Helping Children and Families in Need

By Lucy Hulse, Chief Financial Officer

Adoption is expensive. And, as is the case everywhere this past year, adoption has been affected by the economy. Families who want to adopt are struggling to a greater degree with the decision of whether to proceed due to the finances involved. When I think about the mission of Wide Horizons For Children, and of our commitment to helping children and families worldwide, I am grateful that we have financial assistance options for families.

Since 1993, WHFC has offered financial assistance to qualifying families in the form of subsidies. These subsidies are based on the needs of the child being adopted, or on the adopting family's need for financial support in order to complete an adoption. In the past year, WHFC awarded over $50,000 in subsidies to 16 families and children. Among the children who now have families, in part due to the subsidy award, are:

• A teenager from India
• 3-year-old twin girls from the Philippines
• An infant with special needs from Korea
• A set of siblings, 7, 5 and 2 years old, from Taiwan
• A 9-year old from Colombia

Not every family, however, will qualify to receive a subsidy. Does this mean a family would need to abandon their dreams of building their family through adoption?

We hope not.

In recent months, we have seen more families applying for and receiving grants from other organizations. These range country-focused organizations, to religious based charities, to those founded by remarkable adoptive parents who want to help other adoptive children and their families.

Additionally, more families adopting through WHFC have been receiving gifts from family and friends in the form of money toward the adoption. Our team in the finance department has been able to step in and help families explore ways to make the dream of adoption a reality. Helping children and families in need. it's what we do.