Hopscotch + Arbonne + You = Special Needs Grant!

September 9-30, 2015

ARBONNE Is Supporting Hopscotch Adoptions'

Special Needs Grant Fund

For a limited time, Sandie Buscarino, a former Hopscotch Adoptions client, is sponsoring a fundraiser to benefit Hopscotch Adoptions Special Needs Grants.   These grants help offset expenses related to the adoption of children with non-correctable needs.   Sandie is an adoptive parent of an Armenian angel (ok, he's a little boy so only 90% angel!) who had a correctable special need (cleft lip/palate).  Sandie understands the emotional and financial obstacles adoptive parents face when considering adopting a child with special needs.  These children often become Waiting Children and Hopscotch is devoted to doing all they can to assist parents in finding them their forever families.  

Sandie shared "As a way of thanking them for helping us navigate a long and winding journey to complete our family, Sandie has pledged to donate 75% of the proceeds of Arbonne sales placed through 9/30/15 to Hopscotch Adoptions' Special Needs Grants."

If you are not familiar with Arbonne, Sandie would like you to know "Arbonne is a botanically based, environmentally friendly products line of skincare, makeup and nutrition, to nurture your body inside and out.  Arbonne products are formulated to be highly effective, without harmful chemicals or artificial ingredients."

Taking care of yourself, helps waiting children into permanent families that otherwise would not have a family.

Sincerely,
Robin E. Sizemore, Executive Director
Hopscotch Adoptions, Inc

Sandie Buscarino
Arbonne Independent Consultant, ID: 14586263
Cell (631) 816-5813

Visit sandiebuscarino.arbonne.com to see what Arbonne is all about.  Be sure to check out her holiday items that are only available while supplies last.  She can provide samples of some products if you request, and answer any questions you may have.  You also have the opportunity to join as a preferred client of Sandie and save 20% off all products for one year! Just include "HS" after your last name so that the Hopscotch Adoptions gets the credit.

Offer Expires: September 30, 2015

Adoption Finance Coach Fall Boot Camp

Join us for Your Adoption Finance Coach's Fall Boot Camp!

"Get financially fit for your adoption!"

Fall Boot Camp
September 23rd
7pm -8pm CST
Webinar
megan@hopscotchadoptions.org

 

 

 

 

 

Presented By

Visit Our Host
Meet the Coach!

 

 

 

 

 

Exclusively for our adoption agency clients! 

 

Four jam-packed, live weekly sessions starting September 23rd!

 

Join us for these live webinars, every Wednesday evening from 7 PM to 8 PM CST.

 

Sign up now and we will send you information on how to dial-in and log-in to these webinars.

Our agenda:

• Week 1:  Get started creating your budget
• Week 2:  Tell Your Adoption Story - Network - Dispel the Myths of Adoption
• Week 3:  Share your Story and Receive - Review Available Grants/Loans
• Week 4:  Plan your Special Event - Complete your Action Plan

Make your reservation today! 

Deadline for registration  is Monday, September 21!  

Contact Megan to enroll.

 

The Details

Your Adoption Finance Coach is a FREE service that we offer to Hopscotch families!

To enroll, email Megan with the subject "Finance Coach" and we'll get you set up!

What I Wish Your Child Knew About Autism

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com

By Shannon Des Roches Rosa for KnowMore.tv

My son Leo is 13. He's a cheerful, curly-haired, soccer playing, iPad-loving, self-taught swimmer. He's also autistic -- one of those 1 in 68 kids, according to the recent CDC report about increased estimated autism rates.

And you might be surprised to hear this, but that increased rate was a relief to me. It confirmed what the autism research community has been saying for years, and what the CDC's Dr. Colleen Boyle finally stated outright: "It may be that we're getting better at identifying autism." It means autistic people have always been here. It's evidence my son is neither damaged nor broken -- he's an example of human variation, like any kid.

Though, obviously, Leo is not like most kids when it comes to specifics like talking and learning and tolerating crowds. I used to let Leo's autistic differences upset me: I came from outside the disability community (our society tends to be scared of autism), and I simply didn't know any better. I've since come to understand that my job as Leo's mother is to accept him for who he is, get him the accommodations he needs (and he needs a lot of them), and fight as hard as I can to make the world a more autism-friendly place, especially now that we have better estimates on how many Leos there are on this planet -- Leos of all ages.

Read more.

Hopscotch + Arbonne + You = Support for Waiting Child Adoptions!

ARBONNE Is Supporting Hopscotch Adoptions' Special Needs Grant Fund

For a limited time, Sandie Buscarino, a former Hopscotch Adoptions client, is sponsoring a fundraiser to benefit Hopscotch Adoptions Special Needs Grants.   These grants help offset expenses related to the adoption of children with non-correctable needs.   Sandie is an adoptive parent of an Armenian angel (ok, he's a little boy so only 90% angel!) who had a correctable special need (cleft lip/palate).  Sandie understands the emotional and financial obstacles adoptive parents face when considering adopting a child with special needs.  These children often become Waiting Children and Hopscotch is devoted to doing all they can to assist parents in finding them their forever families.  

Sandie shared "As a way of thanking them for helping us navigate a long and winding journey to complete our family, Sandie has pledged to donate 75% of the proceeds of Arbonne sales placed through 9/30/15 to Hopscotch Adoptions' Special Needs Grants."

If you are not familiar with Arbonne, Sandie would like you to know "Arbonne is a botanically based, environmentally friendly products line of skincare, makeup and nutrition, to nurture your body inside and out.  Arbonne products are formulated to be highly effective, without harmful chemicals or artificial ingredients."

Taking care of yourself, helps waiting children into permanent families that otherwise would not have a family.

Sincerely,
Robin E. Sizemore, Executive Director
Hopscotch Adoptions, Inc

Sandie Buscarino
Arbonne Independent Consultant, ID: 14586263
Cell (631) 816-5813

Visit sandiebuscarino.arbonne.com to see what Arbonne is all about.  Be sure to check out her holiday items that are only available while supplies last.  She can provide samples of some products if you request, and answer any questions you may have.  You also have the opportunity to join as a preferred client of Sandie and save 20% off all products for one year! Just include "HS" after your last name so that the Hopscotch Adoptions gets the credit.

Offer Expires: September 30, 2015

New NCFA Webinar! Understanding Grief and Loss

Register now for our newest webinar!

"Understanding Grief and Loss"

Join NCFA on Thursday, October 1st at 2pm EST when Bethany Christian Services’ Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations, Kris Faasse, will educate us on the basics of the grieving process. Special attention will be given to some common implications for birth parents and adopted children of various ages. We’ll explore the science, research, and experience of grief and loss in the context of adoption. This 90 minute webinar will include some time for Q & A with the expert. 

In order to attend the webinar session, you must register by Wednesday, September 30th at Noon EST!

About the Presenter

Kris Faasse, LMSW, ACSW started working in the adoption arena as a pregnancy counselor working with expectant moms facing unplanned pregnancies and wrestling with decisions about whether to parent their children or make adoption plans. Currently, she serves as the National Director of Adoption Services for Bethany Christian Services, an adoption and family preservation agency with offices nationwide. She has over 20 years of experience and holds both a Bachelor and Master’s Degree in social work. Kris has trained both nationally and internationally on topics including openness in adoption, the adoption process, grief and loss issues and Safe Haven Laws.

Drone Views for Gyumri, Armenia - Beautiful!!

 

 

Your Friends from Hopscotch Adoptions Wish You a Very Happy 7th Birthday!

Madeline Stuart, 18-Year-Old Model With Down Syndrome, Will Walk In NYFW

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com

By Carly Ledbetter

In just one year, Madeline Stuart, an 18-year-old with Down syndrome, has become the face of two fashion campaigns. Now the Australia native is set to walk in New York Fashion Week on September 13.

"When we were asked to do New York Fashion Week, it didn't surprise me," said her mother, Rosanne Stuart, in an interview with Cosmopolitan. "I don't think anything really surprises me anymore. She's been asked to do a lot of stuff and I was hoping to she'd get asked to do NYFW but I assumed it would happen. I hope that doesn't sound too pretentious."

Read more.

Why You Should Not Welcome My Child With Special Needs Into Your Church

I realize this may be one of the most controversial posts I have ever written. It has taken me months of writing, stopping, coming back, re-writing and I’m still not positive it’s perfect. But it is my heart. Every fiber of my being burns with passion over this topic. I want to share with you why you should NOT welcome my special needs child to your church.

I write this from what I believe is a unique perspective.  You see, I have worked in ministry for over ten years now. I have been on staff as a youth pastor and a children’s pastor. I have helped to develop a special needs program within a church setting. I have also been a teacher for five years collectively. I have taught classrooms full of children from all kinds of backgrounds, strengths, and weaknesses. Most importantly, I am a mother to two beautiful children, one of whom has Autism. That’s right, I am the parent of a special needs child.  So why on earth would someone with my background write a blog like this? Allow me to share my heart with you.  These are the reasons I believe you should NOT welcome my special needs child to your church.

Read more.

New Armenian Language Program - Classes Forming Now!

Armenian Language Program

During the past decade, hundreds of children have been adopted from Armenia, some of which to non-Armenian parents and many who do not live in close proximity to an Armenian school or an Armenian Church.  Given the importance of the Armenian language to these children's ethnic identity, SOAR's Armenian Language Program (ALP) was developed to provide elementary and intermediate Armenian instruction to children adopted from Armenia who are now living in the Diaspora. 

The Program offers live, virtual instruction, in both Eastern and Western Armenian, to anyone in the global community interested in gaining an appreciation for the Armenian language. The ALP is overseen by SOAR-Yerevan, with proceeds benefiting SOAR's Orphan Transitional Program.

Please go to the Armenian Language Program to enroll.  

Classes forming now!

SOCIETY FOR ORPHANED ARMENIAN RELIEF (SOAR)
1060 First Avenue, Suite 400, King of Prussia, PA 19406
Office: 610.213.3452   Fax: 610.229.5168 

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