"Family" baseball caps for sale from FCC-Indiana

Families with Children from China (FCC) in Indiana are selling baseball caps. These colorful baseball caps are embroidered with the Chinese character for "Family".

Made of 100% cotton, the sturdy caps have an adjustable strap in the back to make them the perfect fit. At $12.00 a piece, these caps make a great gift idea for your family or friends.

Best of all, 100% of the proceeds go to support FCC-IN initiatives including Chinese cultural education, adoption awareness and supporting children who remain in China's orphanages.

Choose from a variety of color options in both adult and child sizes. To order, click here: http://www.fcc-in.org/family_caps

Adoption Research Project

Kate Sweeney is a sociologist from Purdue University Calumet conducting research on adoption choices. She's looking for parents who have adopted children to take part in a research project. Participants need to identify as white, have adopted one or more children domestically or internationally in the past 5 years, and live in the greater Chicago metro-area. The interview will take about 45 minutes to an hour and includes questions about your adopted child or children and the adoption process. Information from the interview will be confidential, meaning all identifying factors will be changed along with your name. If you are interested in participating in the study, please contact Kate Sweeney.

Kathryn A. Sweeney, PhD
Assistant Professor of Sociology
Department of Behavioral Sciences
Purdue University Calumet
kathryn.sweeney@purduecal.edu

The Chapel's 4th Annual Foster Care, Safe Families & Adoption Conference

Open Hearts, Open Homes Conference

The Chapel’s Fourth Annual Foster Care, Safe Families, and Adoption Conference sponsored by the Compassion for Kids Ministry.

SATURDAY, MAY 21
8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

The Chapel:330 S. Old Rand Rd., Lake Zurich, IL

Early bird registration is $20 (before May 7).
After May 7 registration is $30.

Registration includes a light breakfast, coffee, a catered lunch, a variety of breakout sessions, resources,networking opportunities, and DCFS training hours.

For more information and to register, go to www.chapel.org/adoption

God cares deeply about children who need families.

And he calls us to care for these children too.

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and
widows in their distress” (James 1:27, NIV).

This need is as real today as it was in James’ day. Attend the conference and discover how God might be calling you to care for children in need!

This year’s keynote presentation will be given by Todd Wilson, adoptive parent

and senior pastor of Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, Illinois.

BREAKOUT Sessions:

Beginning Your Adoption Journey (Bethany Christian Services)
This session will cover the opportunities available to adopt children internationally and domestically. The process involving application, home study, foreign country procedures, profile development, and legal issues, as well as other relevant topics will be discussed.


Discovering Our Unique Role— Men Only (RICK EGBERT, Pastor of Campuses, The Chapel)
Sorry, ladies, this session is only for us guys. We’re going to eat man snacks, make man sounds, and talk man-talk. If you’re a dude and considering or actively involved in adoption, foster care or Safe Families, join us for a spirited talk about your God-given role.

Breaking Through Barriers– Understanding Sensory Processing in Children
(Connections Day School)
Parents will learn about the seven senses, how they contribute to our day-to-day functioning, and what it looks like when one (or more) of these systems “aren’t right.” We will also discuss strategies and activities parents can use at home with their children to help alleviate
the challenges that come with sensory processing difficulties.

The Heart Gallery Of Illinois
The Heart Gallery of Illinois is a gallery of professional portraits of children in the foster care system who are eligible for adoption. In this session we will discuss how these children get chosen, what we can do to prepare our hearts and homes for the special needs of these hard to place kids. Find out how you can get involved with the Heart Gallery in your own church or community to create awareness and advocate for these precious children.


The Ministry of Foster Care (One Hope United)
The mission of Foster Care is the reunification of children and their families. Foster Care families and the staff at One Hope United play the dual role of protecting children and strengthening families. This overview will shed some light on the foster parent’s very important role in this complex, but rewarding, process.

Encouraging Healing and Coping Behaviors in Kids with Tough Starts
(AdoptionLearningPartners.org)
How do we convey the love of Christ and teach coping behaviors to children who struggle with quick tempers and intense reactions? Attendees will discuss approaches for teaching a child to trust, to wait, to lose their temper in a moderated manner, and calm more quickly after a “melt-down.”

The Trans-racial Family (Evangelical Child and Family Agency)
This session will provide an overview of the stages of racial awareness, including how to answer challenging questions from your child, family, friends, and the community. The session will also include an interview of a foster/adoptive mother and her trans-racially adopted, 15-year-old daughter.

Funding Adoption (Lifesong for Orphans)
The cost of adoption can be a challenge. This workshop will give you practical tips on removing the financial barriers to adoption through innovative funding tools, including turn-key solutions to Church Adoption Funds, and effective Adoption Grants & Loans. Learn more about Lifesong for Orphans at lifesongfororphans.org.

Special Panel Discussion: During lunch we will hear several amazing stories of how compassion has been shown to kids. Members of the panel include a long-time foster mom, a single foster dad, adoptive parents, and an adult adoptee. Attendees will also have the opportunity to submit questions to the panel.

Contact Laura Grimes at buildingfamilies@chapel.org or call 847.281.3438 with questions or to volunteer for the conference. For more information and to register, go to www.chapel.org/adoption

Empowered To Connect Resource

Give Your Child Permission to Process Feelings

Watch as Dr. Karyn Purvis encourages parents not to be afraid of their child’s feelings and instead allow their child to openly discuss and process their feelings. This video is part of the Insights and Gifts video series, which includes a small group discussion guide that you can download here. http://empoweredtoconnect.org/wp-content/uploads/Insights-Gifts-Discussion-Guide-Final.pdf

Don't forget to mute the blog music on the bottom of this page before playing the video.

Gift 5: Give Your Child Permission to Process Feelings from Tapestry on Vimeo.

Safe Blankets Block Party

You're Invited to a Safe Blankets Block Party!

Saturday, April 16, 2011

11:00 - 4:00

at the home of Tamara Peterson

5034 Brummel, Skokie, IL 60077

About a year ago, Tamara Peterson, from Willow Creek North Shore, had a vision to serve children in Safe Families. She began an organization called Safe Blankets which in the past year has distributed over 50 handmade quilts to Safe Families children. Remembering the comfort that a special blanket brought to her in her childhood, Tamara wanted to give the children something that not only would keep them warm, but would remind them that they are loved.




All skill levels are welcome. Donations of sewing machines, fabrics, new thread, and pins are also needed. If you would like to be a part of the Safe Blankets quilting day, please call Lynn at 847-730-5617 or e-mail safeblankets@gmail.com, or visit them on Facebook.

Informational Night: Adoption, Foster Care, Safe Families

The Vulnerable Children Ministry at Willow Creek

(Formerly, A Voice 4 His Children)

Invites you to……

Informational Night
5:00-7:00 pm March 20, 2011

New Room Location! Room F150A
(Located in the west wing, lower level Promiseland room)

If you have ever considered becoming an adoptive, foster or Safe Family, this meeting is for you!

Join us as we have three separate, simultaneous presentations:

Adoption: Adoption experts from Bethany Christian Services will introduce the adoption process for both domestic and international adoptions and detail the agency's services.

Foster Care: Joyce Moffit from ECFA (Evangelical Child and Family Agency) will discuss how to get started with DCFS Foster Care--what you need to know and what your next steps are.

Safe Families: Tom Maluga, Director of Safe Families, will introduce and explain the process of becoming a Safe Family.

If you are already on your adoption, foster care or Safe Families journey, please come to connect and find support with other families that are on similar journeys.

Of course, our evening begins with a Pot-Luck Dinner at 5:00 for everyone, and then at 5:45 we will join our presentation of interest. Plan to bring a dish to share. Drinks will be provided.

Child care is provided after dinner if you R.S.V.P. with the number of children and their ages. A small donation for child care is requested.


R.S.V.P. by replying to this e-mail. Please put either “adoption”, “foster care” or “Safe Families” in the subject line when you reply to let us know which session you will be attending.

For questions call Dina at 630-213-3558.

Willow Creek Community Church
67 E. Algonquin Road
South Barrington, IL 60010

Adoption Funding Resources

Below is a list of some organizations that help with funding adoptions. Don't let money get in the way of giving a child a forever home. If you know of additional sources, please let us know.

Abba Fund http://www.abbafund.org/ Grants & loans.

A Child Waits Foundation http://www.achildwaits.org/ Grants & loans.

Adoption tax credit http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/page/0,,id%3D16260,00.html Federal adoption tax credit information.

Adoption Financing http://www.adoptionfinancing.org/ Ideas and resources for financing adoption.

Ava’s Hope http://www.avashope.org/ Grants.

Bright Futures http://www.brightfuturesfoundation.org/ Grants & loans.

China Care http://www.chinacare.org/ Grants and loans for adoptions from China.

Christian Adoption Resources http://www.christianadoptionresources.org/ Provide listing of Grant programs.

Gift of Adoption http://www.giftofadoption.org/ Adoption grants.

God’s Grace Adoption Ministries http://www.ggam.org/ Grants.

Help Us Adopt http://www.helpusadopt.org/ Grants & loans.

LifeSong for Orphans http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/ Grants & loans.

Loving Shepherds Ministry http://www.loving-shepherd.org/ Does not give grants, but provides resources for families in the beginning adoption stage, including grant sources.

One World Adoption Fund http://www.owaf.org/ Grants & loans.

Open Hearts for Orphans (local) http://www.openhearts.org/ Grants & loans.

Perspectives Press http://www.perspectivespress.com/adoptionfinances.html Ideas & resources for financing adoption.

Subsidies for Military Families http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/f_milita.cfm

Tapestry Ministry http://tapestry.irvingbible.org/index.php?id=1580 Grants & loan

U.S. Dept of State Annoucnement: Ethiopia

The following post is taken from The Joint Council website, www.jointcouncil.org.

The following announcement was issued by the U.S. Dept of State, Office of Children’s Issues on March 16, 2011. It can also be found on their website.

U.S. Department of State, Office of Children’s Issues, Adoption Division hosted a conference call for Adoption Service Providers on March 11, 2011 at 10:45 am to discuss recent announcements made by the Ethiopian Ministry of Women’s, Children’s and Youth Affairs (MOWCYA). Below is a summary of information presented on the call.

As was stated in the March 9, 2011 Adoption Alert, the Department of State received information on the announcement made by the MOWCYA regarding the planned reduction in workload processing.

■MOWCYA planned to implement a reduction of case processing from approximately 50 cases reviewed per day to no more than 5 cases reviewed per day.
■MOWCYA has stated that this reduction is to improve screening of adoption cases while also devoting existing resources to other priorities on vulnerable children.
■MOWCYA reviews each adoption case at two points in the process: after the match with prospective adoptive parents and after the final court decree to approve issuance of new birth certificate and passport for child.
■MOWCYA has not announced any implementation guidelines on how reduction in processing will affect each stage of the process
■If only 5 cases are reviewed per day, delays could be significant. Calculations based on rough estimates of cases in process (around 1000) indicate delays of one year or more.
■Department of State defines ‘cases in process’ as those whose dossier has been accepted up to those cases that have received the final letter approving issuance of passport and birth certificate.
■We are working on getting more details on implementation guidelines.
Since announcement, the Department of State has heard many rumors, but none have been substantiated. The U.S. Embassy can confirm that the Ministry of Women, Children and Youth Affairs has shuffled the portfolios of key adoption personnel. The Embassy has not been able to confirm how this reorganization may affect the processing of cases through the ministry.

Additionally, the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa is discussing the possibility of developing a consolidated assistance proposal to MOWCYA to find out what the resource needs are and find what assistance can be given to allow MOWCYA to accomplish their goals.

China Opens Adoption to Single Women

The following update is taken from The Joint Council website. www.jointcouncil.org


China Opens Adoption to Single Women

The China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA) has announced that single women may once again adopt in China beginning today, March 15, 2011.

Single adoptions, which once comprised over a quarter of all intercountry adoptions in China, will now be used to find families for Chinese children with special needs. The new singles program is specific to finding families for children designated as Special Focus. This designation usually indicates the child has a special need, is pre-school or school age and has been on the shared waiting list for more than 60-days. It can also indicate a non-special needs child of school age who has been on the shared waiting list for more than 60-days.

If you or someone you know, are considering an adoption in China, please contact a Joint Council affiliated Adoption Service Provider to learn more about this new program.

Following is the full text of the CCAA announcement.

__________________________________________

Government departments and adoption agencies in receiving countries, In order to promote special needs child adoption and guarantee the basic interests of the orphaned and disabled children, CCAA decides to accept the adoption applications from female single applicants to adopt according to the requirements listed in this notice, starting from March 15, 2011:

■Female single applicants are allowed to adopt special focus children listed on the special Needs System of CCAA.
■One applicant can only adopt one special focus child at a time, with an interval of at least one year between two adoptions.
■The applicant shall have reached the age of 30 years and are under 50. For applicants over 50, the age difference between the child to be adopted and the applicant shall be no more than 45 years.
■The applicant shall provide her civil status certificate. Unmarried applicants shall provide certification for being single and non-homosexual; divorced applicants shall provide the divorce certificate of the last marriage; and widowed applicants shall provide the death certificate of their ex-spouse.
■The reason of being single and attitude towards marriage. Applicants shall have clear indication of willingness to appoint male figures as role models for the adopted child, and welcome male friends to join family gatherings.
■Applicants shall have received inter-country adoption training and training specifically for special needs child adoption so as to understand fully the physical and psychological needs of special needs children.
■Detailed nurturing and rehabilitation plan. Applicants shall be qualified personally and socially for caring special needs children and have wide social and family supporting network which can provide assistance any time.
■Guardians appointed by the applicants shall provide written statement as consent to act as the guardian of the adopted child. X. If the applicant has a stable relationship and lives with a male partner, the requirements of couple applicants shall be applied.
■Applicants shall be healthy both physically and mentally according to the requirements by CCAA for prospective adoptive couples.
■Applicants shall be law abiding with no criminal records, and have good moral quality and conduct
■The family annual income shall reach $10,000 per family member, including the prospective adoptee and the family net assets value should reach $100,000.
■The applicant shall have good medical insurance which can cover the medical expense of the adopted child.
■Applicants shall be experienced in child caring or be occupied in child-related fields, such as doctor, nurse, teacher, child psychological counselor, etc. It’s best that the applicants have already had successful experience in caring for special needs children.
■The number of children in the applicant’s family under the age of 18 years shall be no more than two, and the youngest one should have reached the age of 6 years old.
■Applicants shall be fully prepared for adopting a special focus child.
■Social workers shall provide the following information fully and timely in the home study reports besides family visit interviews: Adoption motive. The decision to adopt a special focus child shall be well-considered. Applicants shall be capable of caring for a special need child and be responsible for the well-being of the child.

Invisible Children

On Wednesday, March 30th the cofounder of Invisible Children, Jason Russell, will be at Willow Creek for a unique experience! Jason and the IC are dedicated to rescuing children who have been abducted and forced to fight as child soldiers in Uganda.

2010 was a great year for IC and they are expanding their efforts from Uganda to the Congo. Join Jason and the Axis community (ages 18 - 20+) of Willow Creek to screen the new film “TONY” and tell you how you can join in the fight!

For more information contact the Axis ministry at http://www.iamaxis.org/contactus/.