- The official web announcement went up
- The first Ebay sale went up
- Emails went out to about 150 knitting blog owners
- A few blogs like The Knitty Gritty and others have posted the announcement, and just as importantly emails have come in offering to help
- Lisa's coworkers gave her a half-dozen red scarves to sell (see Deborah's cool contribution) with more on the way (two from Danielle alone)
- Dana reached out and pulled in a knitting friend who contributed another 10 or so great-quality scarves
- Mom, Mark, Judy and others have all bought or promised to buy
Speaking of fundraising, I had to share a comment from "amysue" found on QueerJoe's Knitting Blog:
I don't know the family adopting from China so can't speak to there situation, but as both an adoptee and an adoptive parent (my kids were born in Asia) I am put off by two things. ... The personal one is simply my own queasiness about fundraising for one's childs aoption-I acknowledge this is *my* issue and what is right for me (not doing it) isn't necc. right for another family. [snip]
I have no idea what could be wrong with raising money to help pay for an adoption. Who loses and/or is hurt?
7 comments:
I just wanted to let you know that I posted your email on my site today. I was curious as to whether you would accept yarn donations as well.
Just fyi, I've already received positive responses. Good luck.
http://knittygritty.spatterdash.org
Churches pretty regularly have dinners and fundraisers for families that need some help with funds for adoption. Adoption is expensive. The tax credit helps but actual upfront cash is better especially when it comes to the funds to give to the orphanage. I think if you tell people how it costs they would be astonished.
I've never adopted, but I thought that part of the adoption screening process would involve some sort of financial assessment of the adopting family. Does it?
Would people feel the same way about supporting someone who chooses to become pregnant, and looks for donors to finance their medical expenses? I don't know, but it seems like it's a similar choice.
The costs of providing my children with an education are staggering. Does this mean I should ask people to support their college funds, or should I take equity out of my home, cut expenses, take a second job to save?
I would be more willing to support this effort if the money went directly to an orphanage rather than to fund someone's travel. I was somewhat put off by clicking the link to one of the sites you had in your post--the orphanage lets you name a baby for a fee. So the baby has a chinese name, an american name while in foster care, and hopefully a new american name when adopted?
I've given to FWCC to support their work in Chinese orphanages, and I never asked for anything in return.
In general, I'm more in favor of that sort of pooled anonymous support than the type of support where someone has to get something in return. Like naming privileges or a chance to do charity work.
I would glady travel to any number of places to help the needy, but I would never expect someone else to fund my expenses. I'd sacrifice and do without certain things to save up for it.
I know you are trying to do something helpful and wonderful, I am just responding to your question about why people might find this difficult to support.
I'm sure you've probably thought about this, but if you are able to round up a bunch of scarves, some sort of a craft fair might help you sell some. Just a thought.
Adoption is a beautiful blessing that many of us wish we could partake. Whether or not you have the money in the bank does not make or break you as a potential parent. Thank you for doing whatever you can to bring even a little happiness into a childs life. EVEN if it makes someone queasy or uncomfortable.
As I understand, the fundraiser is not for the adoption fees, it is for someone to be able to do some excellent volunteer work. It's a wonderful thing.
I think it's great that people who may be of modest means but have enormous reserves of talent, creativity and enterprise are working to raise money to adopt a baby. I talked to some people last month who said it cost them between $35,000 and $40,000 to adopt a baby girl from Guatemala. Ten bucks is a little bit of money to donate to help one family, but what would another organization do with my $10? I feel like it would just be diluted or siphoned off in another country, or here it would be used to pay some non-profit agency's executive director's bloated salary. I think $10 means a lot more to an individual family than it means to a big agency. In my town the Boys and Girls Club was selling turkeys and hams this past Christmas for $30 each, and the club only kept $6.50 per turkey or ham sold. Does that have a thing to do with adopting a baby from China? No. I have become my parents in my rambling crazy analogies. But I still think there's nothing wrong with a family raising money to bring the child fated for their nursery home. More power to Lisa and Jake. Their baby is waiting for them and he or she is in my prayers.
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