We’ve all made some monumental shifts over the past two weeks...
Shifts from school to home-school. Shifts from office to work from home. Shifts from fellow-shipping with loved ones to being separated by a screen. The list goes on and on. And those dramatic shifts will continue, indefinitely, until we get to the other side of this thing. We at Madison Adoption Associates are experiencing these drastic shifts just like all of you. We are working from home. We are trying to juggle our work responsibilities with our personal responsibilities. We are relying on electronic connectivity now more than ever. But perhaps more challenging than the physical shifts, are the emotional ones. The shifting of our thoughts, and the questions swirling in our minds. Will my loved one working on the ‘front line’ remain physically healthy? What about emotionally healthy? Will my child’s newfound anxiety subside when this is all over? Will my brother’s business survive? These questions, and many others like them, plague us all. But a couple more that our staff is faced with are: What does all of this mean for the children who wait? What does this mean for the future of adoptions?
Part of me wants to put those two questions out of my mind. Part of me wants to just focus on the now, and worry about getting through this crisis, and get back to the children when it’s over. Because right now, it’s all just too much to comprehend.
But the other part of me….the part that dedicated itself long ago to children who wait, won’t ever let that happen. You see, at MAA, the children are always forefront in our hearts and on our minds, no matter what else is going on. And in times like this, especially in times like this, times when it would be so much easier on our mental health to be able to let just one worry go, is when the children who wait are even more so embedded in our every single thought. People worry because people love. Don’t the children deserve to be part of someone’s worries?
So wherever we find ourselves right at this moment….be it ‘paused,’ worried, locked down, front lines, etc…. Please don’t forget about the children who wait. The children who would give anything to be part of someone’s everything… The children that deserve the love of a family….
Thank you.
Interested in adoption? Complete our
Prospective Adoptive Parent form
today, and an adoption specialist will be in touch with you to discuss potential adoption options. Not in a position to adopt right now? Please consider donating to
Madison Adoption Associates’ Grant Fund
. 100% of donations will go into this grant fund aimed at finding more families for children!
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MAA loved celebrating World Down Syndrome Day with all our friends on March 21!
We continue to work hard finding families for children around the world, and to help more come home in this challenging time, we are boosting our grant for the many children who have Down syndrome! Any family who applies online by April 21 and contracts to adopt a child with Down syndrome is eligible for a $2000 grant.
Signed application and application fee must be postmarked by April 30. MAA contracts and initial fees must be received by MAA within 60 days of online application.
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There is never a perfect time to host a child...
As there are too many things going on at the same time, and there are too many reasons not to try. But despite all the reasons not to, committing to a child during the summer or the fall would be a life-changing experience. Hosting is a great opportunity to make the difference in a child’s life that will bring joy to your heart. Can you imagine what it would be like for a child to be able to live with a family for three weeks, being nurtured, taken care of and experiencing a new culture?
“Resilience means more that the ability to resist. It also means learning how to live a new life… Almost all resilient children who are happy in a world that has been hostile to them survive thanks to the extraordinary power of daydreaming to help them feel warm. Only children who can dream can overcome adversity, trauma and loss.” ~ Boris Cyrulnik. Hosting will give each child the chance of living a different life, of dreaming of new opportunities and new perspectives.
Last year our hosting program left us with very good memories and great satisfaction. And it brought permanency to 100% of the children who participated. Today, with the prospect of two programs in 2020, we can give more children the opportunity to dream again, to build possibilities, to feel what love is. Our hosting program is an opportunity to leave your fears and doubts behind, because hosting is not only a culturally enriching experience, but also the possibility of making a difference in a child's life. Hosting is a memory that you will treasure for life, it is a journey that comes full of dreams and joy.
As of today, ICBF (The Colombian Central Authority), has
not
announced any cancellations of the summer hosting program due to the COVID-19 situation. Of course, our priority is the safety and well-being of our families, staff, and most importantly, the children. We are monitoring the situation closely, and will be sure to communicate any updates to the families.
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NCFA hosted a free webinar on March 30th in partnership with
Harmony Family Center
, “Continuity of Care: Resources and Tools for Post Adoption Services and Family Supports in the time of COVID-19.”
Harmony staff spoke about ways they have adapted their methods of delivering services and supports to this family in response to social distancing requirements, the legal and ethical considerations required when selecting alternative methods, navigating reduced public child welfare services, the library of free resources that Harmony has put together for families and children, and considerations for self-care for professionals in these times of extreme stress.
The webinar touched on the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT), the Harmony staff then had had to transform and reshape the way they work with and support families. They are using telehealth (virtual ways to reach their families) and reviewing the ethics, logistics, and practice of it. The Harmony therapists give the virtual sessions a ‘human’ aspect and let the child see the room the therapist is in, and get used to the new way of therapy. They have virtual sessions when possible. If not, they call the family/child and/or write a letter to them (especially in rural areas). There are also virtual support groups and family activities you can participate in on their
website!
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This year’s Empowered to Connect Rewind 2019 Conference featuring
Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) principles-connecting, empowering,
and correcting, was intended to be a community-based, in-person supported two-day event held in venues across the country this spring.
Due to the unprecedented events unfolding daily in our lives,
ShowHope and the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development
at TCU have decided to make this year's ETC Rewind accessible for online viewing
for anyone registered for the event. Once registered, you will be given a specific link and will have the capability to watch it at your own pace until May 31st.
We have decided at our event - Pathway Church in Beaver Falls, PA -to make this a
FREE registration in the hopes of reaching as many families and professionals for this one-time opportunity. Foster families will receive credit for participation. Professionals, such as social workers, must enroll in a separate link to
receive Continuing Education credit.
If you are interested in attending this one-time only, incredible training opportunity
for FREE, viewed at YOUR OWN PACE, you MUST
REGISTER
. Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email with the access code with in 24 hours. Registration will remain open until May 15th, 11:59p.m. Feel free to invite family members, friends, coworkers,teachers, therapists, or anyone who cares for children.
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As of March 18, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services temporarily suspended in-person services at its field offices, asylum offices, and Application Support Centers (ASCs) to help slow the spread of Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19).
USCIS offices will reopen on April 7 unless the public closures are extended further. However, USCIS will provide emergency services for limited situations.
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See who came home in March!
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