BIG NEWS! Theresa and Thomas are adopting a child from South Korea! 

please see our blog at www.deweyadopt.com for progress updates!

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Updates: 

2/29/16 Update: Last day! Reduced total needed by $50 due to check donation.  Total raised: $33,127! Thank you for a successful 6 months!

2/26/16 Update: Reduced total needed by $58 due to Etsy sales.  Current total raised: $32,297 - 86% there!

2/20/16 Update: Reduced total needed by $2090 due to check donations.  Current total raised: $31,394 - 84% there! And this is enough to accept a referral!

2/10/16 Update: Current total raised: $28,948 - 77% there!

1/17/16 Update: Reduced total amount needed by $1768 due to Variety Show/Birthday Party fundraiser. ($2018 was raised at fundraiser altogether, but $250 were online donations) Current total raised: $27,302 - 73% there!

1/8/16 Update: Reduced total amount needed by $3249 due to $3000 in check donations, $185 in Etsy sales, and $64 raised by Ana's work fundraiser (Thank you, Ana!). Current total raised: $24,734.75 - 66% there!

11/14/15 Update: Reduced total amount needed by $1145 due to money raised at Holiday Photo Shoot and check donations (Thanks, O'Grady, Ann Daughety, and Aunt Priscilla!) and $45 in sales of Humpty Dumpty dolls.

10/6/15 Update: Reduced total amount needed by $405.75 due to $287 raised at Spooky Movie Night fundraiser, a $100 donation (thanks, Mev!) and a contribution of $18.75, mostly in coins (Thank you, Miss Darah Moreland!). 

8/30/15 Update: Reduced total amount needed by $3002 due to $1452 raised at website launch party (thank you to Scott Martin of Simon's Tavern for hosting!) and a $1500 check donation (thanks Mom and Dad!).

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We have both always known that adoption would be the way we started a family. Thomas, being one of 9 siblings – 5 adopted – grew up knowing there was always room for one more. Theresa was raised to believe no matter how little you have, you always have something to share with others. In this spirit, we officially started our adoption process in September 2014, meeting with our caseworker and receiving the huge pile of paperwork to fill out. We left our caseworker’s office full of energy, motivated to tackle that stack of paper and plunge headlong into this adoption thing!

And two days later, Theresa found out she was being laid off. 

With Thomas in school full-time, adoption was off the table until Theresa could secure stable employment. While it was a tough time as a couple, we were blown away by the support and encouragement we received from family, friends, and colleagues, near and far. We could not have gotten through it without you. 

Today, almost a year later, we are happy to report we are ready to re-start the adoption process in earnest. And once again, we are calling on you for support. As awkward as it feels to ask for money, adoption from South Korea will cost over $37,000 (plus the cost of traveling to Korea on two separate trips). We are using our savings to cover a portion, but the truth is we cannot do it alone. Can you help? Every donation, whether $5 or $500, is tax-deductible and brings us that much closer to our bringing our little guy home!

And now, a few of your questions answered . . . 

I just got this link from a friend. So, who are you people?

Thanks for visiting our site (and thanks to your friend)! Here's a bit about us. We met 12 years ago working at Misericordia, a home for adults with intellectual disabilities. We have had such great times working with the residents there and although never of us work there full-time anymore, we actually live in one of the group homes. We have shared a home with 7 amazing young women with intellectual disabilities for 6 years. Theresa is an art therapist and counselor. She is currently working for the Alzheimer's Association, counseling families affected by dementia and developing programming for folks in the early stage of the disease. Thomas is currently in school for accounting. He hopes to return to the non-profit world when he's done.

Why South Korea?

South Korea was no-brainer for us. Theresa is half-Korean. While we understand adoption always begins with loss, we do feel that providing our child with an extended family that speaks his language and understands his culture can help to ease his transition. The child we will be matched with will most likely be a boy, and will probably be between 20-24 months when we bring him home.

Why so much?

Most of the adoption fees go to support the adoption agencies. Some of it will cover costs with our domestic agency, but most of the money goes to the agency in Seoul. This money helps to provide the top-quality medical and foster care the children there receive. 

Application fee: $250

Home Study Fee: $2500

Program Fee: $7000

Post Placement Fee: $1600

Eastern Seoul Welfare Society (Korean adoption agency)  Fee and required donations: $26,100

Total = $37,450 (plus travel to Korea on two separate trips)

I'm sorry, but I can’t donate financially. How else can I help?

We understand not everyone can contribute financially (been there!). There are plenty of other ways to help:

• Have a special talent, like massage, painting, cooking? Donate your creative talents to our Holiday online auction or put together a raffle basket for one our fundraiser events!
  
• Have a small business or a blog? Promote the cause - run a promotion and donate a portion of the proceeds to our adoption process!
  
• Have friends? Share this website with them (email, Facebook, Twitter, etc.)! 
• Live nearby? Stay tuned for upcoming events, including a backyard movie night, a holiday card photo shoot, and a few other events in the works. Bring yourself and friend!

- Theresa and Thomas

**Special thanks to our wonderful friend and photographer, Leif Johnson of Johnson Mendez Photography . To see more of Leif's beautiful work, visit www.johnsonmendez.com.