Need help with adoption expenses? An LGBT-inclusive nonprofit, Helpusadopt.org, is offering grants between $500 and $15,000 for just that purpose. The spring deadline for their semi-annual grants is April 15, so you’ll have to get moving if you want to apply. I have no affiliation or experience with the organization, so you’re on your own from here. I’ll simply pass along their press release in its entirety. (It’s from December, but just came to my attention. Thanks, Bernie!)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Becky Fawcett
becky.fawcett@helpusadopt.org
917.684.5484
Groundbreaking Nonprofit Organization Helps 8 Children Find Their Forever FamiliesHelpusadopt.org supports couples/individuals regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, marital status and sexual orientation
NEW YORK, NY December 6, 2010 — On December 1, 2010, Helpusadopt.org, a national 501c3 organization that awards grants to those pursuing adoption, helped eight new grant recipients with the costs of their adoptions. Helpusadopt.org builds families, one adoption at a time. Twice annually (June and December) the organization distributes grants in amounts up to $15,000 to help with the costs of adoption. Since its inception in 2007, Helpusadopt.org has awarded 43 grants totaling $300,000 to recipients across the country.
The December 2010 grant recipients include: A West Virginia couple infertile due to cancer, a same sex Nevada couple, a Pennsylvania couple who recently dealt with infertility and five miscarriages, a single woman in Oregon, a same sex California couple, a same sex Tennessee couple, a single woman from Minnesota who is adopting a 4 year old, HIV positive child from Uganda and a Illinois couple who have endured six miscarriages and a failed adoption.
Funded solely by donations, the organization seeks to make the dream of parenthood possible for those who may have exhausted other financial resources in their quest to build their family. Adoption is expensive: the average adoption costs $30,000 and it doesn’t matter who you are or where you live. The high cost of adoption frequently presents a financial obstacle for families wishing to build their families through adoption.
“We created Helpusadopt.org in 2007 because there was a need in the United States for a nonjudgmental, non-discriminatory adoption grant program. This grant cycle we awarded 8 grants to three heterosexual couples, two single women and three same sex couples. We are proud of the fact that Helpusadopt.org does not define family. There are millions of children around the globe that need homes and so many people who want to open their homes and their hearts, but need a little help financially with the cost of adoption—that’s why we’re here, we help build families through adoption.” said Becky Fawcett, co-founder and executive director of Helpusadopt.org. Fawcett, an adoptive mother herself understands all too well the difficulties that many adoptive families face in their journey to become parents.Helpusadopt.org is the only organization of its kind that does not define family, does not charge it’s applicants to apply and supports all types of adoption (domestic, international, special needs and foster care). Helpusadopt.org grants are awarded regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, marital status or sexual orientation. Here’s what two of their past grant recipient families had to say:
“At first, the state that I was adopting my son from was going to assist with the adoption expenses since I was adopting out of the foster care system. Then due to the economy, I found out that the assistance would not be available. I did not know how I would cover these unexpected bills and started looking for a second job. I was concerned that my additional work hours might impact my time with my new son but I kept searching. When I learned that I had received a grant from Helpusadopt.org I couldn’t believe it! Now instead of working a second job, I am an assistant coach for my son’s Little League baseball team and we are both having a great time! Thank you Helpusadopt.org.” (Jennifer, proud and grateful parent)
“We began looking at adoption grants, but we didn’t think we’d ever get one. Many grant organizations openly favored heterosexual, married Christian couples. Also, most grant sizes were too small to be truly helpful. Then we found Helpusadopt.org. We were encouraged to see that finally, same-sex families were welcome to apply, and that the average grant size was substantial. Being a parent means more to us than anything in life. Many times during this process we have thought that money should never have anything to do with building a family. HelpusAdopt.org understands that, and we are truly grateful that they exist to help families like ours! When so many other doors were closed to us, we are grateful that their door was open.” (Caroline and Elizabeth hopeful adoptive parents)
Grant money is raised annually through special events, the sale of Helpusadopt.org bracelets and private donations. “We simply couldn’t do a thing without the support of so many generous donors,” stressed Fawcett. “Our number of applications increases every grant cycle. We’ve identified a need so great that we cannot come close to filling all the requests, but we are certainly going to try.” Helpusadopt.org’s 7th round of grants, expected to total $50,000, will be awarded in June 2011. The grant application is available at www.helpusadopt.org and the deadline for submission is April 15, 2011.
About Helpusadopt.org Founded in 2007 by Becky and Kipp Fawcett after their own infertility struggle and adoption process, Helpusadopt.org is a national, non-profit 501 (c)3 financial grant program that helps couples/individuals (regardless of race, religion, gender, marital status or sexual orientation) with their adoption expenses by awarding financial grants from $500 – $15,000. Helpusadopt.org will pay the grant recipients’ service providers directly and will cover domestic, international, foster child and special needs adoptions. For more information or to donate to Helpusadopt.org, please visit www.HELPUSADOPT.ORG or contact Becky Fawcett, Executive Director, at 917.684.5484 or becky.fawcett@helpusadopt.org.