Carolina Adoption Services

China Heritage Trip

Siri — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:53:10 +0000

We’re pleased to announce the CAS sponsored heritage tour to China next summer for families with daughters from China. The 14 day trip is planned for June 20-July 4, 2009 and will begin in Beijing and end in Guangzhou. Families will get to meet with our beloved facilitators, Helen and De in Beijing. After reviewing many companies sponsoring China Reunion Tours, we have decided to work with Kate DeLosso at China Motherland Tours in Pennsylvania. This is a small company providing personalized services.

CAS Assistant Director, Susan Fox, will accompany the group, expected to range from 10 -14 adults and 6-8 children. Local English speaking guides will escort the families throughout their sightseeing. Families will have the opportunity to visit their children’s orphanages, as well as enjoy general sightseeing of interest to adults and to children. The general price does not include the trip to your child’s home province orphanage. If you are considering this trip, please contact Trudy Tobias, our China program coordinator, and advise her of your child’s town and province, so a price can be determined based on distance and transportation. You may also contact Trudy for a copy of the tour brochure.

Kate DeLosso looks forward to speaking with all interested families and answering their questions. You can email her at kate.delosso@travelcounsellor.com. She is currently on a trip to China and will return on November 23, 2008. After her return you may also reach her by telephone, 610.361.0535 or toll free 866.361.0535.

Itinerary

Consider the Children in Vietnam

Siri — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 18:31:39 +0000

The closing of Vietnam to adoption does not mean that CAS has forgotten the children left in orphanages. The children and orphanages continue to have needs and the Vietnamese government only provides $20 per child per month in support. The average need per child is almost $200, which covers cost of all food, clothing, diapers, formula, medical care, electricity, transportation to medical appointments, a portion of caretaker salaries, and uniforms. Carolina Adoption Services continues to support three orphanages in Vietnam and has promised $150 per child per month for their care and needs. Please join us in supporting the children left behind by donating to CAS. If you have any questions about the need or number of children please contact Susan Fox or a Vietnam program team member for more information.

Donate Today!

Gifts that Give Twice

Siri — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 15:12:10 +0000

Triad Supporters come out and shop! Join global visionaries, Carolina Adoption Services (CAS) and Ten Thousand Villages, at our exclusive community shopping event to raise funds for vulnerable children worldwide.

Date: November 6, 2008
Time: 6:00-8:00pm
Ten Thousand Villages
Jefferson Village Shopping Center
1564-A Highwoods Boulevard, Greensboro, NC

What a perfect way for you, friends, and family to start your holiday shopping by purchasing gifts that give twice. Ten Thousand villages will donate 15% of purchases that evening to CAS. Please come and join us for this special event and do not forget to share this with others!
Click Here for directions to Ten Thousand Villages

Fall 2008 Newsletter

Siri — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:12:10 +0000

We hope you enjoy the Carolina Adoption Services Fall 2008 newsletter.

What will you find in this newsletter…

A thought provoking letter from Julie Glandt, assistant director
Welcome home to adopted children (January-September 2008)
Supporting students & lives through the MOSP
Consider the children in Vietnam
Q & A with Robyn, CAS staff member
Homeland trip to China
A way to give everyday
Save the Date, our 2009 Gala
Watch your mail
Triad supporters come out and shop
Country updates
Recent Memorials & In Honor Donations
CAS approved by Nepal for adoptions! A blossoming new program
Lots of pictures of happy children and families!

Click here to see the newsletter.

Adopt from Nepal!

Siri — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:00:43 +0000

Carolina Adoption Services is now approved to facilitate adoptions from Nepal and are quickly working on the structure of the program. This may become an exciting new adoption option for families struggling to find a good fit. Carolina Adoption Services was one of 58 U.S. and International adoption agencies to receive approval from the government of Nepal.
Nepal Program Highlights:
Children: 6 months and older, sibling groups are sometimes available
Parent Requirements:
Age: 30-55
Marriage: Married at least 4 years or single females

Watch for more details on our website and in our Monthly Updates. You may also contact our Intake Coordinator to be placed on the follow up list. We look forward to moving forward with this exciting new adoption program.

CAS has also entered into an aid & development agreement with an orphanage in Nepal. Look for some projects to benefit these orphans soon.

JCICS Initiative a Success!

Siri — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:40:14 +0000

After advocating on behalf of adoptive families for the past 6 months, Joint Council is very pleased to confirm that USCIS has announced a very positive ruling concerning the I-600A process. Please read letter from JCICS for all the exciting details.
Letter to families from JCICS

JCICS Initiative

Siri — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:11:49 +0000

Please read the linked letter and position paper from JCICS (Joint Council on International Children’s Services). They are calling for assistance from all Adoption Service Providers, Child Advocacy Groups, Potential Adoptive Parents, really anyone involved in International Children’s Services and International Adoption. Here is an excerpt from JCICS’s position paper explaining the purpose of this initiative:

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ (USCIS) final regulations, issued in May 2007, state that Potential Adoptive Parents with an approved I-600A may only file for a renewal one time. According to USCIS, families must thereafter ‘start from the beginning’, which in Hague Convention countries, would require the family to file a new I-800 petition. Joint Council maintains that this interpretation o

A CAS Family Shares Their Story

Siri — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:36:29 +0000

We started the adoption process expecting it to take a long time and now that our little boy is home it all seems like a dream. The last 20 months passed quickly. At times it felt like it would never get here but we focused on one stack of paperwork at a time….that seemed to help. There were bumps along the way, as most adoptive parents will tell you. The emotions ran from thinking it would never happen to busting with excitement at the thought of having our child in our arms. The last 4 months were the hardest for us, especially after receiving the referral and seeing that sweet face. Knowing that we were right there at the end and so close, but having to wait on the US government paperwork to be completed.

When our son came home it was a whole new world for us. I expected it to be hard but never expected us to be as exhausted as we were. One thing we learned is that we need to take care of ourselves, which isn’t easy when all your focus is on your child. This is our first child so everything was new to us. All of a sudden we had this 9 month old and had so much to learn about his personality and caring for him. That was very tough and it really did take both me and my husband working together to cope for the first couple of weeks. We were, however, blessed with a very good natured baby. We are still learning about his personality and very excited to see what his interest will be as he grows.

New Education Webinar Series to begin with AdoptPrep!

Siri — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 19:14:33 +0000

Carolina Adoption Services (CAS) is proud to offer our applicant families the opportunity to participate in a new series of education seminars online. All you have to do is register with us, you will then be sent an email with a link to the seminar and a phone number to call and participate. You participate in the comfort of your own home!

We kick off with AdoptPrep. AdoptPrep raises awareness about international adoption issues and provides adoptive parents with information about resources and support systems. The AdoptPrep series will be held on three consecutive Thursday nights beginning October 2, from 7:30-9:30pm (EDT). In November CAS will hold a Beyond Basics webinar series, watch for more information on our website. To register please contact Trudy Tobias, and she will provide the login information for the webinar.

AdoptPrep Webinar Series
October 2, 9, & 16, 2008
7:30-9:30 pm (EDT)
Click here to Register Today!

Makuto Boys Project—Kenya

Siri — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:14:26 +0000

$2500 was recently given to the Makuto Boys Project in Kenya for repair and improvement of their dormitories and lives. These boys are the orphans of the Aids crisis and live together with the support of a local woman. She is their teacher, for it is unsafe for them to walk to school, and she cooks their meals.

Some of improvements made to the boys’ lives were:

New mattresses
Sheets
Buckets and plastic food containers
Personal care kits

As a thank you the boys offered a dance in thanks to the generosity of their supporters—their faces tell the joy this brought.

Upcoming improvements will include knocking down a wall to expand their living area, plastering and painting, adding electric lights, repairing the toilets, and making the dorm mosquito proof.

Click here to see more photos!

If you would like to support our future efforts in improving the boys lives please contact us.