Originally Posted March 10, 2018 (I've removed the links for the fundraising sites we used back in 2018)
One of the things that all families who are planning to adopt need to consider are the costs. It can be extremely expensive costing tens-of-thousands of dollars. Each adoption is different but there are legal fees, agency fees, application review fees, travel fees, and I could go on. This is before parents even bring a child home. International adoptions tend to incur more expenses, but depending on the circumstances, domestic adoptions can be just as expensive. If you're interested in a little more of the breakdown, there's a pretty good description on the American Adoptions website.
There are many options out there to help families lessen the burden they are taking on. Grants, loans, crowdfunding sites, tax credits, etc.
Leah and I have worked pretty hard over the last year to set aside money for our adoption. We're in pretty good shape, but it's still obviously a financial burden to navigate. Many family and friends have been very caring and generous and provided us with gifts for our adoption fund. It's hard to describe in words just how much this means to us. We both feel awkward accepting the money. But every gift helps us bring a deserving child home a little sooner, or might allow us to take a little extra time at home to help the child adapt to a new world and catch up developmentally and emotionally to their peers.
With all that said Leah and I have set up a fundraising website through Adopt Together. You can get to our personal page here: (link removed)
Leah also worked with Noonday, a company that donates proceeds to adopting families and supports women and children in developing countries. They primarily sell jewelry, scarves, and other accessories if you want to do a little good while you're shopping. They are really a great organization.
If you feel inclined and are able to help out, we'd love the support. We certainly don't want anyone to feel overly obligated; after all, it was our decision and we knew what we were getting into when we embarked on this journey. There are many other adoption foundations and nonprofits out there that could use donations as well. Thank you everyone for the generosity!