Caribbean

Posts related the Caribbean region.

Families Through Adoption is offering to start home studies for Southwest MI families interested in adoption of Haitian orphans

From an email announcement on February 2, 2010 by Char Lanning, Executive Director of Families Through Adoption:

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Thank you for your willingness to help the children of the earthquake in Haiti. It is an encouragement to see so many people express concern and dedication to make a difference in these children’s lives. I will try to highlight the ever changing information with you and update you on Families Through Adoption’s plan to help provide loving care to children in need.

U.S. legislation to open up adoption for Haitian orphans gains momentum

Bill Terpstra, of the Haiti Orphan Task Force (HOTF), has been working with Paul Pennington from Hope for Orphans to gain sponsorship of HR 4603. They currently have 4 senators (2 Republican and 2 Democrat) who are interested in sponsorship and Lamar Smith (Texas), the ranking Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, is also considering co-sponsorship.

Haiti Orphan Crisis

Orphan Justice Mission is investigating ways to help the orphans of Haiti. We are currently working with several Southwest Michigan individuals and organizations as part of a "coalition", named the Haiti Orphan Task Force (HOTF), which is attempting to expedite the adoption of the approximately 20,000 orphans already registered by the Haitian government and housed in orphanages. As Haitian adoptions currently are very restrictive and can take two to five years, advocating for and assisting in the rapid placement of the currently registered orphans is an essential component of the crisis relief effort, which potentially has doubled the 300,000+ pre-earthquake Haitian orphans. As a part of HOTF, we are thinking our current role is to help identify and prepare 100 healthy families from the SW MI area who are willing and able to adopt. We will help coordinate the increased effort from adoption agencies, lawyers, social workers and churches required to make this immediate need a reality.