local church. Knowing that the funds were going toward our adoption, people were less prone to haggle and some paid more than the asking price.

Moreover, by the end of the fundraiser, our ward family, and many members of our community knew that we were adopting. The fundraiser was a financial and networking success.

For our second, and current adoption, we had a craft/bake sale. We asked for donations through mass e-mail, our community blog, Craigslist, and Relief Society newsletter. People donated homemade jewelry, aprons, hats, scarves, hair bows, ornaments, blankets, burp cloths, pottery, photo books, magnets, wall decor, cookies, breads, jam, etc. We set up shop on a Saturday afternoon outside a local Albertson's grocery store (with their permission.)

Once again the ward, our family, and community rallied around us and the fundraiser was a success. We earned needed funds and everyone learned that we were adopting again.

As before, we still had several items remaining after the fundraiser so we continue to sell them via our personal blog and Craigslist.

We also had a tab on our blog in which people could donate to our adoption fund via PayPal.

I know of another couple that had a donation link on their website, and a chart showing how much more money they needed to reach their goal. They asked everyone they knew to donate one dollar to their adoption fund.

The Internet is filled with great ideas for adoption fundraisers. If you have participated in an adoption fundraiser or have any ideas, please post a comment.

When people learn that you are in the process of adopting they are eager to help, but don't know how. An adoption fundraiser allows your family and friends to participate in, and learn more about the adoption process, helps you meet your financial obligations, and allows you to be an active participant in your own adoption.

New Year. New Chapter. New Blog.

Welcome to anyone associated with, or interested in, the adoption process. We are very excited to be starting 2010 with a new FSA chapter and a new blog. Hopefully, this blog will become a great resource for you to learn about, share your feelings regarding, and advocate adoption.

As this chapter develops, we plan to incorporate monthly adoptive couple spotlights, a calendar of events, and cover a new topic related to adoption each month, as well as continuing to post helpful links to other sites.

Please feel free to e-mail us at sandiegofsa@gmail.com and let us know what resources you would like to see on this site, and what topics would be most beneficial for us to cover.

Adoption can certainly take you on a journey outside your comfort zone. FSA provides a place where you can connect with, and gain support from, others on the same journey.

Happy New Year!