AEA Newsletter Header Link to AEA Website
March 2008

In This Issue:

Message from Rachel Pratt, CEO

In December 2007, the Adoption Exchange Association received a generous contribution from FairPay Solutions, a healthcare savings company located in Addison., TX.  At FairPay’s request, AEA will be sharing information with you in the upcoming months about permanency planning for children whose parents have a terminal illness.  It turns out that a number of you currently operate such programs, and others have expressed interest in learning more. 

Below is the first article, from The Adoption Exchange.  If you haven’t already, tell us about the work you are doing as well as any assistance you might need to launch your own programs for these vulnerable families.

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The Adoption Exchange Responds to Families Affect by HIV/AIDS

In 1994, a mother dying of AIDS approached The Adoption Exchange for assistance in developing a plan for the future of her two boys after her death.  The Adoption Exchange discovered many other families like hers in the community and subsequently created Families Connecting for Kids torespond to the permanency needs of families affected by HIV/AIDS.  Between 1994 and 2007, The Adoption Exchange partnered with service providers in the metro Denver area to ensure that families, where the primary caregiver had HIV/AIDS, received assistance with permanency planning, legacy events (to create memories through art, videos and photobooks), and social opportunities (summer picnic and holiday party) to plan for their children’s futures. Other supports such as case management, a newsletter, food vouchers, and bus tokens were available as needed.

Services offered through Families Connecting for Kids were available in English and Spanish. The program relied on the support of volunteers in providing pro bono legal advice for permanency planning, conducting legacy workshops, and planning social events.  While there were many service providers who sought to provide for the immediate and basic needs of families affected by HIV/AIDS, Families Connecting for Kids was the only program in Colorado that gave families the tools and resources they needed to plan for the future of their children. By serving these families, The Adoption Exchange ensured that fewer children were placed in the foster care system due to a lack of planning for a child’s future. 
 
For further information, please contact Suzanne Dosh, The Adoption Exchange, suzanne@adoptex.org or 1.800.451.5246, ext. 243.

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New AdoptUsKids Family Blog

In an effort to provide current adoption information and offer support to families who are new to the adoption process, AEA established an AdoptUsKids blog, located at adoptuskids.blogspot.com.  It is directed specifically at meeting families’ needs throughout the homestudy, search, and placement processes.  If questions or comments are directed at a specific state, our AdoptUsKids Recruitment Response Team in that state will post a relevant response on the blog. Additionally, AdoptUsKids media spokesfamilies who have adopted previously are asked to answer questions and comments based on their personal experiences.  Topics that have been addressed so far include adoption subsidy, ICPC protocol, and the adoption of siblings.  The blog is moderated by Kate Kirkpatrick.

For more information, you can contact Kate at kkirpatrick@adoptuskids.org

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Free Salesforce for Qualified Non-Profits

In January 2007, AEA received a donation of ten (10) year-long, renewable licenses for Salesforce.   We are just getting started.  But already this powerful software is helping AEA to track and communicate better with the thousands of individuals and organizations across the country that are dedicating their lives to create families for waiting children.  Here is how AEA is using Salesforce so far:

  • In very little time, merged and uploaded thousands of contacts collected over the many years of AEA and AdoptUsKids. 
  • Promoted the new AdoptUsKids blog by sending a mass email to more than 4,000 families who had registered on the AdoptUsKids website and to nearly 2,000 private adoption agencies nationwide.
  • In seconds, created printer-ready lists for mailing out the latest AdoptUsKids publication.
  • Will soon be sending out the Monday Morning Memo and the AEA Newsletter through Salesforce.
  • Getting set up to better serve members with historical tracking—Salesforce will track member and Board history, committee information, newsletter contributions, and other important data about participation with AEA.
  • Tracking fundraising campaigns and results is simple with the non-profit component of Salesforce.

The in-kind donation is from Salesforce valued at more than $11,000 per year.  To learn more about how AEA is using Salesforce, if Salesforce is right for your organization, and the process for receiving a similar donation, please contact Rachel Pratt at rpratt@adoptea.org. 

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Reciprocal Links Between Member Sites and www.adoptuskids.org

AEA is happy to offer reciprocal links between all AEA members.  Does your website have a section for other adoption resources?  Would you like visitors to AdoptUsKids to be able to more quickly see information about your Exchange and your State?  Please contact Anastasia Edney at aedney@adoptuskids.org so all of our families and staff can more quickly learn about what each of our organizations has to offer.

 

Help AdoptUsKids Find More Media Families Nationwide

As you know, AdoptUsKids is dedicated to increasing the public awareness of children in foster care who are available for adoption.   Members of the Adoption Exchange Association are an important part of our national media outreach.  We receive many requests from radio, television and print reporters across the country. We have available spokesfamilies who are willing to participate in these interviews.  However, we still need more families!  If you are aware of any interested families who have experience with adoption and foster care, please ask them to contact Kate Kirkpatrick at kkirkpatrick@adoptuskids.org or (717) 545-5251. 

Please tell your families that they they are the best voices for adoption!  We also understand that each family has many commitments and therefore may need to decline an invitation to participate in an event or interview. By agreeing to be a spokesperson, it is not assumed that they will be available to participate at all times! Please contact Kate directly if you have questions.  Thanks so much!   

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Register Now for Upcoming Conferences

Child Welfare League of America 2008
Feb. 25–27, 2008 (Washington, D.C.)
 
Black Administrators in Child Welfare
March 2–4, 2008 (Baltimore, MD)
 
National Conference on Juvenile Justice
March 9–12, 2008 (St. Louis, MO)
 
National Foster Parent Association
May 12–16 (Atlanta, GA)
 
National Court Appointed Special Advocates
June 7–10 (Washington, D.C.)
 
National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Justices annual conference
July 27–30, 2008 (Norfolk, VA)

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Renew Your Membership in AEA
Why should your organization become a member of the Adoption Exchange Association?  As a member, YOU are the Adoption Exchange Association and have a voice in shaping the organization and how it serves you.   All membership levels include features and assistance to help you run your organizations and get more children adopted. 

Individual and Organization Membership

  • Monthly electronic AEA newsletter sent to your home or office (printed version available if preferred)
  • One copy of all new AEA and AdoptUsKids publications (new members receive copies of past publications as well)
  • Members only use of Adopt Air services
  • Your organization’s link on the membership page of the AEA website
  • 25% discount for one (1) attendee at the AEA Conference
  • Opportunities to get out the word about your organizations through articles in the AEA newsletter
  • The chance to participate in the planning of the AEA conference.

Premier Membership
All of the above plus:

  • Your organization’s link on the home page of the AEA website
  • 50% discount for one (1) attendee at the AEA Conference and 25% discount for up to four (4) more attendees
  • The opportunity to enroll first in new organizational support features as they are developed, including shared purchasing and discount subscriptions.
  • The chance to be the first to test new interactive members-only features on the AEA website! 

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Because all children need families, the Adoption Exchange Association serves its members by stimulating innovative solutions, eliminating barriers, advocating, educating, and sharing excellent practice.  Our central goal is to assist and encourage our members nationwide as they find adoptive families for all children and youth who wait in foster care.

Adoption Exchange Association | 8015 Corporate Drive, Suite C | Baltimore, MD 21236 | 410.933.5700 | www.adoptea.org