Winter, 2009                               Families Across Michigan 

 

 

In This Issue ...

How Adoption Match Parties Bring Joy to Children, Families and Workers Alike

The 2009 Michigan Heart Gallery Has Opened!!

Adoption and Foster Care Training Opportunities

 

Abraham, Age 11
C05666

Abraham, who likes to be called Abe, is outgoing, friendly and charming, and easily engages in conversation with adults and other children. He also has a great sense of humor and is a very good storyteller! Abe likes to play sports and video games, and is a big fan of watching wrestling on television.

Abe needs a family who can make a firm commitment regardless of challenging behaviors. It will be important for the family to have an understanding of Reactive Attachment Disorder. Abe does best with other children who are males; however, it is recommended that he is the youngest child in the home. His worker feels that a two-parent family that includes a strong male role model and nurturing female may be best.

To inquire about Abe please contact an Intake Worker at (866) 312-8361.

 

How Adoption Match Parties Bring Joy to Children, Families and Workers Alike
by Kristen Donnelly

The Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) has been sponsoring adoption "Match Parties" for years. A match party, sometimes called an adoption party, is a carefully thought out and planned event designed to bring together children who are waiting to be adopted with families interested in adoption. Only those families who have an approved Family Assessment (homestudy), and who are interested in the kinds of children and youth who will be attending the party, are invited to attend.

Through years of experience MARE understands that people do not think about adopting youth out of foster care unless they are aware the need exists. Families who attend the match parties are given the opportunity to find out that waiting youth are just like any other youth. These potential adoptive parents have a wonderful opportunity to see meet youth and see beyond stereotypes and labels, overshadowing case histories, and diagnosis.

Before the match party begins, families and youth gather separately and discuss guidelines to follow through the event. Families understand beforehand that the majority of the youth attending are African American, over the age of 12, and male. Sometimes families walk into a match party looking for a certain “type” of youth, but then they walk out of the experience feeling hardly able to wait until the next time they talk to the youth they just met at the match party!

Past match parties have been held at skating rinks, festivals, and even farms! Our most recent match parties have taken place in Flint, Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Lansing. The latest parties have been based on the theme of a "Passport Picnic." Families were in charge of running a game like a relay race or a donut eating contest. Youth then rotated through the various posts or stations, getting their passport stamped (and ultimately, getting a chance to meet every family). During lunch time, the families and youth get to spend more one-on-one time conversing and getting to know each other.

The most important consideration in planning the match parties is to make sure the youth attending feel as comfortable as possible. MARE understands that prospective adoptive famliies, too, are coping with their own nervousness at these events. Having the chance to interact with the youth while doing fun, child-centered activities helps to relieves some of the awkwardness that the youth and families feel. The match parties are also helpful events for caseworkers to attend, as they may be able to meet with and get to know some potential adoptive families. The events have turned out to be fun for everyone involved, as caseworkers, youth, families, and MARE staff all become consumed in the games and events taking place. More than anything we want the youth to have a fun day playing games, eating food, and taking home candy and prizes.

In 2009, our next round of match parties will feature the "Science Fair" theme, and will include a variety of science experiments for the youth and families to participate in and enjoy.

For more information or to get a schedule of tentatives dates for future match parties, please
contact Kristen Donnelly at MARE by calling toll-free 800-589-MARE, ext. 278 or by email at
kdonnelly@mare.org

The 2009 Michigan Heart Gallery has Opened!

Our 2009 Exhibit officially opened with a celebration held at the Michigan Library and Historical Center. Among our guests were a number of our photographers, as well a many of the children featured in this years exhibit. We'd like to extend a big thanks to everyone who came to the opening.


The Michigan Heart Gallery for 2009 features 104 children. Fifty-five of Michigan's top photographers donated their time and talent to create the 92 photos of children and adoptive families in this year's exhibit. In addition to the new photos, 2009 brings other changes a video presentation as part of our main exhibit. We're also adding to the number of smaller "mini" exhibits, so we'll be able to reach even more people and locations.


For more information please visit the Heart Gallery website at www.miheart.org

  

Adoption and Foster Care Training Opportunities

Please note: RR = Registration required; please call in advance.

ALLEGAN / OTTAWA COUNTIES

  • Adoption and Foster Care Orientation. Holland. 616-396-0623 x 119. Apr 6 (MON) 6:00 - 9:00 pm. RR - Orientation limited to families who wish to or are currently working with Bethany Christian Services
  • Family Educational Series. Holland. 231-726-1210.
    Peer Relationships April 14 (TUE) 6:30 - 8:30 pm
  • Domestic Infant and International Adoption Information Meeting. Jenison. 616-667-0667. March 17 (TUE) 6:30 - 9:30 pm
  • PRIDE Foster Care and Adoption Training. Holland. 616-796-9175. RR
    Session 1, 2 & 3 March 21; April 25 (SAT) 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
    Session 4 & 6 March 28; May 2 (SAT) 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
  • International Adoption Information Meeting. Holland. 616-796-9198. April 16 (THUR) 6:30 - 8:30 pm

GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY

  • Adoption and Foster Care Information Meeting. Traverse City. 231-995-0870. April 14 (TUE) 1:00 - 4:00 pm; March 10 (TUE) 9:00 am - 12:00 pm RR
  • International Adoption Information Meeting. Traverse City. 231-995-0870. April 14 (TUE) 9:00 - 11:00 am; March 10 (TUE) 2:00 - 4:00 pm RR

INGHAM COUNTY

  • Adoption Orientation. Lansing. 517-323-4734 x 1619. March 17; April 21 (TUE) 6:00 - 8:00 pm
  • Domestic Infant Adoption Orientation Meeting. East Lansing. 517-336-0191. March 26; April 23 (THUR) 6:30 - 8:00 pm RR
  • International Adoption Orientation Meeting. East Lansing. 517-336-0191. March 12 (THUR) 6:30 - 8:30 pm

JACKSON COUNTY

  • Adoption and Foster Care Information Meeting. Jackson. 517-787-7920. March 11; April 8 (WED) 9:00 am - 12:00 pm OR 5:00 - 8:00 pm
  • PRIDE Foster Care and Adoption Training. Jackson. 517-780-7625 or 517-780-7639. RR
    Session 4 March 17 (TUE) 5:00 - 8:30 pm
    Session 5 March 24 (TUE) 5:00 - 8:30 pm
    Session 6 March 31 (TUE) 5:00 - 8:30 pm
    Session 7 April 7 (TUE) 5:00 - 8:30 pm
    Session 8 April 14 (TUE) 5:00 - 8:30 pm
    Session 9 April 21 (TUE) 5:00 - 8:30 pm

KALAMAZOO COUNTY

  • International Adoption Information Meeting. Kalamazoo. 269-372-8800. April 13 (MON) 6:30 - 8:30 pm; March 21 (SAT) 10:00 - 11:30 am RR
  • International Adoption Information Meeting. Kalamazoo. 269-343-3316. April 9 (THUR) 6:30 - 8:30 pm
  • Infant Adoption Information Meeting. Kalamazoo. 269-372-8800. March 23 (MON) 6:30 - 8:30 pm
  • Foster Care and Adoption Information Meeting. Kalamazoo. 269-372-8800. April 7 (TUE) 5:30 - 8:30 pm


KENT COUNTY

  • Adoption and Foster Care Information Meeting. Grand Rapids. 616-774-7632. April 13 (MON) 7:00 - 9:00 pm
  • Domestic Infant Adoption Information Meeting. Grand Rapids. 616-574-7919. April 6 (MON) 6:30 - 8:00 pm RR
  • International Adoption Information Meeting. Grand Rapids. 616-574-7919. April 17 (FRI) 1:00 - 3:00 pm; March 17 (TUE) 6:30 - 8:30 pm
  • Family Educational Series. Grand Rapids. 616-458-7945. $5 per adult; childcare available for $2 per child. RR
    Celebrating Transracial Adoption March 19 (THUR) 6:30 - 8:30 pm
    Attachment Therapy April 16 (THUR) 6:30 - 8:30 pm

MUSKEGON COUNTY

  • Domestic Infant and International Adoption Information Meeting. Muskegon. 231-733-1618. April 7 (TUE) 6:30 - 8:30 pm
  • Adoptive Parent’s Training, “Beyond Logic, Consequnces and Control” Muskegon. 231-726-1210. Materials to be purchased for $13. No additional cost.
    Session 3: Trauma & Memory; Our Own Unfinished Business March 26 (THUR) 10:00 - 11:00 am
    Session 4: Responsibility Over Reactivity April 30 (THUR) 10:00 - 11:00 am


OAKLAND COUNTY

  • Domestic Infant and International Adoption Information Meeting. Farmington Hills. 248-474-0990. March 17 (TUE) 7:00 - 9:00 pm
  • PRIDE Foster Care and Adoption Training. Southfield. 248-443-0300. RR Training limited to families who wish to or are currently working with Spaulding for Children; Wendy’s Wonderful Kids; AdoptUsKids Recruitment Response Team
    March 14; March 21 (SAT) 9:30 am - 4:00 pm

SAGINAW COUNTY

  • Domestic Infant and International Adoption Information Meeting. Saginaw. 989-497-5437. March 19 (THUR) 7:00 - 9:00 pm

WASHTENAW COUNTY

  • International and Domestic Adoption Information Meeting. Ann Arbor. 734-477-0135. April 14 (TUE) 7:00 - 9:00 pm

WAYNE COUNTY

  • Adoption and Foster Care Orientation. Detroit. 313-862-1000. April 1 (WED) 9:00 am - 12:30 pm OR 5:30 - 9:00 pm
  • Foster Care Orientation. Redford. 313-794-5653 x 2016. March 19; April 16 (THUR) 10:00 am - 1:00 pm RR
  • Foster Care Orientation. Detroit. 313-883-2296. March 11; April 8 (WED) 5:30 - 7:30 pm
 MARE is a program of Family Service & Children’s Aid of Jackson, Michigan, and is funded by the Michigan Department of Human Services