10 Ways to Support Adoption in Your Community
The month of November is known as National Adoption Awareness Month.
Here are a few ways to support adoptive parents and adoptive processes
in your community.
1. Read adoption related books and stories. You can search online for
great adoption stories or you can go to your local library and check
out books. Stories, articles, and books are filled with
inspiring accounts of children and families successfully united through
adoption.
2. Support the adoption process. Even if you do not plan to adopt a
child, you can support the adoption process. Search your local listings
and give financially to adoption foundations or help support a family
raising money to adopt a child.
3. Host a fund raiser. As an extension of point number 2, if you
can’t give financially from your own pocket to help an adoptive family,
host a fundraiser for them. You might consider a car wash or a bake
sale. Someone in my church once raised money to help support an adoption
by bringing boxes full of empty baby bottles to church. The bottles
were placed in various locations around the building. Church members
filled the baby bottles with cash to help support an adoption.
4. Write a “thank you letter.” Your community is probably filled with
families who have adopted children. Write a “Thank You” letter and send
it to your local newspaper for publication. In your letter, thank
adoptive families for their decision to adopt a child. Also include a
section directed to the adopted child. Let the child know how special he
is and how much his new family loves him.
5. Host a party or pic-nic for adoptive families. This might take a
lot of work and organization but it will be worth it to get as many
adoptive families together as possible to celebrate their families.
6. Create adoption awareness on social media sites.
The National Adoption Awareness Facebook Page posts information about adoptions and events. Share their posts and
help them spread their news. Search for other adoption pages and share
their news too.
7. Gather and share booklets and pamphlets about adoption. Go to one
or several of your local adoption foundations and ask for written media
information. Gather materials and share them with everyone you know.
Some business owners might allow you to leave information in their
places of business.
8. Help care for the birth mother. So often, as in my first seven
points, we focus on the adoptive families while neglecting the birth
mother. We don’t mean to but it happens. Birth mothers need care too and
many times, they can’t afford all their needs. While talking with your
local foundations, attorneys. and adoptive families, ask if there is
anything you can do to help provide for the needs of the birth mother.
9. If you are over 18 years of age, vote for elected officials who
support adoption. If elected officials get involved with families and
the adoption process, community members will become more aware of ways
they can be more involved.
10.
Volunteer at a pregnancy care center. Many communities have
pregnancy and care centers for mothers who choose to give birth to their
unborn babies with the intention of giving them up for adoption. Search
for one in your community and volunteer your time and any resources you
can offer.
If you have the opportunity to work with adoptive families, birth
mothers, adoption attorneys, and adoption foundations and groups, enjoy
your experience and share what you learn with others. Anything we can do
to help unite these precious families is greatly appreciated by all
involved.
