February DRC Update
Two families completed their dossiers in January, and two families had successful visa appointments at the U.S. Embassy. Congratulations to these families!
The DGM shutdown continues, but there is a lot of advocacy work being done at the U.S. government level to rally support and bring awareness to the issue. Families who are nearing I-600 submission should be aware that USCIS has been requesting additional documentation on recent cases, so families should be prepared for delays at this stage.
Read MoreFebruary Uganda Update
After a long adoption journey, our first Uganda family is home with their two precious girls! We are so overjoyed and thankful to this first family for blazing the trail for our other Uganda families. Congratulations to this family!
Families traveling to Uganda to finalize their adoption should expect to be in country for at least 6 weeks. We are looking forward to many more success stories from our Uganda program!
Read MoreChances 4 Children – Adopting from Haiti
Because of the tumultuous history in Haiti, adoptions can be difficult but extremely necessary. Children of All Nations works diligently to facilitate adoptions with Haiti and are thrilled to be working with Chances 4 Children to make this happen. In a country like Haiti it can be difficult to establish the right connections to facilitate a successful adoption. Over time Children of All Nations has experienced various interactions while conducting international adoptions and we are so thrilled to finally be connected with an orgnaization like C4C.
In regards to the deterioration of the Haiti economy C4C feels that one of the most hopeful rays of light comes from an orphanage in the small village of Lamerdelle, just east of Port au Prince. They believe that “the answer to Haiti’s orphan epidemic is not just adoptions.” It is their goal to provide education, orphan care and projects that will help improve the community.
As for orphan care they support four non-Adoption Orphanages which house nearly 400 children at any one time. By providing monthly donations of food, clothing, medicine and financial assistance they are able to improve the conditions and the overall care of these orphans. And just to make sure, they make bimonthly visits to these orphanages to ensure child welfare and that the partners are continuously providing enrichment programs for these children.
Beyond the children, Chances partners with local nonprofit groups to not only build schools, but also to create fresh water supplies, provide medical care at a local clinic, and implement vocational training, artisan craft programs and community based agricultural projects which add local employment opportunities.
Since 2006, Chances for Children has been caring for orphaned children and preparing them for their future lives with their new families. They ensure immediate results, because they have partnered with teams in Haiti who have been active in their local communities for years. To date they have had over 100 children adopted into loving homes in Canada and the United States. Children of All Nations is proud to be their partner!
Read MoreThe Reunion is Back!
Join our T.E.A.M. 2014! T.E.A.M. stands for ‘Tell Everyone Adoption Matters’. We are inviting all of our families to Join our T.E.A.M. June 20th and 21st to celebrate our agency-wide family reunion. This is going to be two days of fun, good food, and LOTS of memory making. This event will help raise money for many of our orphan care projects. We have some outstanding projects that are close to completetion. Click on the following links to learn more or click here to register your family for the reunion.
(Every registration includes a t-shirt, if you are unable to attend the reunion you have the option to purchase a t-shirt in support of our orphan care projects.)
Read MoreThree is the Magic Number
Six Reasons to Adopt a Sibling Group
1. Adopting siblings is not double the cost. There are several areas that fees will be double but many that won’t. If you are considering adopting more than one child, it is still a financially reasonable adoption option to consider.
2. You are helping multiple children find a new beginning.
3. The children will feel less alone in the process and can lean on each other for support.
4. Children are able to maintain their “roles” in birth order, which is a benefit in their identity formation.
5. It allows children to see a familiar face and hear their own language, so there is less difficulty for them in the transition process.
6. You give and receive twice, three times, or greater love than when you adopt just one child. More love to go around is always better!
What to Expect
Uganda January Update
Our first Uganda family to travel has cleared many hurdles, and is poised to enter the U.S. Embassy process in the coming days. We are so excited for this trail blazing family!
Waiting Families
Families waiting for a match can improve their chances of receiving a referral by widening the parameters you are willing to accept, i.e. being open to a child of either gender, widening the age range, or even considering a special need like HIV. You can learn more about HIV and CAN’s Gift of Hope program here: http://childrenofallnations.com/hiv-program/
Another great option we are still offering to all of our waiting Uganda families is signing on with our newest Uganda partnership, which we first introduced to families in Summer 2013. Our 2 most recent referrals (a healthy 2-year-old boy and a healthy 2-year-old girl) were received through this newer partnership. Any families who wish to proceed with this option can sign and return the attached Letter of Understanding to your Referral Counselor at your earliest convenience.
Uganda Letter of Understanding
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