"A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal."
The war in Ukraine has weighed heavy on our hearts at MAA. In partnership with Nightlight Christian Adoptions, staff has been working tirelessly to get supplies to volunteers in Severodonetsk and Kharkiv, as well as donating to Help for Ukraine. We were able to get a truck full of fresh produce to a hospital in Severodonetsk, food to children with special needs, and medications to the elderly. None of this would be possible without your generosity! MAA has already donated $10,000 to this cause. We are matching your donations up to another $10,000. Thank you for considering this very worthy cause and please keep the people of Ukraine in your thoughts and prayers!
|
|
Sábanas y Sabores
As many of you know, MAA worked in Guatemala for many years. This country and its people will always hold a strong place in our hearts. We are supporting The Guatemala Partnership of New Castle Presbytery by helping provide sábanas and sabores to young mothers.
Sábanas refers to the beautiful pieces of woven material Guatemalan mothers traditionally use to carry babies on their backs. They are sturdy and versatile, but often expensive and difficult to find in the United States. So during this partnership's trip to Guatemala this January, they purchased 12 of these authentic wraps for clients of YoungMoms, an organization in Kennett Square that supports pregnant and parenting young women under the age of 21. Currently, 80% of these young moms are from Guatemala.
|
|
Sabores, means "flavors" in Spanish. If you have ever visited, you know how flavorful Guatemalan chocolate can be. This partnership shared a few sweet bites with these young moms too! YoungMom participants gather each month for "Club Night" where they share a meal, learn a new skill, and have a bit of fun together.
Your loyalty to everything we do allows these mothers to blossom!
|
|
5 Slots Available for the Philippines Program!
Each year MAA receives a quota of spots for the Traditional Program in the Philippines, for families hoping to adopt a young child with needs considered minor. This year we have received five spots! Families who submit their dossier and wait for referral must meet all eligibility guidelines. Families must be open to some medical concerns and/or background risk factors, such as prenatal exposure, developmental delays, hearing or vision loss, cleft lip/palate, etc. and must be open to either gender.
Children directly referred are typically 3-6 years old. Most families receive a direct referral 3-4 years after the National Authority for Child Care (NACC) has approved their dossier. Some families are matched earlier either by identifying a child on the Waiting Child/Special Home Finding, or with a child NACC has sent to agencies for consideration by any family with a registered dossier. Submitting a dossier places you in a better position to be matched with a waiting child, and to bring them home sooner! Read more about the program to see if it is the right fit for your family.
|
|
Welcome Anne!
Anne joined Madison Adoption Associates this March after working for several years in adoption in the San Francisco Bay Area. Excited to be back in her home state of Pennsylvania, Anne looks forward to supporting Madison both in international programs and SWAN resources out of the Delaware office.
She received her Masters of Social Work from Rutgers University in 2021, and has experience in both domestic and international adoption, working with birth mothers, adoptive families and adoptees to find support, resources and community.
As an adult adoptee, she is thrilled to be surrounded by adoption and to have the opportunity to work with adoptees of all ages and advocate for their needs. The work is very personal and she feels fortunate to be a part of an organization that helps families find each other.
Anne lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, infant son and cat. We are excited to have her!
|
|
It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to Lindsey Gilbert as she embarks on a new adventure!
Lindsey worked passionately as MAA’s Family Engagement Coordinator for the past several years, engaging with prospective adoptive parents, and answering all of their questions about adoption. But Lindsey’s role went far beyond that! Lindsey was instrumental in the launch of MAA’s new Thailand program, and worked closely with our Thailand program families. And in her spare time, she worked tirelessly behind the scenes managing several of our social media platforms, writing for our blog, coordinating outreach, and so much more. We will miss Lindsey dearly, but wish her only the best in her next role!
|
|
With departures, comes change. And change can be difficult. But change can also be exciting! We are thrilled to share with you that our very own Catherine Robbins has graciously stepped into the role of Family Engagement Coordinator. Catherine has been with MAA for a little over a year working as an Adoption Assistant. She is passionate about adoption having adopted through MAA twice, and is excited to share that passion with prospective adoptive parents!
|
|
If you are not in a position to adopt right now, but still feel compelled to help, please know that you can always make a donation directly to Madison Adoption Associates. Your generous gift will be directed where it is needed most, whether that be to provide food and medical services to vulnerable children both domestically and internationally, to support MAA’s growing therapeutic support services for adoptive and foster families, to help ease the financial burden for adoptive families, and/or many other areas where MAA serves deserving children. So please – consider making a tax-deductible donation today, so that children around the world may have a chance for a brighter tomorrow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
