Finding good information on the web is becoming more and more difficult. If you are interested in adoption or in orphan ministry, we have done a lot of the research for you. We believe the websites listed below are excellent resources for adoption and orphan information. Perhaps you know of others which should be added to our list. If so, please send us an email with more information about the website you would like to see us add. Our email: info@bigfamilyministry.org .
ORPHAN CARE RESOURCES:
Orphan Care Resources, an initiative of The CoMission for Children at Risk, exists to equip believers to care for orphans.
Their vision: A Believer in the Life of Every Orphan!
The website provides information, resources and events for international orphan care, church orphan ministries, adoptive or foster families, and anyone caring for the fatherless in any way>
They describe their website as follows: Orphans are clearly close to our Father's heart, and He has opened doors of opportunity for His people to address the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of these precious children whom He loves so deeply. Many believers around the world have responded to God's call to care for orphans and street children. Now Orphan Care Resources provides the information believers need to be equipped to do what God has called us to do.
At present, much of the information on this website is focused on orphans and adoption movements in Russia and Eastern Europe.
The Orphan Care Resources website allows ministries and other orphan care/adoption organizations to post a listing and profile on the website.
Thank you, Orphan Care Resources, for bringing a wealth of resources onto one platform!
Description on their website:
"The Christian Alliance for Orphans unites more than 100 respected Christian organizations and a national network of churches. Working together, our joint initiatives inspire, equip and connect Christians to “defend the fatherless” (Isaiah 1:17).
"Ultimately, we seek to stimulate and help grow Christian communities committed to adoption, foster care and global orphan care in the local church. Our united efforts include the national Summit, the Orphan Sunday campaign, monthly webinars, and an array of other initiatives.
"As the Alliance helps Christians understand God’s call to care for the orphan and equips them for effective response, the impact reaches far beyond a single program or met need. Rather, an ever-expanding army of passionate advocates invest time, talent and treasure in a personal and sustained commitment to caring for orphans in the name of Christ.
"Alliance membership includes three primary categories: organization, church and individual. Regional or National Alliances of churches may join as affiliates of the Alliance. Together, all Alliance members advance a vision larger than any one of us.
Without the Alliance, most members would work in isolation or even competition.
Instead, the unifying leadership of the Alliance creates shared impact no one organization, church or individual could achieve alone."
Churches may join the Alliance without having to pay a membership fee.
CHILD WELFARE
INFORMATION GATEWAY: Here's a great website from the U.S. government: The Child Welfare Information Gateway promotes the safety, permanency, and well-being of children, youth, and families by connecting child welfare, adoption, and related professionals as well as the general public to information, resources, and tools covering topics on child welfare, child abuse and neglect, out-of-home care, adoption, and more.
On this website, you will find an excellent guide to adoption :
Topics include:
ADOPTION.COM: On this website, you will find an excellent guide to adoption :
Topics include:
Although Adoption.com is loaded with advertisements for various agencies and services, it provides a wealth of information on almost every aspect of adoption. Adoption.com describes its mission: "Adoption.com is committed to helping as many children as possible find loving, permanent homes. We also provide critical information at the decision-making moment to women facing crisis pregnancies.
"We assist adoptees and birthparents to find birthfamilies, and we help hopeful adoptive parents make adoption dreams come true.
"We are especially committed to helping special needs children in the U.S. and around the world, who otherwise wouldn't be able to find families."
Most Adoption.com are free community services, including: photolisting of waiting children, adoption reunion registry, and online support forums.
The Adoption.com founders (Nathan Gwilliam and Dale Gwilliam) and employees have had an extensive heritage and experience with adoption and fostering, which spans 6 generations. Adoption.com websites have been built with experience that includes adoptive parenting, foster parenting, adoption search, social work, unplanned pregnancy, and adoption law.
Just be aware that you will see a lot of paid advertising on the Adoption.com websites. Of course, without the paid advertising, this website would not be able to provide all the information and services about adoption.
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All children are orphans; Christian orphanages; 100% goes to orphans
Write directly to your sponsored child at the orphanage
Your sponsored child writes directly to you.
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NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR ADOPTION: Founded in 1980, the National Council For Adoption (NCFA) is an adoption advocacy nonprofit that promotes a culture of adoption through education, research, and legislative action.
Their areas of focus are infant adoption, adoption out of foster care, and intercountry adoption. Passionately committed to the belief that every child deserves a nurturing, permanent family, they serve children, birthparents, adoptive families, adoption agencies, U.S. and foreign governments, policymakers, media, and the general public as the authoritative voice for adoption.On NCFA's website, families interested in adoption will find an excellent listing of resources and information. Families are also invited to participate in the "intercountry adoption journey", a training program developed in cooperation with the Council on Accreditation (COA) and the U.S. Department of State.
The original Intercountry Adoption Journey 1.0 launched in February 2008 as one of the first Hague certification programs offered to parents and adoption professionals. By January 2011, NCFA had certified more than 10,000 adoptive parents and adoption professionals through its Hague-compliant online training. NCFA's Hague-compliant training has been recognized by many accredited adoption agencies, as well as by adoption authorities in several Hague and non-Hague nations. Families are invited to become members of NCFA. NCFA's Adoption Advocates have a unique opportunity to unite with a community of people who are passionate about adoption and share the belief that every child deserves a loving, permanent family.
NCFA members will help make a difference in the lives of thousands of children waiting to be adopted and play a key role in promoting a culture of adoption in our nation and around the world through advocacy, social networking, blogging, and sharing with others the personal impact of adoption in their lives.
NCFA welcomes all who share in the belief that every child deserves a loving, permanent family. Our members include adopted individuals, birthparents, adoptive parents, families, social workers, students, and adoption professionals from all walks of life.
FAMILIES FOR RUSSIAN AND UKRAINIAN ADOPTION: With chapters across the US and members around the world, Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption provides international adoption support resources for families completed through adoption in Eastern European and Central Asian countries. FRUA provides a community that nurtures children and supports parents, family and adoption education resources, and the world-class FRUA National Education Conference.
The adopted children of FRUA's families come from all former Soviet bloc countries and republics, including Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Belarus, Romania and many more. FRUA believes that every child deserves a forever family and celebrates the rich heritage of our children's birth countries. Their Orphan Support efforts ensure we never forget the children left behind in those orphanages.
From it's beginnings in 1994 as a local Washington DC parent group to its growth as an international, multi-chapter support resource, FRUA continues to focus on the following goals:
* To improve the lives of children
* To strengthen families
* To share the culture and heritage of our children
* To provide peer group support for our children
* To provide peer group support for parents
* To promote a reality-based perception of our children.
This is an excellent website for those who have adopted or plan to adopt from Eastern European countries.
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Help rescue orphans no longer eligible for U.S. adoption!
Partner with a Christian ministry team that visits and helps Russian orphans!
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ADOPTIVE FAMILIES MAGAZINE: the award-winning national adoption magazine, is a leading adoption information source for families before, during, and after adoption.
On the Adoptive Families website, you will find a wealth of information about adoption and may access some of the articles published in the printed version of Adoptive Families Magazine. The website provides many links to adoption information, as well as sections about books, FAQs, groups, events, blogs, and experts on adoption.
The website also provides a listing of adoption professionals by state for those adopting in the USA.
The website gives you a "taste" of what Adoptive Families Magazine is all about. Those who wish to learn more about adoption may wish to subscribe to the magazine.
U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT: Thinking of adopting a child from another country? You will find an excellent guide to inter-country adoption on the U.S. State Department's Inter-Country adoption website. The website provides up-to-date information on adoption requirements from many different countries.
Each year thousands of U.S. citizens adopt children from abroad, and many families in other countries adopt U.S. children.
Inter-country adoption is governed by both the laws of the country in which the child lives and the country in which the adoptive parents live.
Under U.S. law, there are two distinct inter-country adoption processes: the Hague Convention process and the non-Hague Convention process. Which process you will follow will depend on whether or not the other country involved is also a party to the Hague Convention. This website guides you through and answers your questions about these processes.
NATIONAL AMERICAN COUNCIL ON ADOPTABLE CHILDREN: Through advocacy, education, adoption support, and leadership development in the U.S. and Canada, NACAC helps to reform systems, alter viewpoints, and change lives. NACAC services include the following:
- Support parent groups and other community leaders in their efforts to advocate for waiting children and adoptive families in their communities;
- Host one of the most comprehensive adoption training conferences in North America, with more than 100 accredited workshops for parents and professionals;
- Inform parents, professionals, and others about waiting children and other issues related to foster care and adoption through our quarterly newsletter Adoptalk and other publications;
- Conduct training sessions and workshops on adoption subsidy, child welfare reform, transracial adoption, and other issues related to foster care and special needs adoption;
- Offer leadership training to adoptive, foster, and kinship parents to help create and enhance support groups for families in their communities;
- Create and disseminate publications that provide resources, information, and support to adoptive families and prospective adopters;
- Provide phone consultation and materials to address parents' questions about adoption subsidies for children with special needs.
You will also find information about financial assistance for adoptions.
Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption describes its mission: "We believe that we have a responsibility to be the voice of foster care adoption, so that every child finds a family. We exist to find homes for children who are waiting to be adopted from foster care in North America. In the process, we work to inform adults who may have misperceptions about foster care adoption that keep them from getting involved. Through the money we raise, we are able to provide free educational resources, promote awareness, assist policymakers and employers, and support adoption professionals and agencies throughout the United States and Canada to ensure that every child finds a forever home."
Goals: "Every child deserves to live in a safe, loving and permanent family. No child should linger in foster care or leave the system at age 18 without a permanent family of his or her own. Every child is adoptable."