An Adoption Grant Surprise!

April 9, 2012

I know that I've written a lot about adoption lately.  About how we decided to adopt domestically.  About our baby's birthmom.  About the challenges of the paperwork paling in comparison with The Cross.  But maybe you've been wondering for a while about a different adoption issue, wondering if I'll ever just come right out and say it.  Maybe you've been wondering, but you're just not sure how to ask.   "Just exactly how much does adoption cost?"

The truth is that it costs a lot.  Every adoption is different but ours will cost somewhere around $30,000+.  And yes-that is an absolutely ginormous amount of money (money that we currently do not have).  So what in the world does all that money go towards?  Here is an estimated list of costs (none of these fees are completely fixed-they vary from situation to situation):

Homestudy: $5000
Adoption Consultant: $1600
Agency/Lawyer Fees: $16,000-$25,000
(This includes counseling for the birthmom before & after delivery, help with some of her living expenses, possibly her medical fees, etc.)
Travel Expenses: $2500
Legal Fees to Finalize Adoption: $1250

Pretty crazy, isn't it?  So, that brings up another question:  "How much do we still need?"  
We need a lot.  As in the $20,000 kind of a lot.  We realize that's a little nuts but we also know that we serve a God who loves the fatherless and who goes to great lengths to care for His children.  We know that He will provide.  And one awesome way that He's doing that is through a matching grant we were just awarded from Hand in Hand Christian Grant, Inc..

Here's how this rockin' matching grant works:

If friends (like you) donate funds to Hand in Hand between now and May 18 with our name on the envelope, 

*  they will pass along those funds to help cover the costs of our adoption; 
*  they will send you a receipt for your tax-deductible contribution; 
*  plus they will match gifts up to a total of $3,000.
(A couple clarifications: anything donated after May 18, even if our name is on the envelope will not go to us for our adoption but will go to the general fund of Hand in Hand.  Second, any funds given before May 18, even after the $3000 match is reached, will go to our adoption expenses.)

We don't want anyone to feel at all obligated to give.  Still, we wanted to share with you about this awesome opportunity to join with us as we seek to bring our little one(s) home sometime this year (maybe even this summer).

If you do want to give, you can write your check out to “Hand in Hand Christian Adoption” postmarked by May 18 to this address. (For tax purposes please include our name on the outside of the envelope only…do not put our name on the check itself.)

Hand in Hand Christian Adoption, Inc.
Josh & Katie Fenska
18318 Mimosa Court
Gardner, KS  66030

Thank you so much for all the ways you've supported us along this journey.  Thank you for your words of encouragement, for your prayers, for your giving, and for your excitement along the way.  We're so grateful!

(Hand in Hand asked us to provide the information below.  Feel free to look it over if you want or feel free to contact us with any questions.  Thank you!)
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You can find out more about Hand in Hand through their website, www.handinhandadopt.org. You may also contact Hand in Hand Christian Adoption, Inc. with any questions you may have.  They can be reached at 913-248-5015 or by e-mail at handinhandadopt@gmail.com.

(The following is the award letter we were given.  It explains the grant more in detail.)

Dear Joshua & Katie:
We have reviewed your application for a matching grant and are pleased to inform you that you have been awarded a dollar for dollar matching grant up to $6,000.  The specific amount received will depend on the amount of funds donated by family and friends on your behalf.  The grant amount includes both the funds raised and the funds matched by HANDinHAND Christian Adoption, Inc.   If you raise $3,000 from family and friends,  HANDinHAND will match those funds for a total grant of $6,000.

All monies will be disbursed directly to your adoption agency, adoption lawyer or other adoption expenses after HANDinHAND has received an approved invoice from one of these sources.  Monies already paid will not be reimbursed.  Only outstanding balances will be paid by your awarded grant.  Monies will be disbursed up to the amount of the final awarded grant. Funds received over the grant amount will go toward your adoption expenses not to exceed the outstanding adoption costs.  Funds received over outstanding adoption expenses will help other children find “forever” families through the general fund of HANDinHAND Christian Adoption, Inc. 

All donated monies must be in our HANDinHAND office or postmarked by May 18, 2012 to be considered in the dollar for dollar match for your specific grant.  Funds received after this time will go toward the general fund of HANDinHAND Christian Adoption, Inc. to continue to help children find “forever” families.

In the case of a disrupted adoption, monies will be held for your use for up to 1 year from the disruption then after that time will be used to help other children and their families through Hand in Hand’s general fund. We are so excited to be able in a small way to help a child find a “forever” family.  Thank you for being obedient to God’s call in your life to help a child. We appreciate your heart and look forward to working with you in accomplishing this goal.

Sincerely,
Trudy A. George
President
HANDinHAND Christian Adoption, Inc.






3 comments:

  1. Wahooo!!!! God is SO good!

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  2. So excited about this for you guys! Praying that God uses this grant to provide ALL the funds you need.

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  3. Praise the Lord!!! This is HUGE! :) Love you guys so much!

    ReplyDelete