Help an Orphan Find their Forever Family!

Just TWO Weeks Left! Miracle of Adoption

We have just two weeks remaining of our Miracle of Adoption Christmas Campaign!

Thank you for bearing with us! Thank you for bearing with us when we had our server problem last Friday. Everything is running smoothly again, so please stop by the MACC page! GO NOW!

We've raised $70,000+ Seven children have found their family! AND 35 kids have made their $1000 MACC goal! BUT there are still 65 who need your help to make the goal! TODAY we have an $8000 BUMP MATCH! When a child is bumped over the $500 mark, our donor will bump the BOTTOM child over the $500 mark too! DONATE DONATE NOW!

DONATE NOW!

Support the Adoption of An Orphan with Down Syndrome!

Be a Christmas miracle for an orphan with Down syndrome!

When you support our annual Christmas Angel Tree, you get more than a tree ornament.   ~Your donation~ is the gift of a FAMILY... a lifetime of love and potential....a personal, meaningful, life-altering gift...to a child who has been hidden away and neglected simply because they were born with special needs.  Donations to Reece's Rainbow serve as adoption grants, minimizing the financial challenge of bringing these children out of mental institutions and into loving families of their own.  The transformation once home is *profound* and obvious! (see above, Corbin and Paxton, adopted from China in 2015)      VISIT OUR ANGEL TREE AND DONATE NOW   Reece's Rainbow | message line: (240) 780-2120 | reecesrainbow.org

Reece's Rainbow Fundraiser at Ruby Tuesday

Ruby Tuesday Community GIVE BACK Program

Join us for lunch or dinner! on October 25, 26 & 27! We're so grateful to our friends at Ruby Tuesday for another opportunity to raise awareness for people with Down syndrome in our communities! CELEBRATE DOWN SYNDROME AWARENESS MONTH! Come join Reece's Rainbow at RUBY TUESDAY for lunch or dinner   on October 25, 26, & 27! Every Ruby Tuesday restaurant in the states of Maryland & Virginia are participating! Reece's Rainbow will earn 20% of your meal total!   CLICK for a complete list of participating restaurants in your state!   *You MUST print out this flier to give to your server for Reece's Rainbow so we can receive 20% of your purchase! Every Ruby Tuesday in DC, Maryland & Virginia are participating! Reece and his younger brother Owen CLICK for a complete list of participating restaurants in your state!

Reece's Rainbow featured in People Magazine

Andrea Roberts Helps Orphans With Down Syndrome Find Homes

By Alicia Dennis and Christina Tapper

11/08/2012 at 09:00 AM EST

  

Clockwise, from left: Reece, Rich, Andrea and Owen Roberts

Courtesy Andrea Roberts

 

 

Andrea Faris Roberts figured her new son, born in 2002, got his almond-shaped eyes from her husband, Rich.

But when doctors confirmed that Reece had Down syndrome, "I couldn't stop crying," says Andrea, whose prenatal tests were normal. "I thought, 'What's tomorrow going to be like?' "

The answer: Reece has not only enriched his parents' lives but inspired his mom to save kids with Down syndrome around the world. Researching her son's condition, Andrea learned that in many countries, babies born with the disorder are often abandoned and left in orphanages.

Launching Reece's Rainbow in 2004, the former account manager wrote grant applications and networked with adoption agencies, ultimately dispersing over $4 million to fund adoptions of more than 850 children from Russia, China, Mexico and elsewhere.

Parents like John and Charissa Urban of Owasso, Okla., wouldn't know the love of Ava, now 8, adopted from Ukraine in 2008 without the help of Reece's Rainbow. They turned to the organization to help with funds to bring home little Ava – who weighed only 19 lbs. and was unable to roll over at age 3.

Reece and Owen Roberts

Courtesy Andrea Roberts

Though she initially had to use a walker to get around, Ava is now running, jumping and playing with her six siblings, including two who are adopted also (one of whom also has Down syndrome). "She's the center of our family," Charissa says. "We're so grateful."

Andrea says that families are being built every day.

"What is wonderful about Reece's Rainbow, is that families can go and see children's photos on the website and know that money is being raised to help with the adoption costs," says Andrea. "They see that it is a better possibility for them to be able to afford to adopt without the years of painful heartbreak in waiting to try to raise funds."

Today, 10-year-old Reece is in the 5th grade and loves playing basketball with his little brother, Owen, 7, in the family's yard in Gaithersburg, Maryland. He's also challenging his father at golf.

"He's got a better golf game than my husband any day of the week," laughs Andrea, 40. "He's got a wonderful swing."

Andrea and Reece Roberts

Courtesy Andrea Roberts

 

Andrea insists that children with Down syndrome in institutions around the world are not forgotten and would be adopted if more families could afford the typical $25,000 fee (which includes home study costs, travel and adoption expenses).

"After six and a half years, all I can say to the world is, 'I told you so. I told you these kids were wanted,' " says Andrea. "Today, 850 children are not hidden away in institutions anymore. We have new connections every single day."

She adds: "If we had a full grant for every child on our website, we would have no children on our website. The cost is what is hard for people but every life is worth it. If we had more sponsors who could write a check for each of these kids and they would all have families. All of them."

And the proud mother says that her son Reece continues to be an inspiration.

"Reece," she says, "has helped so many families begin."

Adoption Fundraising Event

If you were at our pot-luck gathering last November, you'll remember Deanna & Rob Sader, a family from Willow Creek that shared their adoption story. Deanna began a journey learning about children with Down Syndrom when their first daughter was born. Through her research and advocacy she discovered an organization called Reece's Rainbow that helps children with D.S. and other special needs, find forever families. Last July, thanks to Reece's Rainbow, Deanna and Rob were able to adopt their daughter Lucy, who was born in Ukraine. As Deanna & Rob prayed about the possibility of another adoption, God lead them back to the Reece's Rainbow web site and to a little girl named "Charity". Now they are on their way to adopting her!


Here's how you can help. With $16,000 to raise, the Sader's are having a fundraising event to help defray their adoption expenses. For a $10 minimum donation, you will be entered into a drawing for 4 round-trip airline tickets anywhere in the continental US and 3 nights in a Hyatt hotel. You will be entered once for every $10 donation you make. All donations are tax deductible.

Here's how to donate:

1. Click on the Sader family blog: http://the21stchromosomeablessingindesguise.blogspot.com/2012/02/get-away-giveaway-for-charity.html

2. Click on the Reece's Rainbow badge in the right column to make your donation.

3. After the donation is made, go back to the Sader family blog and post in the comment section the amount of your donation. This will let them know how many times to enter you into the drawing.

The fundraiser will run until the end of February, and the winner will be picked on March 1st.

If you are able, I hope you'll join me in supporting the Sader family!

ABC World News Spotlights Adoption of Children with Special Needs

An organization called Reece’s Rainbow helps to match adoptive families to children with Down Syndrome and other special needs.  Below is an excellent report from ABC News that spotlights the adoption of a little girl with down syndrome from Ukraine.

Please remember to pray for this vulnerable children who do not have a voice, and that God would use this report to find many more forever families for these kids.
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/utah-family-saves-ukraine-girl-15236476

Reece's Rainbow Christmas Angel Tree

In only five years, more than 500+ children with Down syndrome and other special needs are HOME with their "forever families" this Christmas. The vast majority of this funding comes from the Angel Tree Project each year!

From November 1 - December 31, Reece's Rainbow is holding a fundraiser to support their efforts to advocates for the adoption of children with Down Syndrome and other special needs.

When you donate $35 or more, you will recieve a beautiful photo ornament of your sponsored child to hang on your tree. This is a very special way to "share Christmas" with an orphaned child, and it's a very personal and meaningful GIFT IDEA for everyone on your list. Gift cards will be sent with the ornament to your intended recipient(s). These are great for friends and family, but also for teachers, therapists, caregivers, doctors, etc. 

Willow Creek Orphan Sunday Event!

You Are Invited to a

Willow Creek Orphan Sunday Event

Sunday, November 20

5:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Willow Creek Community Church (room F150)

67 E. Algonquin Road So. Barrington, IL 60010

* Be challenged and inspired by our guest speakers from Reece's Rainbow, an organization that advocates for adoption of children with special needs.

* View the Heart Gallery of IL and help pray these children into forever families

* Join us in live worship to a God who's heart is for the orphan.

* Share a catered meal with orphan advocates & adoptive, foster and Safe Families.

* Be there to see our Forever Family Wall unveiled.

* Bring a package of diapers or pull-ups to help serve our local DCFS office. (optional)

* Child care is available after dinner if you r.s.v.p. with the number of children and their ages.

Please R.S.V.P. to vcministry127@gmail.com

(To find hundreds of Orphan Sunday events around the country and around the world, go to http://www.orphansunday.org/ and click on "map".)

Reese's Rainbow Celebrates 5 Years!

June 9, 2011 marks FIVE YEARS of life-saving impact through Reece's Rainbow. More than 500+ orphaned children with Down syndrome and other special needs, who were hidden away in orphanages and mental institutions around the world, have now found "forever families" in the United States and Canada.

Through the generous donations of private individuals, and of course God's abundant blessings, these children now have the opportunity to grow up in a loving family of their own. Each adoption is a powerful testimony to those orphanage directors, care staff, and officials abroad that these children are WANTED and families will come for them. In only 5 years, they have been able to disburse close to $1.5 MILLION in adoption grants to make these adoptions possible.

In 5 years, they have grown from five children in one orphanage, to more than 700 children in 25 countries around the world. More than HALF of those kids have already found families. The total commitment and belief in this vision by SO many donors, volunteers, facilitators, missionaries, and agency partners has turned Reece's Rainbow into nothing short of a "movement". Congressional Angel in Adoption, People Magazine Hero of the Year, historic giving during our 2010 Angel Tree…and new steps into serving birth families abroad, building a Youth Initiative to tap into schools, and promoting the dignity of life of babies with Down syndrome domestically as well.

Now they have been nominated for the 2011 CLASSY AWARD. The CLASSY Awards recognize the top philanthropic achievements by charities, businesses, fundraisers and volunteers from across the country. The winners receive national exposure and more than $150,000 in cash & prizes for their cause. You can help us win by just clicking "like" here: http://www.stayclassy.org/stories/reeces-rainbow-finds-families-for-orphans-with-special-needs

For more information at Reece's Rainbow ministry, visit www.reecesrainbow.org.