Spring 07 Newsletter.Qxd
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A Quarterly Newsletter from Spring 2007 Remembering Birthmother’s Day In This Issue On Saturday, May 12, as many Day celebration naturally progresses families prepare for the more into an open discussion on adoption. "traditional" Mother's Day "We always wanted to bring the celebration, families touched by children's adoption to the forefront adoption prepare for the lesser and talk about the gift their known Birthmother's Day. Founded birthparents gave us; them". in 1990 by a group of Seattle, WA birthmothers, Over the years many Birthmother's Day aims families have begun to to not only educate, but “younger infuse tradition into 2 Angelina Jolie Adoption more importantly honor children light this non-traditional 2 Submit Your Child’s Photo and remember those a candle in holiday. Celebrations 3 Legislation mothers who created a honor of the of Birthmother’s Day 4 Charitable Works life plan for their child. range from families 5 AFTH Asian New Year birthmother cooperatively writing Parties Birthmother's Day can that gave letters to their 5 Virginia’s Upcoming be an extremely birthmother, updating Events personal holiday. them the her on recent 6 Book Reviews Many families with greatest gift accomplishments and 8 International Program younger children light a possible, the milestones in the candle in honor of the children's lives, to Updates birthmother that gave gift of life.” smaller, more personal 10 Musings of an Adoptive them the greatest gift gestures such as Mama- NEW! possible, the gift of life, before reading and writing poems, or 11 A World Wide Web sitting down to a family meal. As sending a card. Connection the children get older, adoptive parents share the pictures and letters Each May, Adoptions From The Insert: provided by their birthother with Heart looks forward to honoring and AFTH Annual Picnics their children. Michaelina Bendig, supporting the women who have an AFTH Adoption Consultant and been instrumental in building Adoptive Parent says, "We always families. If you or your family has a spoke positively about the affection special celebration or household we have for them [the children's tradition and you would like to share birthmothers] and the positive your story, email [email protected]. influence they've had on our lives." Between sharing pictures and letters, the Bendig's Birthmother © 2007 Adoptions From The Heart. All rights reserved. Adoptions From The Heart Quarterly Newsletter Angelina Jolie’s Vietnam Adoption The adoption of a child should always be a celebrated and happy time for a family. Unfortunately for celebrities who adopt, this is not always the case. Plagued by rumors and paparazzi their adoptions are often filled with security concerns, bad press and chances for exploitation. As many of you have read, Angelina Jolie recently chose AFTH to facilitate the adoption of her new son Pax Thien Jolie. While we issued a press release trying to clear up any misconceptions regarding her adoption, there is still talk of special treatment. We would like to once again express that Ms. Jolie’s adoption followed all the steps and procedures that all families’ paperwork took. She was very insistent upon going through the process just as everyone else does. She was a pleasure to work with and had all the same concerns, questions and anxieties as all adoptive families as they wait for signing dates and worry over bonding with their new child. We wish the Jolie-Pitt family well with their newest adoption. Submit Your Photos! Say We are collecting pictures for our Cheese! 2008 calendar starring AFTH -Send us pictures representing holidays! children! -Send us seasonal pictures such as on the beach or in the snow! -Send pictures with clean faces and endearing expressions! -Have your digital camera set to the highest resolution and pixel setting to help with clarity! -Try to send horizontal 4 x6 pictures, (it helps Send your pictures to: with design!) Marketing Team Calendar Search Adoptions From The Heart -Send us multiple pictures of your children! 30-31 Hampstead Circle Variety is good! Wynnewood, PA 19096 (610).642.7200 Please have each picture submitted labeled with your child’s name, age, country, parents name, and address to us by June 30, 2007 for consideration! 2 Spring 2007 Legislation OKLAHOMA - The state of ADOPTION AND SAFE prevent children from lingering in Oklahoma is appealing a judge's FAMILIES ACT - A recent foster care while awaiting same-race May 2006 decision deeming the study looked at 16,000 placements placement. MEPA prohibits racial Adoption Invalidation Law unconsti- over a six-year period in Illinois and matching as the primary placement tutional. Under the law, passed in found that the risk of disruption criterion, but states continue to 2004, same-sex parents with legally dropped by 11 percent after ASFA violate this law (Ohio was fined in adopted children lost their parental went into effect. Higher disruption 2003; South Carolina in 2005). status while in Oklahoma - even if risks were associated with non- just passing through. relative placements, older or disabled children, and placements handled by CIS FEE INCREASE - CIS is inexperienced social workers. looking to increase their fees. The FEWER INTER-COUNTRY proposed increase for the I-600A and ADOPTIONS IN 2006 - In I-600 will be from $545 to $670 and 2006, 20,679 children were adopted INTER-COUNTRY the N-600 fro $255to$460. There are other proposed increased increases abroad by US parents - a drop from ADOPTION GOES the 22,728 total in 2005. listed in the Federal register. DIGITAL - USCIS, has selected Adoptions From The Heart wrote to inter-country adoption processing protest these fee increases as did FOSTER ADOPTIONS to introduce a centralized electronic many other agencies. The deadline records system. Electronic processing SAVE GOVERNMENT has now passed for comment and we is expected to improve the do not know, at this time, what the For each dollar spent MONEY - consistency, quality and timeliness result will be. by child welfare services to place and of information available to adoption finalize the adoption of a child from professionals and USCIS officials. foster care, the US government saves an average of $3, reports the The change to online case will Department of Economics at eliminate the need for parents to American University. re-file paperwork if they move during the adoption process, or to resubmit An adoptee is 23 percent more likely birth or marriage certificates for than a child in foster care to complete subsequent adoptions. No timeline high school, and twice as likely to for the project has been announced. pursue schooling beyond high school. These factors contribute to a 37 percent increase, on average, in an adult adoptee's earnings. TRANSRACIAL ADOPTION STILL NOT OPEN RECORDS UNIVERSALLY A new national VICTORY IN NEW JERSEY - ACCEPTED - analysis of foster and adoptive The New Jersey Senate has approved placements found that African- legislation to give adopted adults American children would benefit access to their original birth certificates. from more stringent enforcement of the Multiethnic Placement Act of 1994 (MEPA) and other anti- discrimination laws designed to 3 Adoptions From The Heart Quarterly Newsletter Charitable Works Left: Donna and Keith Jones with daughter Tori pictured at Lancaster’s Fall Festival Celebration. Below: Kimberly Platz, AFTH Lancaster Office Supervisor, pictured above with Emma Klinke (age 2) at the 2007 Asian New Year Party. Emma proudly displays the red thread bracelet purchased to support the Tori Fund. Help Needed for an AFTH Family - The Adoptions From The Heart community is lending its strength and support to a very special little girl, Tori. At only 9 months, when most babies are beginning to crawl, Tori began fighting for her life after being diagnosed with a rare and aggressive brain tumor. Since being diagnosed, Tori has undergone surgery to remove a substantial amount of the tumor, and has been receiving According to Legend: An invisible red thread Chemotherapy in hopes of being one of the 2% of people connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of successful against this debilitating disease. time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but never break. This time-honored Chinese Tori’s medical bills have put a financial strain on the legend underscores the belief that when a child is born family. Adding to the financial burden, her mother lost invisible red threads connect that child's soul to all her job when she refused to leave her daughter’s side at those people - present and in the future - who will play the hospital after she exhausted the time allotted to her by a part in that child's life. As each birthday passes, the Family Medical Leave Act. In January to help reduce those threads shorten and tighten, bringing closer those people who are fated to be together. The the financial impact on the adoptive family, AFTH began adoption community has taken this legend to heart, selling hope in the form of a bracelet. Almost $2000 has and has embraced the tradition of the red thread already been raised in bracelet sales and donations and bracelet as a symbol of the connection between these additional donations will help to make a larger dent in children and their new families. Tori’s overwhelming medical bills. If you would like to purchase a red thread bracelet made of glass beads, contact our Lancaster office by phone at (717) 399-7766. AFTH has continued its commitment to Bracelets are $25.00 each, and all proceeds directly Vietnam - benefit Tori and her family during this critical time. support Vietnamese orphanages with contributions since January totaling $15,000. The money will help ease the As always, we will also accept donations of any size, burden of daily expenses including food, clothing, which can be made, payable by check to: Adoptions educational materials and medical supplies.