#StaffSpotlight: Meet Shelby!
This year, in order to give all of our families the opportunity to learn a little bit more about our devoted staff, we will be featuring different team members in our Staff Spotlight series! Since the majority of our interactions with families take place over the phone or through email, families rarely have the opportunity to put a face to the name they know so well. Our Staff Spotlight series is a great way for each of our families to understand a bit more about who we are, what we do, and why we hold adoption close to our hearts.
For our very first #StaffSpotlight, we’d like you to meet Shelby!
1. What is your job title and description here at GWCA/CAN?
I am an international adoption counselor for the CAN department, which essentially means I wear several different hats! I am a case manager for 6 different CAN programs and work with a revolving caseload of families in the referral department, as well as inquiry families who are just getting started with the adoption process.
2. How long have you been working at GWCA/CAN?
I have been working in the CAN department for just about one and a half years!
3. What do you enjoy most about your job?
Although there are several amazing and rewarding aspects of my job, I have to say the absolute best part of my job is making the phone call to tell my families they have been matched with their kiddo! The genuine reactions to my exciting news never fails to get me all choked up with happy tears!
4. What is the most difficult aspect of your job?
Families typically spend the majority of their adoption journey with me in the referral department – waiting. Although this means I get to spend more time building a relationship with my families, the wait to be matched often times becomes very difficult for families. It’s hard for me to see my families struggle and to not be able to simply snap my fingers and have their child’s referral in my hand.
5. Why do you love adoption?
I love adoption (especially international!) because it helps children all over the world find their forever families.
6. Fun facts about you:
– I could live off caffeine and mac ‘n cheese.
– I have a very talkative, very furry orange kitty named Oliver.
Shelby’s current featured adoption programs are Burundi and Latvia! Keep an eye out for the next blog in our Staff Spotlight series to learn a bit more about one of these featured programs. In the meantime, if your family is interested in learning more about adopting a child from Burundi or Latvia, visit our website or contact Shelby today!
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New Waiting Children Added!
Our Bulgaria matching specialists recently received several new children’s files, and we are eager to begin matching them with their Forever Families! Children and sibling groups in this program can be matched with families at any point in the process, meaning if your family reviews a child’s file and wishes to move forward, you could begin submitting your paperwork to be matched right away! Visit CAN’s Waiting Child photo listing to request a child’s file today!
Click here to Visit CAN’s Waiting Child photo listing!
Why does CAN love Bulgaria?
One of the many things that makes our Bulgaria Waiting Child adoption program so unique is the matching process. Unlike many adoption programs where families receive a referral based on the age range, gender and needs that they specify, our Bulgaria Waiting Child program provides them with the chance to play a role in their matching process. This program is also very open to families in terms of eligibility requirements, and offers a relatively quick process from the moment you apply till the day you bring your child home forever!
How does the matching process work?
Every two months, CAN’s in-country representatives attend a distribution meeting where they are able to select files. Throughout this process, they keep any current families’ adoption desires in mind with the hope that they will see a child or sibling group that might be a good fit for them.
Once CAN receives these children’s files we begin to advocate on their behalf, both with current families and with families who request their file from our Waiting Child photo listing. One thing to keep in mind about the matching process for this program is that families can be matched with a child at ANY point in the process. This means even if you find your child before you’ve begun submitting paperwork, we can submit a request for you to be matched with them!
Waiting Children
CAN is currently advocating for several children and sibling groups from Bulgaria with the hope that they will each find a loving family. Visit our Waiting Child photo listing today to view their profiles or request their full medical files!
Resources
- Contact our Bulgaria matching specialist to learn more about our Waiting Child adoption program
- Visit our Bulgaria adoption page
Boys from Burundi Matched!
We are so happy to announce that one of the families in our Burundi adoption program was recently matched with two boys, age 3 and 12! These kiddos are absolutely beautiful, and we couldn’t be happier that they have a family working hard to bring them home as soon as possible. Congratulations to this incredible family as they take this very exciting step in their adoption, we can’t wait to continue following your journey as you work towards bringing your kiddos home forever!
Children of All Nations’ Burundi adoption program helps match healthy children, Waiting Children and sibling groups with loving forever families. As such, it’s a great program for families who are looking to adopt one or more children age 2 to 15.
It’s so wonderful to see so much movement in this program, as several other families are preparing to travel within the next few months. Check back soon to see updates as families in our Burundi program prepare to welcome their kiddos home.
If your family is interested in adopting a child from Africa and you’d like to learn more about CAN’s Burundi program, visit our website or contact our CAN matching specialists today!
Burundi Adoption Resources:
*Note: For privacy purposes, the picture used in this blog post is a stock photo.*
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5 Reasons to Adopt from Poland
For families looking to begin the process of adopting internationally, selecting the right program can seem like a daunting task. In addition to your family’s specific adoption desires (child’s age, needs, etc.), you have to consider what each program has to offer, from the wait time to the travel requirements. Below are five reasons why your family might want to consider adopting from Poland.
We are so excited to share that we will be sending a team from Children of All Nations to Poland this fall to meet with representatives at adoption centers and visit orphanages! These trips not only help us develop and grow our programs, but they provide us with resources that help place more and more children with loving Forever Families. Keep an eye out for program updates coming later this year!
1. Healthy and Waiting Children
Poland’s international adoption program has both a Healthy Track and a Waiting Child program, making it a great fit for families with varying adoption desires. Children in the Healthy Track are generally age 8-15, while children in the Waiting Child track can be as young as 1 year old. The Waiting Child adoption program provides families with the opportunity to be matched with children that are considered more difficult to place based on their age or special needs. Much like the Bulgarian Waiting Child adoption process, families in Poland’s Waiting Child program have the opportunity to play a role in the matching process, as they can request to be matched with a child that their agency is advocating for.
2. Fast Process
While the wait time for many international adoption programs continues to grow, families adopting from Poland’s Healthy Track generally receive their referral within just 12 months of submitting their dossier. Since families in the Waiting Child program are able to request a match earlier on, the process of bringing a Waiting Child home is often even faster! As with any program, however, these wait times may vary based on the age range, gender, and needs that your family is open to.
3. Siblings
In addition to placing older children and children with special needs, Poland’s Waiting Child program strives to find loving forever families for sibling groups of two or more. Adopting a sibling group is an amazing way to provide a shared future to children who have a shared past. If you are considering adopting a sibling group and would like more information, read our blog post “Six Reasons to Adopt a Sibling Group” or contact our CAN matching specialists today.
4. Eligibility
As each international adoption program has its own set of eligibility requirements, families are often surprised to find out that while they may not qualify for one program, there are others which may welcome them with open arms. Poland’s eligibility requirements are relatively open, allowing families to begin their adoption journey once they are just 25 years old. Visit our Poland adoption page for more information on the program’s eligibility requirements.
5. Single Women Are Welcome
While some international adoption programs are only open to married couples, Poland welcomes single applicants for both the Healthy Track and the Waiting Child adoption program! For more information on adopting as a single parent, contact Children of All Nations today!
Resources
– Learn more about our Poland adoption program
– Contact a CAN matching specialist
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Answering the Call – Another Successful Haiti Holidays
We called, and you answered. Children of All Nations’ 2nd annual Haiti Holidays Donation Drive has officially come to an end, and we have been so amazed by the outpour of support from all of the #OrphanWarriors in our community. In addition to general donations, we’ve received diapers, formula, toothbrushes, toothpaste, lotion, soap, clothing, shoes, blankets, toys, and so much more! All of these donations will be given directly to the orphanages that CAN is partnered with in Haiti, providing them with some of the essentials that they’re desperately in need of.
One shipment of supplies has already made the trek to Haiti, arriving at the orphanage on time for each of the children to receive their very own Christmas gift. For many of these children this gift was the first that they’d ever received, and you can see their joy and excitement shining through in each of the photos and videos.
Often times it’s difficult to put ourselves in the shoes of those who are less fortunate. It’s hard to imagine going a full day without three hot meals, or having to worry about the availability of fresh drinking water. For so many orphans around the world, however, this is the reality that is faced on a daily basis. Although it seems difficult to make a difference in their lives from such a distance, each of the families that contributed to our cause has done just that. Thank you for making our 2nd annual Haiti Holidays donation drive such a great success. While we are no longer accepting donations for this year’s drive, keep an eye out for our 3rd annual Haiti Holidays donation drive, coming fall 2017. If you’re looking for a way to give back in the meantime, there are countless ways to make a difference. Learn about our Fostering Hope child sponsorship program or contact us today for more information!
Four Families Traveling to Bulgaria!
This January, FOUR of the families in CAN’s Bulgaria adoption program are traveling to meet the kids that they’ve been matched with. What an incredible way to kick off the new year!
Bulgaria’s adoption process requires families to travel twice , once for a bonding trip, and once to finalize the adoption and bring their child home. Each of the families traveling this month are completing their first trip, and will spend around one week in-country getting to know more about their child’s personality and/or needs while spending time with them in their hometown.
At the end of the bonding trip, our families will all have to say a difficult “goodbye” to their kiddos and prepare to head home where they’ll anxiously await news of their second trip. This second trip is when all the pieces finally come together, and our families have the opportunity to finalize their adoption and bring their kiddos home forever!
Congratulations to each of the four families who will be traveling this month! We are so excited to continue following your journeys as you take one step closer to bringing your kiddos home forever.
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