Grantee Stories
Parent Support Group Activities for Adoption Month
Take a look at the activities that some of our grant winners planned for National Adoption Month.
Lowndes Area Adoptive Parent Support Group, Valdosta, GA
Candlelight vigil on the courthouse steps calling out the names of the children waiting to be adopted. The mayor, other dignitaries and the press are invited. Plus a local school chorus provides the music.
Together As Adoptive Parents, Harleysville, PA
Hosting a conference in Philadelphia, “Saving Lives, Building Hope, An Adoptive, Foster and Kinship Conference”
Uniquely Ours, East Troy, Wisconsin
A Thanksgiving dinner honoring families with adopted children. Everything provided at no cost to them.
Adoption Resource Network, Pittsford, New York
A collaborative project called the “Shoe Project”. The goal is to place one pair of old shoes, on the sidewalk leading to their office, for every child in western New York (there are thousands!). Every so often, a pair of shoes will contain a stand holding a picture of a waiting child. Signage along the way will explain about New York’s waiting children.
Harden House Adoption Support and Protection Program, Fulton, MS
Collaborating with the public agency to have a statewide adoption celebration to honor those families who have adopted and also using it as a recruitment event for waiting children. A rally at the state capital will kick off the “Children’s Day of Hope”, a Wendy’s sponsored event to solicit funds for three Mississippi agencies, including Harden House.
Adoption Support Network, Brandenton, FL
Safe Children’s Coalition is presenting a workshop, “Leap of Faith: The Continuing Journey of Adoption”. This is an Adoptive Parents Retreat, providing trainings and fun activities for parents and children. And also doing a Candlelight Ceremony to honor adoptive parents and acknowledge waiting children.
North County Adoptive Parent Association, Encinatas, CA
Hosting a family picnic gathering about 150 new and returning members of the support group. Food, fun, fellowship and FREE.
Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition, St. Louis, MO
Celebrating Adoption Saturday at the Family Court of St. Louis County.
Nebraska Foster & Adoptive Parent Association, Lincoln, NE
An adoption conference, profiling waiting children followed by a balloon release.
Parents As Resources Through Networking and Encouraging Program, St. Louis, MO
Partnering with The Adoption Exchange in an outreach effort to communities of faith. Parents are also asking bookstores to display adoption books and adoption information.
Supporting Our Families Interested in Adoption, West Amherst, NY
Supporting the local agency, Shining Star, in a fundraiser to award adoptive parents adopting children with significant special needs. An event using teen members to share their experiences with prospective families. One quote, “us older kids want to be loved too, don’t’ give up on us, we want a family forever”.
Errands of Mercy, Beckley, WV
West Virginia has about 28,000 children living with people other than their parents. Food baskets will be delivered to the families, living in the Beckley area, who are raising these children.
Families Are Special, North Little Rock AR
Participating in two global missions fairs to tell the adoption story. Adoptive families will speak at nine area churches on the need to adopt waiting children. One adopted child has a project called Hope’s Miracle. She will raise $3000 to be give to fund the adoption of a child from the United States Waiting Child Foundation Program.
Families All Together In Their Hopes, Levittown, PA
Along with two other parent groups, sponsoring a day at the Please Touch Museum, to celebrate families who have been joined by adoption, foster or kinship care.
Hampton Roads Foster/Adoptive Family Foundation, Norfolk, VA
Collaborating with the public agency and another private group to sponsor a Foster and Adoption conference.
Contact information for these groups can be found in the Grantee booklet posted on the website. Or contact Sylvia R. Franzmeier, sfranzmeier@adoptuskids.org, Parent Group Manager.