Friday, November 30, 2012

Check out our Hopscotch Family on the Pamper's Facebook Page

National Adoption Awareness Month may be coming to an end, but the special bond between parent and child will last a lifetime.

Visit Pamper's Facebook page.

Last Day of National Adoption Month

If you are like me, I love nothing more than a lingering celebration.  While today is officially the last day of National Adoption Month, it's never too late to share some beautiful reminders of what adoption means in our lives every day, all year long.  Thank you Hopscotch Family for this stunningly beautiful story of your family!!


Thursday, November 29, 2012

Resources4Adoption Launches ADOPTION FINANCE UNIVERSITY

Coming Soon!  Hopscotch Adoptions, Inc will soon incorporate this course as a part of our education package to new clients at no additional charge.  Look for details and an announcement soon.

Resources4Adoption Launches ADOPTION FINANCE UNIVERSITY ™
Program to streamline the adoption process through financial education classes

(Kansas City, KS) – Resources4Adoption, a Kansas-based organization specializing in financial planning assistance and guidance for adoptive families across the United States announces the launch of Adoption Finance University™, a 5-module series of online learning tools designed to assist adoptive families and families considering adoption with the steps, tools, resources, and guidance necessary to make their dreams a reality.

Adoption Finance University™ founder and Resources4Adoption CEO, Cherri Walrod says, “We’ve worked with hundreds of families over the years, assisting them with step-by-step insight into the intricacies of adoption and the sometimes insurmountable costs. With Adoption Finance University™, families will be able to study, learn, and navigate their way through the confusing and expensive adoption finance rules, regulations, and the ever changing landscape of domestic and international adoption. Whether you’re considering your first adoption or you and your family have successfully adopted already, Adoption Finance University™ is a game-changer that can eliminate the stress of figuring out how to afford adoption.”

Adoption Finance University™ module 100 will be offered for an introductory price through December 31, 2012. Adoption Finance University™ includes lifetime subscription to “The Connector”, the Resources4Adoption newsletter that brings the latest news, trends, solutions and suggestions for fundraising ideas to families, as well as access to our monthly webinar series where families can ask questions and get advice directly from Cherri Walrod and the Adoption Finance University™ team.

To learn more, visit www.resources4adoption.com.

Learning from Adult Adoptees


Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Secretary Clinton Delivers Remarks in Honor of National Adoption Month at the USCIS Citizenship Ceremony for Internationally Adopted Children

It's immensely encouraging to read Secretary Clinton's remarks on Adoption Month.  This is VERY exciting and heartening!!

"...And I want to thank USCIS for – I want to thank you for partnering with this effort. We want to make sure that governments around the world play by the same set of rules when it comes to intercountry adoption, putting the health and welfare of children first.

And as we mark National Adoption Month, that’s what our embassies will be emphasizing. Because we think of intercountry adoption is an important matter of foreign policy. It provides the opportunity for loving parents to offer a permanent home and a family for children who need that. And it deepens and enriches our culture and builds on one of America’s greatest strengths, our diversity So this is a special time to welcome new members to the American family..."

Watch Secretary Clinton's speech in honor of National Adoption Month.

Monday, November 19, 2012

POOR KIDS - An Intimate Portrait of the Economic Crisis Seen Through the Eyes of Children

An opportunity to learn with SPOON: Upcoming Classes

Feeding and Nutrition Considerations for Children with Special Needs: An overview

Feeding and Nutrition Considerations for Children with Special Needs: An overview - Live Webinar   

Event Date: Thursday, December 6, 2012 | Noon - 1:00 p.m. (Central Time) 

Intended Audience: Prospective Adoptive Parents, Adoptive Parents, Child Welfare Professionals   

Fee: $15 per participant; separate registration required for each participant.

When adopting a child who has been identified as having a special need, there is more to consider than just the medical or behavioral diagnosis. One of the basic, foundational issues that must be addressed immediately is the child's feeding and nutrition, which will almost certainly be more of a challange than for a child without an identified need.

The goal of this presentation is to offer parents an overview of the aspects of feeding and nutrition that are unique to children with special needs including those with Sensory Processing Disorder, low muscle tone, cerebral palsy, and cleft lip and palate.

 Learn More & Register...

Friday, November 16, 2012

Hopscotch Adoptions Field Trip to Visit Congressman, Howard Coble

Last Friday, Hopscotch Adoptions staff took a field trip to visit our recently re-elected Congressman, Howard Coble.  For those of you that do not know Congressman Coble, he is truly admired and respected by all he has the opportunity to meet and work with. 

Hopscotch officially presented the "Save the Adoption Tax Credit" to his office and asked for his support.  It was a great opportunity for each of us as parents and professionals to personally reach out. 

Have you considered a family field trip to your Congressman's district office?  If not, its a great 'face to face' opportunity to remind our elected officials of the real children and families their support means so much too. Visit your Congressman today! 

A special thank you to Nancy Mazza, Congressman Coble's High Point representative.  She is gracious and caring of all his constituents.  She is amazing! 

NC Infant/Young Child Mental Health Association Conference

Hopscotch staff attended the NC Infant/Young Child Mental Health Association Conference and Annual Meeting Exploring the Foundations of Parent-Child Relationships on November 9, 2012. 

The conference was an invaluable experience, which we hope will translate into better support for our families, as you each navigate your way through parenting children that have experienced deprivation.

The guest speaker, Dr. Edward Tronic, presented his research, the Flat Face project.  Notably, children residing in institutional care, being cared for by mothers suffering from post partum depression or poor quality child care, are at high risk for developing mental health challenges and developmental delays.

Hopscotch continues to value ongoing training and as we learn, we will share with you too.

 


Dr. Ed Tronick, director of UMass Boston's new Infant-Parent Mental Health Program and Distinguished Professor of Psychology, discusses the cognitive abilities of infants to read and react to their social surroundings. The video is an excerpt from Lovett Productions' , HELPING BABIES FROM THE BENCH: USING THE SCIENCE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD IN COURT.

Using the "Still Face" Experiment, in which a mother denies her baby attention for a short period of time, Dr. Tronick describes how prolonged lack of attention can move an infant from good socialization, to periods of bad but repairable socialization. In "ugly" situations the child does not receive any chance to return to the good, and may become stuck.

Society for Orphaned Armenian Relief (SOAR)

SOAR Online Auction Opens in 7 Days!!!

In 7 days, SOAR will be hosting an online auction to raise funds for the orphaned Armenian children in Armenia, Artsakh, Javakh, and Lebanon.  We have more than 500 items available, all of which will make excellent gifts as the holidays approach! 

We will feature art, books, clothing, hand-crafts by the orphaned children in Armenia, jewelry, sports memorabilia, and vacation packages.  We will also offer many items for sale, including the funding of capital projects, sponsorships, and the hosting of Christmas parties for the 25 orphanages we support.  Unlike those for bid, the full amount of these "straight sales" will be used exclusively and completely for that specific item.

The auction opens on November 20, 2012, and will continue through December 5, 2012.  Please check out the SOAR Auction to peruse the wonderful items we have available.

Thank you in advance for your support of our orphaned Armenian children!

The Society for Orphaned Armenian Relief (SOAR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing humanitarian relief to orphaned Armenian children.  Working with a loyal donor base and a trusted network of partners, SOAR distributes clothing, educational supplies, medicine, and other essential resources to orphaned Armenian children throughout the world.


1060 First Avenue, Suite 400
King of Prussia, PA 19406 USA
Phone: 610.213.3452   Fax: 610.229.5168

Email: gyacoubian@soar-us.org   Web: www.soar-us.org 

AdoptionExpo: Considering--or already pursuing adoption? Please join us!

Submissions Needed- Lessons Learned: Adoptive Parents Speak Out About Adoption

Call for Submissions--Parents with adopted sons/daughters over 18 years of age are invited to submit essays for a new anthology titled "Lessons Learned: Adoptive Parents Speak Out About Adoption." The anthology will be published in summer 2013 by CQT Media, and is being edited by Maureen McCauley Evans.  Please see www.LightOfDayStories.com for further information.

Transformation....


"Take a chance, I'm waiting for you!" Hopscotch thanks our family for sharing these precious timeline photos.  These photos mark the vivid transformation after only a year with a forever family.  Photos on the left were all taken in November 2011 and the photos on the right were taken in November 2012.  
























Thursday, November 15, 2012

National Adoption Day

In celebration of National Adoption Day on Saturday, November 17, I wanted to share a very special music video with you. “You Just May Be” reminds us all that anyone can make a difference in the life of a child without a family—all you have to do is say, “Yes!” Happy National Adoption Day!

NYSCCC Petition

This message is from Sarah Gerstenzang who started the petition "Governor Andrew Cuomo: NYS Should Fund Statewide Post Adoption Services ," on Change.org.

We have added 100 signatures in the last 24 hours to the NYSCCC petition to support, preserve, and expand Post Adoption Services in NY state. We have less than 400 to go to reach our goal of 1,000 signatures.

Please take a few minutes to share the petition link with your email contacts and facebook friends. The more people we reach the bigger impact we will have. If each signer recruits only 3 more signers we could reach close to 2,000 easily.

Thanks to those of you who have already passed it on, we have seen a 50% increase since Monday - let's keep it going!

View the petition

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Lost Passport Nearly Stops Family From Adopting Ukraine Teen

Hopscotch Adoptions and Angels Haven Outreach extend our immense gratitude to Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton and Philadelphia Representative, Bob Brady, for their heroic effort in helping our mutual client family to carry on after losing passports!  Thank YOU!!!!

Click here for full story...

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Seed Money for Maria

martiniadoptionroad.blogspot.com | Nov 6, 2012

As some of you may remember, I have advocated for a little girl named Maria several times.  Maria is 8 years old and described by those who know her as a kind and inquisitive child.  She gladly completes her school work and already fluently speaks two languages, one of them English.

Maria has spina bifida and is wheelchair-bound.  She also receives care for chronic UT conditions.

Maria has been living in a small, private orphanage in Eastern Europe which is run more like a home than an institution.  She has seen two of her best friends adopted in recent years and wishes for a family of her own.

This fundraiser is intended to collect seed money for an agency grant for Maria.  This grant will be given to the family who registers with Maria for adoption after meeting her in her hometown to assist with adoption fees.  If no family commits to this lovely girl, the grant money will eventually be used to further Maria's education in her country.

Now how do I hope to raise some seed money?  By selling seeds, of course.  I have been tending a small, suburban organic garden for over a decade.  I always buy my seeds from certified organic suppliers, but over the years have also learned to harvest my own seeds for the next year.  This year I collected a lot seeds which I would like to share with those of you who love to grow vegetables and herbs or are looking for a stocking stuffer for gardening friends.

Continue reading...

Monday, November 5, 2012

24 Abandoned Babies Per Day in Morocco, 153 Are Born Out of Wedlock

moroccoworldnews.com | New York, October 9, 2012

According to the study “The Morocco of single mothers” of the association Insaf, 153 babies are born out of wedlock every day and 24 babies are abandoned.

Kafala (a form of adoption according to Moroccan and Islamic jurisprudence) stands today as the best alternative to ensure a decent life for abandoned children, said BĂ©atrice Beloubad, the national Director of SOS Children’s Villages on Saturday in Casablanca,, MAP news agency reported on Monday

“In Morocco, orphanages are overcrowded and more than 700 children are accommodated in five villages of our association,”  she told MAP on the occasion of the opening of the third exhibition of early childhood and kafala, calling for greater coordination of efforts to provide quality support for the benefit of abandoned children, whose numbers are increasing.

“Today’s children are tomorrow’s citizens, the foundation of society and a true small capital in search of support, training and assistance. They have the right to a full and decent life to aspire to contribute in the near future in the development of their country, “she said.

“Twenty-four babies are abandoned every day and this number tends to increase,” said, for her part, Asmaa Benslimane, founding president of the Association of Morocco Babies, who highlighted the importance of early actions to prevent the abandonment of babies, including working schoolgirls and school dropouts.

An earlier study conducted jointly by the Moroccan League for Child Welfare and UNICEF in 2009 revealed that the number of abandoned children in 2008 was 4,554, or 1.3 per cent of total births that year.

Save the Adoption Tax Credit


ADVOCACY ALERT: FEDERAL ADOPTION TAX CREDIT
USE YOUR VOICE WHILE CONGRESS IS AT HOME IN YOUR DISTRICT
ASK YOUR TWO U.S. SENATORS TO COSPONSOR S.3616
& YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TO COSPONSOR H.R. 4373

Dear Friend & Adoption Supporter:

As you may already know, if Congress does not act to extend the federal adoption tax credit (ATC) this year, the credit as we now know it will expire on December 31, 2012.

Members of Congress are back in their home districts until Congress resumes next Tuesday.  We encourage you to use this opportunity to reach out to your U.S. Senators and Representative about the Adoption Tax Credit. Right now it is important to engage your legislators about this issue, via a meeting, town hall, an email or a phone call, so that Members feel pressure to include the ATC in any deal that moves ahead in the lame duck session of Congress.

Imagine if Congress arrived back in Washington, D.C. and the Making Adoptions Affordable Act had 50 cosponsors on the Senate bill (S. 3616) and 50 cosponsors on the House bill (H.R. 4373)! This would undoubtedly convey a sense of urgency and bipartisan support. This goal is possible with your help!

Action:
We are contacting you today to ask you to email or call or visit with your two U.S. Senators and one Representative. Ask all three of your federal legislators to become a cosponsor of S. 3616/H.R. 4373.
Attached to this email you will find a helpful factsheet and a sample letter for emailing your Senators. If you need to find your Senator’s go to: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Please Email or Call:
  • Email your two Senators – urge them to cosponsor S. 3616
  • Email your one Representative – urge him/her to cosponsor H.R. 4373
  • Or call the Capitol Operator at 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to his or her office. Then ask to speak to the legislative assistant that handles adoption or tax issues.
  • Then, let us know what response you receive from your legislators, email: info@adoptiontaxcredit.org
When will this be considered in Congress?
The Adoption Tax Credit is likely to be included in a package of other tax credits that need to be extended, and we expect such a package to be considered by Congress sometime after the election. At this time, it is uncertain whether Congress will consider including the refundable provision of the credit in an extension at the end of the year. We are working hard to get refundability included and need your help in showing Members of Congress that refundability helps foster care adoption and lower to middle income tax filers. One of the most effective ways to help is to highlight examples through sharing the personal stories of individual families and/or encouraging families to share their stories directly with their legislators. Another strategy to have the refundable provision be included in tax negotiations at the end of the year is to continue to build support for H.R. 4373 and S. 3616.

Thank you for taking a few minutes to contact your legislators on this important issue!

With warm regards,

The Adoption Tax Credit Working Group’s Executive Committee:

Additional Resources:

An opportunity to learn with SPOON: Upcoming Classes

Nourish, Nurture, Attach: The feeding relationship and adoption

Nourish, Nurture, Attach: The feeding relationship and adoption - Live Webinar   
Event Date: Thursday, November 8, 2012 | Noon - 1:00 p.m. (Central Time) 

Intended Audience: Prospective Adoptive Parents, Adoptive Parents, Child Welfare Professionals   

Fee: $15 per participant; separate registration required for each participant.

Even parents with thriving biological children get frazzled when their kids refuse to eat or limit their diet to a few select foods. This frustration is compounded for adoptive parents who have the additional pressure of getting their children nutritionally “caught up.” Unfortunately it is not uncommon for children who are entering a new family through adoption or foster care to have difficulty eating, develop rigid eating patterns, or refuse food all together (a.k.a. food aversion). On the other end of the spectrum, it is also not uncommon for post-adopted children to hoard food in the initial period home.

The goal of this presentation is to provide parents with practical, research-based information on ending the power struggles and restoring a positive feeding relationship that promotes attachment, trust, good nutrition and healthy weight.

Learn More & Register...


 

Feeding and Nutrition Considerations for Children with Special Needs: An overview

Feeding and Nutrition Considerations for Children with Special Needs: An overview - Live Webinar   

Event Date: Thursday, December 6, 2012 | Noon - 1:00 p.m. (Central Time) 

Intended Audience: Prospective Adoptive Parents, Adoptive Parents, Child Welfare Professionals   

Fee: $15 per participant; separate registration required for each participant.

When adopting a child who has been identified as having a special need, there is more to consider than just the medical or behavioral diagnosis. One of the basic, foundational issues that must be addressed immediately is the child's feeding and nutrition, which will almost certainly be more of a challange than for a child without an identified need.

The goal of this presentation is to offer parents an overview of the aspects of feeding and nutrition that are unique to children with special needs including those with Sensory Processing Disorder, low muscle tone, cerebral palsy, and cleft lip and palate.

 Learn More & Register...