Haitian Children Affected by the Earthquake: Child Adoption Update

Many concerned and loving families are interested in the possibility of adopting a Haitian child affected by the recent earthquake.

Haiti has temporarily closed its adoption program because of risk of fraud and child trafficking. This is common practice after a large-scale natural disaster.

The country needs time to ensure that children affected are truly orphaned and not temporarily separated from their parents and other family members.

Haiti and the United States are working hard to bring children to the United States who have already been made eligible for adoption and/or have been matched with adoptive parents in the U.S. prior to the earthquake. These are children already considered eligible for placement with families that have completed their paperwork for Haiti and have been approved to adopt from Haiti by the United States.

There are many ways in which U.S. citizens can help the children of Haiti now. For more information please visit the Office of Children’s Issues Intercountry Adoption Web site.

Annual Adoptive Family Picnic 2009
Thank you everyone who came out and enjoyed an incredible fall day at Julius Kahn Park this year. We also thank our talented and generous sponsors: Tree Frog Treks, Alex Schoenfeldt Photography and Have Your Cake Bakery.

To view some of our beautiful families check out our Adoption Connection Flickr Album of the 2009 event.

The Adoption Decision Is Ready for Viewing
Birthmothers Christina, Ardena, Roseangela and Aliana share their touching adoption stories, and tell us why they chose open adoption for their babies. Watch the entire video here: http://www.adoptionconnection.org/birthmom_dvd.asp.

Adoption Connection on Myspace
Take a look at our new My Space page: www.myspace.com/adoptionconnection

Adoptive Parent Support Groups in the North Bay
Parents Place of Sonoma County (a program of JFCS) continues to offer FREE support and educational groups to address the needs of adoptive parents and their children in Sonoma County, and beyond. Therapist Deborah Keith, MFT can provide professional support and insight to families who grew their family through: domestic infant, foster child and international adoption.

Groups include: adoptive parent support, crisis intervention, and training for parents and professionals. To accommodate parents' busy schedules Parents Place of Sonoma offers meetings in the daytime and evening, and on a drop-in basis. (This program is funded by the California Department of Social Services.)

Check out their extensive LifeBooks Workshops! " View all Workshops
Find out more at: www.ParentsPlaceOnline.org or call at 707-571-2048.

Upcoming Workshop Calendar
For a full listing of upcoming workshops and orientations go to our Workshops page.

Connections Online
Adoption Connection's twice-yearly newsletter, Connections, addresses the timeliest domestic and international news. We also feature adoption professionals, new projects, and upcoming events. You can now visit our archive to download our latest issue.

Adoption Connection in the News:

"JFCS Honors Gay Dad"
Heather Tirado Gilligan, The Bay Area Reporter, March 12, 2009

"JFCS' Adoption Connection Broadens Options for Gay Families"
Outlook, a publication of Jewish Family and Children's Services, Fall 2006.

"The Gift of Family"
Outlook, a publication of Jewish Family and Children's Services, Fall 2006.

"Adoption option: Families share the joys and tribulations they encountered in bringing baby home -- from Russia, China or right next door"
Dawn Yun, San Francisco Chronicle, Friday, October 14, 2005

"After $80,000 and 4 trips to Russia, Novato couple's family is complete"
Dawn Yun, San Francisco Chronicle, Friday, October 14, 2005

"FAMILY MATTERS / And adoption makes three / Fatherhood fulfills the lives of two men after a long and bumpy road to finding their son"
Dawn Yun, San Francisco Chronicle, Friday, October 21, 2005

"Agencies help in navigating adoption process"
Dawn Yun, San Francisco Chronicle, Friday, October 21, 2005

"All in the family Bay Area Jewish parents accept joys, struggles of interracial adoption"
Vicki Larson, J. Weekly, Volume 108, Number 40/ October 8, 2004

"Out of Everywhere"
Nicole Westmoreland, Bay Area Parent, SF & Peninsula Edition, November 2004

"Risks to avoid in adoption"
Randie Bencanann, LCSW, Adoption Connection Co-director, San Francisco Chronicle, Letters to the Editor, Saturday, September 25, 2004

"The ABC's of Adoption"
Dayna Dunteman, Sacramento Magazine, August 2004

Press Contacts
Adoption Connection provides helpful expert advice on adoption issues for media outlets. For questions, or to arrange an interview, contact Kim Simon at (415) 359-2492 or Contact Us.