Comments on: Airlift of Haitian Orphans & Need for Foster Families?

By: jannadawn

jannadawn — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:05:35 +0000

I’m amazed by looking at your comments how many people read the article you wrote, references and all, did not get the fact that no, they are not going to get to foster a chld from Haiti, that’s not currently happening.
To all of you that still feel that kind of desire in your heart in spite of what you know in your head: contact a legitimate foster/adoption agency and RESCUE A CHILD from somewhere else in the world, who is waiting for a home now.
The reason you feel compelled to help the children in Haiti is because you have seen the troubles they’re facing. With a little more research you will find there are children orphaned by disease, poverty, neglect, cultural pressure, and even war. Their needs are just as legitimate as children orphaned by a natural disaster.
Adoptions from Kazakhstan and certain African countries can be as short as 6 months from the time you submit your dossier. http://www.WACAP.org also has lists of children with special needs who can be adopted for reduced fees. Many of these children need to come to the USA so they can receive the full medical treatment they deserve.
PLEASE direct that positive energy to helping ANY child you can, even a chld from your neighborhood may need a Big Brother/Big Sister! They are ALL God’s children.

By: F. I. C.

F. I. C. — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:15:45 +0000

YES. To everything you said. I am sending this to the fools that still keep talking about scooping up all the kids and bringing them here. The nutty Baptists that you also blogged on have helped to make people shut up about the airlift idea, but there are still some suggesting it.

By: Bernice

Bernice — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 23:52:28 +0000

This article was helpful in a paper I am writing.

Thanks

By: Lesley

Lesley — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:42:48 +0000

Great post- I am getting a lot of questions from people in my community as well and am happy to get some assistance in responding. I just wanted to add that Partners In Health is doing a wonderful job keeping the kids in the communities that they are from by giving the extended family support to help themselves. PIH is primarily working outside of Port au Prince but many people displaced from the city are making their way back out to the country to relatives and friends. So one way to help while we wait for the process to be cleared up is to send donations to PIH.org. TY

By: Elizabeth Larsen

Elizabeth Larsen — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:32:55 +0000

Thanks, as always, Dawn for your insights. I so appreciate the work that you do.

By: Mrs. Gamgee

Mrs. Gamgee — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 02:36:57 +0000

I appreciate the fact that the Haitian and US/Canadian governments are sticking to their guns and not immediately taking childen out of the country. I know that there are many many well-meaning people in our countries who want to help, and there are ways to do so, but to take a child from their home, culture, and possibly their extended family is not a good long term solution. I believe that whenever there is a family member who is willing and able to care for a child, their wishes should be respected. Their situations are dire right now, but I think a family connection can do just as much, emotionally speaking, as food and medicine can do, physically.

By: Dawn

Dawn — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 13:19:46 +0000

As of now, there are no plans for bringing children over here to foster. The best way to help right now is to send money to a charity that directly helps orphans or children’s homes. I list several in the previous two posts. In the future, I imagine and hope that there will be groups going over to Haiti to help rebuild orphanages and provide programs for the kids. I plan on looking into this type trip once they are ready for groups to come into the country.

By: Denise Davis

Denise Davis — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 04:53:10 +0000

My husband and I are liscensed foster parents and we would be interested in opening our home to more children. Please send any info on how we may help the children from Haiti. Thanks!

By: Betsy Simmons

Betsy Simmons — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:41:14 +0000

I have been a foster parent for 14 years in Columbus, Georgia and would love to foster a child for Haiti. Can you give me some information on how this works or is it possible.

By: Dawn

Dawn — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 03:34:51 +0000

Kimberly and Tracy, the planes that you see are likely empty or full of Americans coming home or possibly are bringing children to their adoptive parents, but the adoptions were already in the process of being adopted before the earthquake. I so understand the desire to help in some very tangible way. My home and arms, like yours, are aching to be of some use. As hard as it is, the bets thing we can d right now to help the children of Haiti is to give our money to an established organization with long standing connections in Haiti. I’ve listed several in my previous couple of blogs. There are others as well. Wait for a few months and let’s reassess where the needs are then. In the comings years, there may very well be a huge need for families to parent some of these children.