Help Us Adopt

            Hello my friends, happy hump day! I hope everyone’s having a great week and is taking advantage of the season changes such as sweater weather, pumpkin beer, or orange leave-filled streets. Several days ago I had the fortune of supporting Becky Fawcett and Help Us Adopt at their second fundraising event in the Los Angeles area.

            Help Us Adopt is a non-profit organization that was launched in 2007 by Becky and her husband Kipp Fawcett, who are adoptive parents of two kids. The goal of the organization is to overcome the financial obstacles of adoption to build everlasting families, regardless of religion, marital status, race, or sexual orientation.

            Something I’ve learned since meeting the crew of Help Us Adopt is that adoption is a lengthy process that many families can’t afford due to the high cost. “It’s not only about the kids, but also about the parents,” Becky said at the second LA event that took place at Everson Royce Wines on October 9^th. Here’s a brief Q&A with Becky. If you’re interested in learning more feel free to click here and help spread the word.

How important is it to have a presence in the media for the growth of the organization and how has it made a difference?

Media coverage has been essential to the growth of Helpusadopt.org for several reasons: 1) We are a national organization and media coverage helps us extend our reach into markets that we serve but where we don’t have a physical presence. 2) It has helped us reach members of the adoption community. Believe it or not, in general the adoption community doesn’t readily identify itself. 3) Authenticity.  Having coverage like The Today Show, CNN, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal helps a young organization like ours establish its authenticity and credibility to those that don’t know us personally. 

What's your dream news channel, talk show, etc to appear on? Why?

We’ve gotten an amazing amount of media coverage since our launch in 2007 and for that I am extremely grateful. But there is one name missing: OPRAH.

What is your goal and vision for the organization specifically in LA?

I believe there is a real opportunity for Helpusadopt.org to establish a solid support system in the Los Angeles area. Our mission of family equality resonates in Los Angeles and really means something to people. Family is Family. 

Where do you see Help Us Adopt in ten years? 

In ten years? I imagine we will have some amazingly strong fundraising events in the Los Angeles area (as in hundreds of guests/donors). I also see that we will be raising several millions of dollars a year and giving away most of that in adoption grants. That kind of significant financial growth will impact our adoption grant program with the growth we need to help more children find the forever families they so rightfully deserve. I would also imagine in ten years and hopefully MUCH sooner, that we develop a very strong celebrity following. Celebrities that have been touched by adoption or care about saving the lives of children who need homes could really impact our work in such a positive way. We need their voices!

What do you think has to be done to facilitate the process of adoption? There are clearly thousands of families waiting to be formed, yet, why is it such a lengthy process and what are some ideas to ease it? 

I wish I had the magic answer and I hope someday I come up with it because the number one obstacle standing in the way of millions of children being adopted into loving homes is the fact that adoption is expensive and most families are challenged by the lump sum payment of $30, $40 and sometimes $50,000+. In the meantime, you are asking the wrong person this question. I didn’t write the adoption laws and I certainly didn’t set the bar for the fee structures. I am simply a mother who saw a void in the world of adoption and a group of people who needed help, that’s why I created Helpusadopt.org. Your specific question needs to be addressed to the adoption professional community.

Keith Blau (Supporter), Ricardo Ramos, Becky Fawcett (Founder) and Sidney Jackson (Staff)