What are the best ways to raise $ to help w/ adoption fees and expenses?

Question

My friend is interested in adopting a child from Haiti. The only thing standing in the way is the costs of traveling and adoption fees, etc. She believes that this is her calling and that "God will make a way"...well, I told her I would help her get information on the best ways to acquire the money needed for adoption. Help me do that, please...Gracias!

Answer 1

Not so sound cruel, but you say the "only thing standing in her way is the costs of traveling and the adoption fees".  ---- Then she cannot afford to adopt.  It's like saying, the only thing standing in the way of going to college is making good grades in high school and then graduating.  OK.  Great.  Then you are not there yet.  

The finances are a part of adoption.  The way to be able to afford adoption is to make money and save it.  Maybe sell the house?  Or sell a car, or get second jobs.

Answer 2

Adoption agencies have grants available but they run out very quickly.  We checked out a Christian adoption agency but the cost was in the $40,000 -$50,000 range.  We decided to go through our local county agency instead.  There, we had NO out of pocket expenses at all.  In fact, we did a foster to adopt because we wanted to adopt an infant and there were none available at the time.  During our 'fostering' period, we go subsidies from the county, WIC for all of his formulas, juices and cereals and medicare for all of this medical needs which he will have until he is 18 years old.  Once the adoption is final, you will no longer receive the subsidy or the WIC, though.  It's a long process (It took us about 10 months to do the classes and the homestudy) but we received a call about 2 weeks after everything was complete saying they had a 7 week baby boy that was abandoned after birth at the hospital. (The bio-mom left the hopsital after he was born).  He a perfectly healthy baby boy, no medical/drug problems.  

For us, it was also our calling from God.  We are able to have children and we do have our biological daughter.  We were ready to adopt.  We thought about overseas adoption but it's absured when there are sooo many children that need homes here right in our own town.  It is your friends choice but please let her know about county adoption.  She doesn't have to go through her county, she can adopt from any county.  It's worth looking.  Good luck and God bless.

Answer 3

Before we began the adoption process, we had yard sales, sold things on eBay (tell her to de-clutter now to make room for the TONS of stuff that comes with having a child) and put back any extra wages we received into a checking account set aside specifically for adoption expenses.  I even worked a second job on nights and weekends until we were matched with a birthmother (the first time, for the second adoption there was no way I could do that with a child at home).

We used a home equity line of credit account to pay for the rest of the expenses.

After our children's adoptions were finalized we were then able to take advantage of the adoption tax credit.  The amount of the allowable credit increases every year.  For 2007, the maximum amount that can be claimed is $11,390.  When we received the credit, we used that money to pay off our line of credit.

Answer 4

Ask friends and family if they have any points to use towards travel. Refinance home or take out a home equity loan. Get a small personal loan and pay it off if the tax credit produces a large tax refund (the credit itself is not refundable, any taxes they paid in through withholdings are though).

Answer 5

My suggestion would be to have some type of fundraiser.. or maybe buyin things and selling them for more on ebay. Garage sales help, selling things you don't want anymore

Answer 6

Maybe she should consider adopting through social services? I know there was a girl from Haiti on our local site a while back.  There are a couple of kids who were originally adopted from Russia on there, too. Adopting through social services is usually paid for though the county/state. She should look into this!

Answer 7

If the fees and travel are in her way, she can't afford to adopt. Adopting a child from Haiti isn't all that costly.   She and her husband can get a second jobs now and save the money.