Want to help with China Relief! Legit Advice PLEASE!!!!?

Question

Hey guys, I need legit advice and link resources please. I am NOT looking for links on how to donate as my family has already done so.

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What I am looking for is basically any sources to where I can let it be known to those who are homeless that I am offering a room in my house on a temporary basis at no charge to them. I live in America so I know the travel may be far for them..but I at least want to make the offer known that there is a place here where they can be taken care of until things are situated back in China.

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I would also like to know if there are any sites (not adoption agencies that charge a ton of unneeded fees) where you may adopt a child who has lost their family in the earthquake. (Again just to specify, I'm not looking for a typical adoption agency. This is aimed at children alone now due to the earthquake. I would want to permantely adopt.)

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I greatly appreciate any feedback! Thanks so much!

Answer 1

It's great that you want to help.

The people who hosted relatives, friends, whoever, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina found out that this is not like having a weekend houseguest. Here it is years later, and some people still have not been able to rebuild their house, because the insurance companies won't pay their claim. 33 months later, and some folks are still making mortgage payments on a concrete slab.

My point is, count the emotional/financial/time cost carefully. The commitment might be bigger than you expect. Do they have passports? How long will it take to cut the red tape & bureaucracy to get them a visa to come here, and for how long? Are you paying for their transportation? Once here, will you drive them everywhere they need to be, pay for their medical care, and buy the kind of food they like to eat? Do you speak Chinese? How lonely to have no one to talk to!

They are not waiting for you to swoop in and show them a better life - they want their old, normal life back. Adopting children or families, imho, will not help them as much as donating to the organizations that can help them get back to "normal."

Blessings to you.