Other Questions
Can we really do this?
Yes you can! Thousands of families all over the country and overseas have successfully completed adoptions from all over the world. Some of these parents (including us) did so without any assistance. With assistance from Americans Adopting Orphans, or just by networking with other parents who have done (or are doing) the same thing, your adoption can be a deeply enriching, rewarding, and empowering experience.
Even if you have started out doing almost everything yourself, at almost any point in the process you can become a client and choose from any of our service options. As Americans Adopting Orphans offers traditional adoptions, adoptions with extra service, and support for parent initiated adoptions, we can help you design an adoption plan that fits your family.
What can we do to help the children in the orphanages?
Our strongest recommendation is that you begin saving your money to adopt a child. If you already have one or more children, then start saving for the next! Almost as good is donating to our Giving Program. By donating to Americans Adopting Orphans, you can donate to an organization that you personally know and trust. We will use the money as you direct, by helping a specific orphanage, making it easier for kids to be adopted, or to just help us do all of our work more efficiently. However, all contributions are voluntary. No donations to our charitable causes are built into your adoption fees.
What other services are offered by Americans Adopting Orphans?
Americans Adopting Orphans provides classes, informational meetings, seminars, and monthly support group meetings. Once a month we offer information and support group meetings to anyone interested in adoption from Asia. Many adoption related books and products, are available on our website, www.orphans.com. For more information or a free subscription to our quarterly newsletter please write or call.
Is Financial Aid available from Americans Adopting Orphans?
Yes, we have four programs that help our client families finance their adoptions through our agency.
First, we accept Visa and MasterCard. This can provide a great financing bridge that can get families through an adoption, in advance of their receiving the $11,000 Federal Adoption Tax Credit.
Second, our families can join Watermark Credit Union. Credit Unions make relatively low interest, relatively easy to qualify for loans to their members.
Third, we can set up a special charitable fund for the child that you will adopt. Our Directed Donation Program can let relatives, friends, and other well wishers make tax-deductible donations to Americans Adopting Orphans for your child's fund. We can then use those funds to reduce or eliminate many adoption fees and expenses.
Fourth, from time to time our board will select a client family for a grant to help them with their adoption process. This is limited to families who have already committed to an adoption through one of our programs.
How can we start working with Americans Adopting Orphans?
Glad you asked! If you do not already have a copy, give us a call and we will send you a Description of Services offered by Americans Adopting Orphans. The Description of Services explains in detail the different steps of our program, and lists the fees we charge for each. We will also include an application form. All you have to do is send in your application and we will start you on your path to adoption.
If you have found this Frequently Asked Questions list to be valuable, please pass it to a friend. We provide this document at no charge to anyone who asks for it. All we ask is that it be given in its entirety.
Good luck with your adoption plans. We look forward to meeting and working with you!
Dave and Cindy Ptasnik, Directors
And the whole gang at Americans Adopting Orphans