Agency News
Families Needed for 2008 Hosts of Hope Program
Adoption Associates, Inc. welcomes your participation in the 2008 Hosts of Hope program, which exists to connect older orphans with forever families. Last year, AAI brought six children from a Russian orphanage to Michigan for a three-week stay. Four of the host children’s adoptions were finalized by Spring of 2008. These children are now home in the USA with their adoptive families.
This summer, we hope to have approximately 20 children, ages seven to twelve, take part in this program. This gives the children an opportunity to learn what family life in the U.S. is about. Their stay includes several group activities with all of the children, as well as everyday individual family experiences. The goal of this program is to provide every child that participates a permanent adoptive family.
We are looking forward to your participation and support as we expand our summer host program in 2008. Statistically, only one in 10 adult Russian orphans will become a functional member of society. Please join us in our efforts to make a difference by becoming a host parent, sponsoring a host child, volunteering, or attending host activities.
Families interested in hosting a child for this summer’s program must complete a preliminary application and meeting with AAI by May 9, 2008.
Please visit our Hosts of Hope web page, contact Kimberly Hall at khall@adoptionassociates.net or Annise Koops at akoops@adoptionassociates.net, or call 616.667.0921 for more information.
Hague Accreditation Update: AAI is Primary Provider
As announced on our web site in February, Adoption Associates, Inc. has been accredited as a primary provider, according to the Hague Convention standards. Our status as a primary provider is the highest level of accreditation. A primary provider is responsible to develop and implement all six adoption services required by the Hague for Convention country adoptions. Those six adoption services include:
Identifying a child for adoption and arranging an adoption;
Securing the necessary consent to termination of parental rights and to adoption;
Performing a background study on a child or a home study on prospective adoptive parents and reporting on such a study;
Making non-judicial determinations of the best interest of a child and the appropriateness of an adoptive placement of the child;
Monitoring a case after a child has been placed with the prospective adoptive parents until finalization of the adoption;
When necessary, because of a disruption before finalization of the adoption, assuming custody and providing facilitation of child care or any other special service pending an alternative placement.
It is important to note that the vast majority of source countries for adoption are Hague Convention countries. When choosing an adoption service provider for a Hague Convention country adoption, prospective adoptive parents should know that only an accredited primary service provider, like AAI, can provide you with these services for your adoption.
For more information, visit http://www.travel.state.gov/family/adoption/convention/convention_4169.html or call AAI at 616.667.0921.
For more information on adopting internationally through AAI, please call 616.667.0921 or request a free adoption information packet.
Become an Adoption Advocate
With over 143 million orphans in the world, wouldn’t you like to play a role in bringing them home? AAI is looking for former clients who are interested in representing AAI as Adoption Advocates. We are searching for friendly, motivated, and organized people who are excited to share their adoption experiences with others in an effort to recruit clients for international adoption at AAI. Materials and training will be provided and a stipend will be paid for each information meeting conducted. Interested applicants should live outside the state of Michigan, or live within Michigan but more than 150 miles from one of our offices (Detroit, Farmington Hills, Jenison, Lansing, and Saginaw) to qualify.
For more information, or for an application, call 616.667.0921 or e-mail Kimberly Hall at khall@adoptionassociates.net or Michelle Dykema at mdykema@adoptionassociates.net.
Host Homes Needed in Oakland County
AAI is seeking to license a married couple to provide infants in the adoption process a safe, stable home on a short-term basis until they are legally free to be released to their adoptive parents. Applicants must be loving, have the time to devote to an infant, live in Oakland County, and have the ability to become licensed foster care workers. Hosts moms cannot work outside of the home. For further information, please call AAI at 248.474.0990.
New Russia and Ukraine “Waiting Children” Programs
New Waiting Children programs in Russia and Ukraine offer both boys and girls with diagnosed medical conditions—as well as healthy older children—an opportunity to be adopted. Children with missing digits, cleft palates, heart murmurs, congenital heart diseases, Hepatitis B, and other medical challenges, as well as healthy children over the age of six, are available through these programs.
With lower fees than the regular Russia and Ukraine programs and a shorter overall process time, the Waiting Children programs are worth looking into!
Who are Russia “Waiting Children?”
- Children between nine months and fifteen years who have special-needs medical status
- Children over the age of six with no medical issues or concerns
- Please view Eastern Europe “Waiting Children” photolisting or call 616.667.0921 for more information.
Who are Ukraine “Waiting Children?”
- Children between twelve months and fifteen years who have special-needs medical status
- Children over the age of six with no medical issues or concerns
- Please view our Eastern Europe “Waiting Children” photolisting or call 616.667.0921 for more information.
Adoption Money Miracles
Stories of God’s Faithfulness in the Financing of Adoption is a collection of personal financial testimonies by adoptive parents; testimonies that share how God worked out the money details … in a most unexpected way. This book will be used as an encouragement to those that feel the cost of adoption is prohibitive.
Please contact Krista Harmon at grharmon@sbcglobal.net or 616.791.4982 with your story or the story of someone you know. All book sale profits will be directed to adoption grants.
