Adoption Focus Of Troy Fundraiser

TROY, MI — More than 500,000 children are stuck in the American foster care system waiting to be adopted. While the costs of adopting these children is far less less than private adoption, it’s often a financial barrier couples still can’t negotiate. That’s where Gift of Adoption Michigan comes in.

Started in 1996, the nonprofit organization has helped 75 children get adopted by Michigan families with more than $200,000 in assistance. On Saturday, Gift of Adoption Michigan will host its annual Picnic in the Park event. Starting at 2 p.m., the fundraiser will be held at the Troy Community Center at 3179 Livernois Road.

The cost to attend is $15 for adults and children are free. Tickets are available the day of the event. All proceeds from the event will help complete adoptions for Michigan families, the Troy Times reported.

“We step in and bridge the gap to help get the child home,” Jim Berkemeier, president of the Gift of Adoption Michigan Chapter board of directors, told the newspaper. “I became a board member for the impact of helping families come together.”

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Nationally, the Gift of Adoption was founded by Illinois residents Lucy and Gene Wyka. They established the organization after learning about others who wanted to adopt but didn’t have the financial resources to do so. A number of state affiliates of Gift of Adoption have provided a network that’s helped nearly 2,000 children get adopted and provided more than $5 million in financial assistance.

Once in foster care, on average, a child waits five years to be adopted, according to the organization, according to Gift of Adoption. The organization targets “vulnerable” foster children, primarily ones that age out of the system at 18 or those with medical issues, and those with siblings who wish to be adopted together, the Troy Times reported.

Gift of Adoption Michigan provides grants ranging from $3,500 to $7,500 for families seeking to adopt, the newspaper reported. Private adoption can range all the way up to $40,000, Berkemeier said.

The picnic will take place under a canopy adjacent to the Troy Community Center. The event will feature food, a silent auction, and more. Grant recipient adoptive families will share their stories, and Robyn Coden, a Birmingham resident and adoptive parent who writes a blog titled “Dim Sum and Doughnuts,” will speak.

Photo by Dinkel via Flickr Commons.