Marco* came into state custody with two of his younger siblings. At the time, they were all placed together; unfortunately, the family they were placed with adopted his two younger siblings but decided not to adopt Marco. During his five years in foster care, Marco ended up moving nine times. He never felt like he had a place to belong and dreamed of having a family that would love and care about him – no matter what.
Marco participated in many different recruitment strategies with The Adoption Exchange. He began working with an Intensive Recruiter, who advocated for a Wednesday’s Child television segment so that people could really see what an amazing kid he was. After Marco’s Wednesday’s Child taping aired, the Johnson* family inquired about him. They completed the required home study process and Marco was eventually matched with them and moved into their home after a three-month transition period.
Initially, Marco had a hard time understanding that the Johnson family really cared about him and wanted him to be a part of their family. He didn’t know what it was like to have parents and struggled with them telling him what to do and learning how to share attention with his new siblings. As he tested the family and they continued to stick it out with him, Marco began to let his walls down and let them in.
The finalization of Marco’s adoption was postponed five different times while services to support his ongoing needs were put into place. Each postponement was difficult for Marco, but the family continued to work through them and let Marco know he was staying there and that he was part of their family. Luckily, everything fell into place and Marco’s adoption was finalized!
“They picked me! I can’t believe they picked me!”
– Marco
At his finalization hearing, his parents told the court that they knew Marco was supposed to be a part of their family from the moment they laid eyes on him, and that they would do what every parent should do for their kids: love him, encourage him, and take care of him. Marco cried through the whole process; at the end, as he was talking to his Intensive Recruiter, he gave her a big hug and said, “They picked me! I can’t believe they picked me!”
Marco’s story is just one example of a successful adoption made possible by supporters of The Adoption Exchange. There are so many individuals who need access to resources at different stages of the adoption process, and The Adoption Exchange is here to help. Our services include media-based and intensive recruitment, a mentorship program, education and trainings for professionals and families, and post-adoption services. We even have a program that provides birthday gifts for children waiting in foster care!
It is only through support from people like you that these programs are possible. Have you ever considered making monthly donations to The Adoption Exchange? Becoming a sustaining donor has many perks:
1) It’s convenient! Your annual support of The Adoption Exchange continues monthly without having to renew.
2) Contributing a smaller set amount each month rather than a larger one-time gift is easier on your personal budget.
3) You’re completely in control of your membership in our monthly giving program; you can start or stop your donations at any time.
Besides the benefits monthly giving offers to you as a donor, it also provides a stable foundation and predictable income for The Adoption Exchange. Knowing we can rely on your gift, month in and month out, allows for consistent funding of our operations, which makes us a stronger organization and leads to an even greater positive impact on the youth and families we serve.
Ready to get started? Simply create an account and set up your recurring monthly donation.
*Names have been changed to ensure confidentiality