Are you a first time reader of this blog ?
Is this the first time you have heard about Reece's Rainbow ?
If so, please settle down and read on.
If you are already familiar with Reece's Rainbow and the Angel Tree feel free to skip ahead.
Here's a direct quote from the Reece's Rainbow web site -
"By raising money to offer adoption grants on waiting children, we are able to give adoptive families the extra financial help they need to bring a child with Down syndrome (and other special needs) home from a miserable existence in overseas orphanages.
Our Sponsorship Program provides a unique opportunity for anonymous donors to contribute to the adoption journey of our families. These children are viewed as outcasts with no ability to learn or be functional members of society. They languish in mental institutions, hidden away from the world in shame.
Even if you are not able to adopt a child at this time, you truly can change the course of a child’s life by helping adoptive families afford the costs of international adoption. $20, $50, $1000….whatever you have goes into a grant, held for ANY family adopting a child with Down syndrome".
Most people, I am sure, have no clue about the plight of children with special needs in other countries. While in the West the majority of disabled children live with their own families, and have access to all they need to be the best they can be, life in many countries is very different.
In Eastern Europe, Asia and further afield, children who are born with any difference are outcasts, most of them abandoned at birth. These children live their early lives in orphanages, and as they age move to mental institutions, or are left to fend for themselves on the streets.
Many children don't survive, and die either as a result of their disability, or because of abuse and/or neglect.
If you think I may be exaggerating, please take a look at a couple of videos linked below. You may think these places are anomalies, or that things have changed, but, in truth, there are far too many other institutions like them.
Many children spend their early life at an orphanage where they are lovingly cared for, with enough caregivers to go around, so that they can be fed and have all of their needs catered to.
Sadly, at a young age - sometimes as young as 4 years old, they are moved to an institution, where there are older children, fewer staff, and more chance of abuse and neglect. Many children don't survive.
This is Kyle.
This is Kyle after he was moved to an institution.
This is Kyle's funeral.
This is Vitaly.
This is Vitaly shortly before he, too, passed away.
This doesn't have to happen.
SO many more of these children could be adopted, if only there was the money available to fund their adoptions.
Families that DO have great houses, great jobs, great health insurance and great support usually don't have tens of thousands of dollars in their back pocket.
Families that CAN provide everything an orphan with special needs could want or need - a home, food, education, therapies, doctors - LOVE - are also normal families, just like you or I. They CAN provide for their family's needs, maybe have a small savings account - but cannot afford $30,000 or more to fund and adoption without saving for many many years.
If you are interested in international adoption, you can take a look at the costs and requirements of many countries HERE.
If you would like to help raise the adoption grants of waiting children, now is a great time to start, as Reece's Rainbow's major annual fundraiser is now drawing to a close.
Each year, advocates pick a waiting child, and pledge to raise $1000 for their adoption grant between November 1st and December 31st.
These children can all be found on the Angel Tree, and if you take a look, you will see that there is still a long way to go to get everyone to their $1000 goal.
Remember - all funds raised will help offset the adoption costs when a family steps forward to adopt.
Would this be a good time to mention that ALL donations are tax deductible ?
Donating is simple - just scroll through the children, pick a child, or two, or three - click donate and use either your Paypal account or a credit or debit card.
These children all deserve the chance of a new life - a life with a family, with love, with food and shelter, with education and therapies, with medical care, with a future.
I have followed the stories of families in the adoption process.
I have seen the heartbreak of bringing home a 10 pound seven year old, followed by the joy of watching them gain weight and come alive.
I have seen miracles unfold, as children thrive and grow surrounded by the love of a family.
I have seen children I never thought would survive, children who had absolutely no future - I have seen them bloom.
If you go HERE, you will see photos of children who have been adopted, and are home with their families.
You can read blogs written by their parents, showing their progress.
Many of these children were on the Angel Tree in the past, and while $1000 may not seem much in the grand scheme of things, trust me when I tell you it is HUGE when your are an adopting family trying to raise $30,000 or more.
Please - if you've read this far - please take a look at the children on the Angel Tree, and send a few dollars their way.
You can find them all HERE, and below are just some of their photos.
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Just a few of the children on the Angel Tree.
Please help if you can !!
If not you - then who ??
Angel Tree 2015
If you are interested in international adoption, you can take a look at the costs and requirements of many countries HERE.
If you would like to help raise the adoption grants of waiting children, now is a great time to start, as Reece's Rainbow's major annual fundraiser is now drawing to a close.
Each year, advocates pick a waiting child, and pledge to raise $1000 for their adoption grant between November 1st and December 31st.
These children can all be found on the Angel Tree, and if you take a look, you will see that there is still a long way to go to get everyone to their $1000 goal.
Remember - all funds raised will help offset the adoption costs when a family steps forward to adopt.
Would this be a good time to mention that ALL donations are tax deductible ?
Donating is simple - just scroll through the children, pick a child, or two, or three - click donate and use either your Paypal account or a credit or debit card.
These children all deserve the chance of a new life - a life with a family, with love, with food and shelter, with education and therapies, with medical care, with a future.
I have followed the stories of families in the adoption process.
I have seen the heartbreak of bringing home a 10 pound seven year old, followed by the joy of watching them gain weight and come alive.
I have seen miracles unfold, as children thrive and grow surrounded by the love of a family.
I have seen children I never thought would survive, children who had absolutely no future - I have seen them bloom.
If you go HERE, you will see photos of children who have been adopted, and are home with their families.
You can read blogs written by their parents, showing their progress.
Many of these children were on the Angel Tree in the past, and while $1000 may not seem much in the grand scheme of things, trust me when I tell you it is HUGE when your are an adopting family trying to raise $30,000 or more.
Please - if you've read this far - please take a look at the children on the Angel Tree, and send a few dollars their way.
You can find them all HERE, and below are just some of their photos.
Just a few of the children on the Angel Tree.
Please help if you can !!
If not you - then who ??
Angel Tree 2015
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