October 29, 2007

Global Adoption Resources

Services and information for adoptive parents, birth parents, and adoptees.

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For Adoptive Parents

adoptionagencychecklist.com: outlines the steps prospective adoptive parents can take to protect themselves from adoption fraud

adoptinginternationally.com: website run by adoptive parents David and Desiree Smolin, devoted to exploring the complexities of intercountry adoption

ethicanet.org: independent organization that promotes ethical adoption practices worldwide

Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute: research and advocacy organization for adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents

U.S. Department of State: detailed information about the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, as well as updates on individual country programs

For Birth Parents

Concerned United Birthparents: international organization advocating for birth parents

The Girls Who Went Away: The Hidden History of Women Who Surrendered Children for Adoption in the Decades Before Roe v. Wade, by Ann Fessler (The Penguin Press, 2006)

Family Preservation Resources

There are hundreds of charitable organizations working to assist children and families internationally. When it comes to programs that allow donors to support a specific child, it’s important to keep in mind that most of these programs also assist families and communities. That’s a good thing: A child cannot survive or have long-term stability without a supportive network. Organizations often choose to offer individual child sponsorships because they are most appealing to donors.

Better Care Network: articles and resources about the best ways to aid children living without family care

Plan: promotes sustainable development around the globe as a way to create family and community stability

FINCA International: provides microloans to people in twenty countries

World Vision: Christian humanitarian organization that provides child sponsorships to children in nearly 100 countries, including the United States

Adoptee Organizations

Over the past decade, a growing number of transnational and transracial adoptees have begun examining and speaking out about their personal experiences. Some have formed political groups that call for a wholesale reevaluation of intercountry adoption.

Adoptee Solidarity Korea: political group of adoptees living in Korea that advocates for ending Korean transnational adoption

Also Known As: New York City-based networking organization for transnationally adopted adults

Bastard Nation: advocacy group for adult adoptees, both domestic and transnational

First Nations Orphan Association: advocacy and support organization for Native Americans who were placed in adoption or foster care as children

Language of Blood: website of Korean adoptee and author Jane Jeong Trenka, who wrote The Language of Blood. Includes a blog, weblinks, news postings, and other information related to her experience as a transnational adoptee

Transracial Abductees: no-holds-barred online forum for transracially adopted people

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WHO DOESN’T LOVE A POSITIVE STORY—OR TWO?

“Great journalism really does make a difference in this world: it can even save kids.”

That’s what a civil rights lawyer wrote to Julia Lurie, the day after her major investigation into a psychiatric hospital chain that uses foster children as “cash cows” published, letting her know he was using her findings that same day in a hearing to keep a child out of one of the facilities we investigated.

That’s awesome. As is the fact that Julia, who spent a full year reporting this challenging story, promptly heard from a Senate committee that will use her work in their own investigation of Universal Health Services. There’s no doubt her revelations will continue to have a big impact in the months and years to come.

Like another story about Mother Jones’ real-world impact.

This one, a multiyear investigation, published in 2021, exposed conditions in sugar work camps in the Dominican Republic owned by Central Romana—the conglomerate behind brands like C&H and Domino, whose product ends up in our Hershey bars and other sweets. A year ago, the Biden administration banned sugar imports from Central Romana. And just recently, we learned of a previously undisclosed investigation from the Department of Homeland Security, looking into working conditions at Central Romana. How big of a deal is this?

“This could be the first time a corporation would be held criminally liable for forced labor in their own supply chains,” according to a retired special agent we talked to.

Wow.

And it is only because Mother Jones is funded primarily by donations from readers that we can mount ambitious, yearlong—or more—investigations like these two stories that are making waves.

About that: It’s unfathomably hard in the news business right now, and we came up about $28,000 short during our recent fall fundraising campaign. We simply have to make that up soon to avoid falling further behind than can be made up for, or needing to somehow trim $1 million from our budget, like happened last year.

If you can, please support the reporting you get from Mother Jones—that exists to make a difference, not a profit—with a donation of any amount today. We need more donations than normal to come in from this specific blurb to help close our funding gap before it gets any bigger.

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