Would you have a problem with this fundraiser?

[BavarianPrincess]

Who is the Gift of Adoption Fund?
The Gift of Adoption Fund is a Public Charity that started in 1996 and gave out it's first grant in 1997.

What does the fund do?
The Fund's mission is to provide financial assistance in the form of grants to adoptive parents.

Where does the fund get it's funding?
We are funded through private tax deductible donations as well as fundraising events such as "Bowling For Families Across America"

How often are grants awarded?
Grants are awarded at the end of each month. The deadline dates are the last day of each month. All applicants will be notified in writing within 60 days of the last day of the month in which they applied.

Can single people apply?
Yes. Grants may be awarded for single parents.

Does it matter what kind of adoption program the applicant is involved with?
No. Applicants are eligible regardless if they adopt through an agency program, independent adoption or international adoption.

How many times can a given applicant apply?
An applicant may apply up to three times. If they are denied a grant after the third application they are no longer eligible for a grant.

Are grants given only to applications who have no children?
No. Grants are given to adoptive parents who have children. Applicants with no children however, will be given preference.

How much money is given in each grant?
The amount varies depending on the particular situation, however, grant amounts are usually between $2,000.00 and $5,000.00.

What happens if a grant is awarded and the adoption takes years to complete?
When a grant is awarded it remains in the name of the recipient for as long as it takes to complete the adoption. The grant would only be withdrawn if the adoptive parents choose not to continue the adoption.

That is the FAQ from the Gift of Adoption Fund. They receive many more applications than they can grant, but it is worth trying.

http://www.giftofadoption.org/Default.asp

 

[budbeerlady]

Back to the O.P. - I probley wouldn't attend.

DH and I are tossing around international adoption lately and this thread peaked my interest. We are considering the financing through the $10,000 tax credit (i.e. borrow $10,000 from the parents repayed in with in the year when we get the tax credit returned) and the $2000 state credit (pay for the home study) and supposidly there is another $2000 once adoption is complete (but cannot remeber where that comes from) Then I would borrow from my 401k to do the rest. But we are considering other places at a lower rate than European countries or China. (Due to staying there 4-6 weeks) But we have talked about paying what I would pay for daycare for a baby in our state ($160 a week) into savings for 2 years and having $16,320 to go for it and having it mostly paid for. There are diff ways to slice the cookie.

I dont really attend fundraisers. If there is a bucket at the gas station with a description of what they are raising funds for I pitch in my change, but I dont go out of my way to attend fundraisers. Good luck with your adoption and your decisions on how you come up with the money.

 

[kdibattista]

Thanks everyone!!!

We estimate that with our tax refund this year and our ongoing savings efforts, we should be able to save about $10,000. That would leave $20,000.

As stated before, we cannot borrow from our retirement (that would make it soooo much better). DH's HR department is looking into possibilities for us and we have contacted our Senator (not much help) and State Rep who is also looking into state/federal grants that we may not be aware of. We would probably sell DH's truck and make due with one car if that was the difference between bringing her home or not. We are hoping to refinance but not counting on it. I'm thinking the worse case scenario is that we would have to wait to travel until next year's tax refund to make up the difference although that would mean the possibility of turning down a potential referral until that point.

I do have a family member that I could turn to if it came to that although that would be an absolute last resort.

We have also been saving change, clipping coupons and I have been selling blankets and wreaths that I have made. My sister and I are looking to get into the local craft circuit this spring.

Thanks again!!!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Kim there is a thread on the budget boards about real work at home jobs. Check it out.

A bunch of us began working for 2 telemarketing companies, inbound calls only. Time invested for the training--but then once you get started, you pick and choose the hours you can work. A little painstaking at first trying to get the hours--but once you get in the groove it isn't so bad. Hop over there and check out the thread.

 

[cardaway]

Are you in a situation where you could sell your cars and then lease another one which would leave you with a lot of cash left over? With so many $0 down lease options out there, depending on much your cars are worth you could get lots of cash fast.

A pretty radical idea, but one I would consider if I was in the situation. I figured it out when I was considering it and would get at least 25K. I would lose a little in the long run, but short term it would have fit my needs.

 

[02bBarbie]

what exactly did you ask you Senator and State rep for? Help with grants? I'd think you'd do better doing a thorough internet serach. I wil say there's not a lot of money available for international adoptions but I think the government is being already quite generous by providing the 10000+ tax credit after the adoption is finalized. Maybe I'm missing something but I'm really confused as to why you contacted them in this matter at this point.

 

[kdibattista]

Are you in a situation where you could sell your cars and then lease another one which would leave you with a lot of cash left over? With so many $0 down lease options out there, depending on much your cars are worth you could get lots of cash fast.

A pretty radical idea, but one I would consider if I was in the situation. I figured it out when I was considering it and would get at least 25K. I would lose a little in the long run, but short term it would have fit my needs.

We have thought about that. We would just sell DH's truck outright and make due with one car for now or buy something cheap for him to get to work.

 

[ZachnElli]

I would really like to know where you're getting these "facts" - aside from being wrong and offensive (why is it any more PC to choose the country than the race of an adopted child?). I saw the statistics for MD adoptions just last week. In the three So. Md counties I work with there were only 27 public agency adoptions in 2005 and of those only 3 were for children under age 1 - regardless of race. One of the couples I mentioned are actually an AA couple. The reason for the wait is that they only want to consider "legally free" children under age 2 for fear of a disrupted adoption. That is actually uncommon with public agencies. If you know where they can adopt w/o a wait, please post the agency or pm the name and I will pass it on to them.

CASI International. I adopted from them last year. They contacted me just a few weeks ago about a Native American baby they can't place. It's true, you can adopt a newborn with little to no wait time in the U.S. if you are open to race. We were moving and couldn't consider that baby and we were not on the list our homestudy has expired, but yet they reached out to us with a desperate need. They email me all the time with biracial and AA babies that need homes. The email a few weeks ago was specifically for us (instead the whole email list) because my dh is part Native American. There is no wrong way to adopt, as some of you are suggesting. Really a shocking thread. Now you can even adopt without someone telling you wrong child, race or country. Whatever.