Each year in New York City, thousands of children are placed for adoption or removed from their homes and assigned to foster care. Globally, there are more than 150 million children who need parents. Help Us Adopt, founded in 2007, is a nonprofit organization that helps hardworking families overcome the financial obstacles of adoption, so children can join loving and permanent homes to give them all that they deserve.
In New York State, only an authorized agency can place children for adoption. A social worker must facilitate a home study and compile a document. When the agency study is obtained, there is an increased chance of receiving an agency referral for the adoption. The agency study includes details of the adopting families’ thoughts and values on child rearing, child development, and interpersonal issues.
However, approved potential families are then faced with an enormous financial burden. Typical costs can include the home study; social worker visits; lawyers’ fees (for adoptive parent(s) and birth mother); birth mother’s monthly medical and counseling expenses; agency or orphanage fees; airline tickets (often last minute); hotel; car rental; etc. Statistics indicate that an average adoption costs upwards of $30,000. There are many qualified families that can offer a child a stable home environment, but are facing significant financial obstacles.
I spoke with Becky Fawcett, co-founder (with her husband, Kipp Fawcett) of Help Us Adopt, about her organization, the adoption process, and just what her organization does to aid families.
Shnieka Johnson: What led you to start the organization?
Becky Fawcett: We were so grateful to become parents through adoption and realized how lucky we were to have the means to do so, so we wanted to give back to help others. The decision to create Helpusadopt.org came after much research and the realization that we would be the only adoption grant organization that didn’t define family, didn’t define religion, didn’t define adoption, didn’t charge our applicants to apply, and offered grants up to $15,000. Helpusadopt.org’s doors are open to all and we are extremely proud of that fact.
SJ: How many families have you helped build thus far?
BF: To date, Helpusadopt.org has helped to build 107 families by awarding $920,000 in grants. We will be awarding another $100,000 in December, 2014. By the end of 2014 Helpusadopt.org will have awarded over $1 million in adoption grants since we launched in 2007. We are humbled by how quickly we have grown to this number and so grateful for all of the support we have received.
SJ: What is the process for applying for adoption grants?
BF: Our application is free and posted on our website (www.helpusadopt.org). There is a page of guidelines as well as an FAQ page also on the site.
SJ: How does a prospective family find a trustworthy agency and attorney?
BF: Ask people you know for recommendations. Talk about their process with them (the good, the bad, and the ugly). Once you have a short list of adoption professionals, then call them to set up informational meetings. You’ll find someone you click with. Some of the bumps in the road are unavoidable regardless of who your agency or attorney is, that’s just the nature of the adoption process.
SJ: What are some typical roadblocks in the process?
BF: The number one reason people don’t adopt or stop midway is because of money. Adoption is expensive — an average adoption costs $30,000-plus.
SJ: How does your organization support adoptive families and their growth?
BF: Not only are we an adoption grant program that helps people build their families, but we also offer a shoulder to lean on during the process. We also keep in touch with all of our families after they bring their children home and have built quite a strong adoption community across the country.
SJ: What can others do to help?
BF: There are so many ways to help. We are always looking for volunteers, new committee members for our events in New York City, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles, and board members. Obviously monetary donations are wonderful, as we can’t do the work that we do without raising money. Two ways to help any non-profit organization that are free are: one, helping to spread the word on social media outlets, and two, introductions to other people who might be interested in the work that we do. We are always looking to meet new people who care about building families through adoption.
If you’re interested in getting aid from helpusadopt.org, applications for February 2015 grants must be postmarked by Friday, Dec. 12, 2014. Applications for June 2015 grants by Friday, April 17, 2015, and applications for Oct. 2015 grants by Friday, Aug. 14, 2015.
Shnieka Johnson is an education consultant and freelance writer. She is based in Manhattan where she resides with her husband and son. Contact her via her website: www.shniekajohnson.com.
