Lilypie

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

How we can help

Here are a couple of news links regarding Imagine Adoption's bankruptcy.

Adoption agency's bankruptcy strands families

International adoption agency's bankruptcy leaves parents in lurch

Anxious adoptive parents wait for agency's bankruptcy to be sorted

There are a number of ways that we can all support those people affected by this - including the ~70 children stranded in the Ethiopian transition houses and the Ethiopian caregivers who continue to look after them without pay.

Your help doesn't even take money.

For example, you can sign your name to the following 2 petitions:

1) Help those affected by Imagine Adoption bankruptcy (there are already almost 1800 signatures on this one!)

This petition urges the Ministry of Children and Youth Services to immediately return the files of the families working with Imagine to the families so that they may retain another agency to continue the work. Post the link on your Facebook page (if you have one!), your blog, your website, etc. and urge your friends and family to do the same.

2) Returnfiles2day
This petition is to urge the Ministry of Children and Youth Services to immediately return the files of the families working with Imagine to the families so that they may retain another agency to continue the work.

(I just ignored the requests for donations to iPetitions that followed my signings)

3) If you are able to make a monetary donation, Jenny Adachi has set up a PayPal account on her blog to accept donations that will be sent with a family travelling next week - the money will be going to help care for the children - and if that has already been taken care of it will be given to the caregivers who are no longer being paid by Imagine. Her blog is http://www.ourfourmiracles.blogspot.com/ She has written a great post about the situation there. The donation link is at the top left of the blog.

4) Write to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Jason Kenney asking that he issue emergency visas to those children who have been legally adopted and are waiting for their travel docs. Make sure you say in your letter that you are copying in the Citizenship and Immigration critic, Maurizio Bevilacqua, and Leader of the Opposition, Michael Ignatieff. Then send a copy to Mr Bevilacqua and Mr Ignatieff with a cover letter asking that they follow up with the Minister. Details are below (Parliamentary mail is the same for all MPs.).

Parliamentary address:

House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

Honorable Jason Kenney:

kennej@parl.gc.ca

Hill Office:

325 East Block
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

Calgary Constituency Office:

1168 137 Ave SE
Calgary, AB
T2J 6T6


selam