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Free Online Haiti Courses
Heart of the Matter Seminars and the Joint Council on International Children’s Services (JCICS) are offering a free learning pathway for professionals and for families adopting from Haiti. The pathway contains the following:
1. The recorded version of “Layers of Trauma: A Webinar Featuring Dr. Bruce Perry” that was worked in conjunction with JCICS, Adoption Learning Partners and the Evan B. Donaldson Institute to bring to families.
2. “Understanding Trauma in Children” is Heart of the Matter Seminars’ newest online course that offers user friendly science and practical parenting tools for parents. It also addresses the impact on parents and other caregivers.
The learning pathway can be accessed here: https://hotms.confedge.com/ap/registration/home.cfm?i=register&e=1ab47068-bea6-4868-967f-e35ad0c23232&grp=registrant
Families for Orphans Coalition: Call to Action
The following is from the Families for Orphans Coalition.
Families for Orphans Coalition: Call to Action
[Please note that NCFA is a member of the Families for Orphans Coalition]
On January 12 in the course of only 2 minutes thousands of Haitian children became orphans. Without a say in the matter, these children became part of a global crisis – an estimated 30 million children growing up without parents — vulnerable to slavery, prostitution, gangs, exploitation, and trafficking. These children need loving, permanent families, yet our government has no focus on finding families for orphaned children worldwide. We must act now to help children worldwide grow up with parents!
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee have before them The Families for Orphans Act; a bi-partisan bill that would create a State Department office and more importantly a “Champion for Orphans” specifically to speak up for these children. This Champion and the Office would build capacity in countries to enable families to raise their children at home instead of putting them in orphanages, or be adopted by loving parents first in their own country or else in another.
Growing up in a family is a basic human right. The United States has a rich and successful history of protecting such rights all over the world. When we have stepped forward to provide leadership in an area of great social need, the difference has been measurable. The orphans of the world need this type of leadership and they need it now.
What Can You Do?
Call, write a letter or e-mail to your Members of Congress asking them to become Co-Sponsors of the Families for Orphans Act. You can find your Representative at www.house.gov and your Senators at www.senate.gov. Feel free to use the following text as a guideline: “As one of your constituents I am requesting that you support the “Families for Orphans Act” and become a Co-Sponsor of the legislation now. We would be better prepared to respond to the needs of orphans in Haiti if the leadership it calls for was already in place. We hope you will consider standing up for the millions of children around the world growing up in orphanages without the love and support of a permanent family. For information on becoming a Co-Sponsor, please contact Senators Landrieu or Inhofe or Representatives Watson or Boozman.”
Call, write or email the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee and ask them to move quickly to pass the Families for Orphans Act.
Sign the Families for Orphans Act petition at www.kidsave.org.
Please help us move this bill NOW and give children worldwide a greater chance to grow up in a family. On behalf of the Families for Orphans Coalition and most importantly, the children, we thank you for helping.
Find your UCCIS office – where do I send my I600a forms in NC?
If you don’t know where to send your I600a forms use this link to enter your zip code to find out. In North Carolina we have 2 USCIS offices one in the Charlotte area and one in the Raleigh area.
https://egov.uscis.gov/crisgwi/go?action=offices.type&OfficeLocator.office_type=LO
Download
Documents to download to get started
Documents
Documents that are required for a NC Homestudy.
Additional Documents maybe required for a Hague Homestudy or Special Requirements from your placement agency.
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Sample of documents needed for the homestudy
Documents may very depending on your Country of Adoption Please check with us before you start.
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Husband Complete |
Wife Complete |
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Birth Certificates – We will need birth certificates of every family member, including your children. You may order certified copies from the state or local government in which you were born or from www.vitalrec.com These are not photocopies of your birth certificates but are the ones issued by the government with a raised seal on them |
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Letters of Reference (3)-These should all be from non-relatives and should include length of time known, relationship and their recommendations for your family to adopt. Please ask the reference to include their home address and a phone number. |
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Marriage License – you may order a certified copy from the state or local governments in which you were married or from www.vitalrec.com. This is the one issued by the government with a raised seal on it. |
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Divorce Decree - you will need to order a certified copy from the state or local government in which the divorce decree was issued or from www.vitalrec.com You will need one copy for each parent’s prior divorces if applicable. |
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Letters of Employment (one for each employed parent)Ask your employer or human resources director to complete the following information on company letterhead: Full Legal Name, Job title, length of employment, full/part time status, salary, health/life insurance, benefits, maternity/paternity leave policy If self-employed you will need to have your accountant complete the following on the accountant’s letterhead Full Legal Name, Statement of earnings, investments, assets, health/life insurance policies, and retirement plans. |
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Residence Verification- This is to prove that either you own your home or you rent. You will need a copy of your deed, letter from mortgage lender or lease. This does not need to be notarized. |
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Medical Form – You will need one form for each parent. We will supply you with example letters. A medical form is also needed for children living in the home. |
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Proof of Earnings – The first 2 pages of two years of Tax returns (copy), recent paycheck stubs and/or w-4. If you are self-employed, we will need a letter from your accountant. |
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Criminal Records Check - You will need to go to the Clerk of Court in the County where you live and request a Criminal Records check. If you have lived in any other County or State in the past 5 years, you will need to request this from your past residence as well. This should be done for every household member over 18 and does not have to be notarized. |
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Monthly Financial Statement - A list of monthly income and bills showing what you pay out each month for items such as car payment, house payment, credit cards and other bills. |
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Current Bank Statement(s) – Photocopy of these are acceptable. We need to verify any savings accounts and investment accounts. |
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