Talk to five families who thought about adopting and quit. Four of them will say the same number out loud.
Money is a boring answer to a big problem. It’s also the actual answer.
Start the Adoption Fund
Adoption runs $30,000 to $50,000, and that number stops families who are otherwise ready. Seed a fund at your church, or give through a group like Lifesong or Show Hope.
What you'll need
- A meeting with your church's finance person
- A simple written rule for who qualifies and who decides
- A first deposit, so the fund exists before you ask anyone else for money
Pitfalls
- Write the rules before the first family applies. Deciding case by case ruins friendships.
- Grants beat loans. A family starting a life with a child shouldn't start it owing you.
- If your church won't host it, don't fight about it. Lifesong and Show Hope already do this well.
He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. — Deuteronomy 10:18