Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Happy Halloween! Mom needs coffee…..

Hopscotch Halloween Costume 2017

Post your happiest Halloween photos on our Facebook page by November 2nd! Then we’ll draw the name of one mom (or dad) for a $20.00 Starbucks gift card (because you work hard and have definitely earned it!)

Click here!

Monday, October 30, 2017

Host the Empowered To Connect Conference Simulcast at Your Church!

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Host a Simulcast at Your Church
The Empowered to Connect Conference can now be broadcast at churches across the country. Parents everywhere can have access to these practical tools that help bring hope and healing to any child who has experienced trauma or the loss of parental care.

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Friday, October 20, 2017

Act Now: Don’t Let Congress Put Your Adoption Tax Credit In The Grave!


Tax Credit Grave 09-20-2017Congress is moving forward quickly on tax reform, and it is essential that we remind them of the importance of the Adoption Tax Credit. The “Unified Framework” recently agreed upon between the Congressional Majority and President Trump’s Administration proposes to eliminate nearly all tax credits — this means the Adoption Tax Credit is on the table. We need you to take action immediately to urge your Senators and Representative to protect the Adoption Tax Credit!

You can help in two ways:

1) Send your Members of Congress a message by visiting http://AdoptionTaxCredit.org/Take-Action/. Be sure to include your name, full address, and email address so that your Members of Congress are able to respond to their constituent!

2) Request a meeting with your Members of Congress or their staff to discuss this issue. Visit your Member’s website and make a scheduling request — you can do these meetings from your home state! If you need help scheduling a meeting, please let Ted Prettyman know (tprettyman@simsstrategies.com). These meetings are most effective in groups, so contact your fellow adoption advocates and have them join you! We can also provide you with handout information on the Adoption Tax Credit to give to the office.

Thank you for your advocacy to help save the Adoption Tax Credit!

Julie Claiborn Shull Director of Communications
National Council For Adoption

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

2017 FRUA Young Adult Membership – Webinars!

Join as a FRUA Young Adult by Oct. 22 to access a Webinar created especially for you!

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October marks the first of many FRUA YA special membership benefits – "Adoption: the Identity Project", a webinar made by and for young adults, is produced by Adoption Learning Partners and made available by a partnership between FRUA and ALP.

FRUA’s new young adult membership, is specifically targeted to the needs and interests of young adults adopted from the 32 countries of the former Soviet bloc which FRUA INC serves.
Join by October 22, and receive free access to the Webinar. Then on November 5, join our FRUA Young adult leaders, Paul Jones and Stephan Petryczka, in the first FRUA YA national conference call. They want your input to plan future YA events, and will discuss upcoming orphan support efforts, which will become a service project directed by our young adults.

Don’t wait! If you are adopted and age 21 or older, join now! Or if you have an adopted young adult age 21 or older — tell them to join now!

Annual membership is just $10 – but the hope help and community of a FRUA YA membership will be priceless. To learn more about the benefits of the FRUA YA membership, follow this link:  Young Adult Membership

Or, to go directly to the YA Membership Application Form, click YA Application.

Looking forward to a growing FRUA YA community!

The FRUA National Board of Directors

Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption, Including Neighboring Countries Hope, Help and Community for Adoptive Families

Monday, October 2, 2017

Supporting Military Families in Adoption, by Laura Beauvais

By Laura Beauvais
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Military families have the potential to be outstanding adoptive families. They often have an incredible support network of friends. Military families tend to be flexible and adaptable and those are qualities that can help make great parents. The installments, where they often live, usually provide no-cost health care, including occupational, physical, and speech therapy, as well as counseling. Dental and vision care are usually provided with a co-pay. Even when military personnel move, the support systems are similar in the next location, so these families do not have to “relearn” what is available at the next location. If an adopted child has serious needs that cannot be met at an installation’s facilities, the military parent cannot be transferred to that installation, as outlined in the Exceptional Family Member Program.

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Ukraine: Missing Post Adoption Report Notice

This Adoption Notice is a reminder to adoption service providers and adoptive parents of Ukraine’s post-adoption reporting requirements. In accordance with the Ukrainian Family Code, all parents who adopt children from Ukraine must provide post-adoption reports every year for the first three years after the adoption is finalized, and then once every three years until the child turns 18. This reporting must include information on the general welfare, education, upbringing, and health of the child. For more information about the contents of the reports, please visit the Ministry for Foreign Affair’s web page. You may also access the report from this link.

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