Every year, the Post Adoption Services department chooses a group of leadership staff and counselors to spend their entire summer at Holt Adoptee Camp — a weeklong overnight camp for international and domestic adoptees, ages 5-17. The staff members grew up all across the U.S., and they come from different backgrounds, families and cultures.
Empowering Women: The Key to Strengthening Families
Holt-Sunny Ridge’s “Empowering Women, Strengthening Families” program has changed the lives of moms who previously thought placing their children for adoption was the only solution to their desperate situation. Program director Nancy Crouch talks about the program in this article.
For many women, impending motherhood is a momentous event, often filled with laughter, joy, baby showers, nursery decorating, and bright hopes for the future.
But for women going through tough times who don’t have family or friends to support them, being a mother can be incredibly overwhelming — just to get through each day. They don’t think they can take care of themselves, much less their children. And sometimes, to give both their child and themselves the best chance to survive and thrive, they make the decision to place one or more of their children for adoption — even if they don’t really want to. Continue reading “Empowering Women: The Key to Strengthening Families”
For Children in U.S. Foster Care, What Does Permanency Mean?
Holt Senior Vice President Greg Eubanks talks about the ongoing crisis in the U.S. foster care system and what can be done about it.
In the US, some 690,000 children live under the foster care system as of 2017. Around 269,000 of these kids entered the system for the first time that year. These kids can be as young as newborns and as old as 20. Approximately 124,000 of them are waiting to be adopted, while the remainder look forward to reunification with their biological parents. Continue reading “For Children in U.S. Foster Care, What Does Permanency Mean?”
Our Top 10 Videos of 2019
As we look back at the stories we shared in 2019, these 10 videos left the biggest impression on our followers — and on us. Which one is your favorite?
Darren Needs a Family!
Meet Darren! He loves to play with toy cars and explore outside. People also describe him as funny, affectionate, compassionate and a helper around the house! Darren is 9 years old, and he’s one of the children waiting for a permanent, loving family.
Why U.S. Kids Need You To Say “Yes”
Children in our U.S. foster care and adoption system are in crisis — sleeping in hotel rooms and repurposed jails for a lack of somewhere to go. They need individuals and families to stand up, and say “yes.”
In our Seattle area office each day, we receive multiple emails from the State of Washington that briefly describe children who need a place to go. For multiple reasons, some need a placement for only a few days, other need a long-term foster family, and others need an adoptive family. These emails overwhelm me with the sheer volume of need.
One recent Friday, I opened one email to find 57 children listed. We received eight more emails that same day, just like this one. They come every day. Every. Day.
Edison Needs a Family!
Edison loves to play games, tell jokes and ride his bike! He always has a smile on his face and he has a creative imagination when he plays. At 7 years old, he’s one of the children waiting for a permanent, loving family.
Linus Urgently Needs a Family!
Eight-year-old Linus loves to swim, play basketball and watch TV with friends. He’s an independent boy and a good listener! He is also an active boy, and he enjoys jumping from activity to activity. But when he has a set schedule, Linus can easily follow it!
Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan to Transfer Private Domestic Adoption Program to Holt International
WEST ALLIS, Wis. (May 16, 2019) – Holt International Children’s Services and Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan (LSS) announced today that LSS will transfer its private domestic adoption program to Holt International. The transition of the program will be complete by June 3, 2019.
Approximately 60 families awaiting adoption will have the option to transfer their cases to Holt International. Holt has been expanding its presence in Wisconsin and has recently established a license in the state. To ensure a smooth transition, some members of the LSS adoption team will join the Holt team. Continue reading “Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan to Transfer Private Domestic Adoption Program to Holt International”
George Dennehy Headlining at Holt
Musician George Dennehy will headline Holt’s upcoming dinner & auctions in Portland on September 28, 2019 and Seattle on November 16, 2019. Born without arms to a family living in poverty in Romania, George barely survived his life in an orphanage before a family came forward to adopt him. Today, George tours the country advocating for children growing up orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable — to show how sponsorship can save the lives of children like him.