July 14th: A Message from the Executive Director
Hello there,
It has been a busy month, and the month just started! Like many of you, Voice for Adoption (VFA) is starting the re-open/re-integration process post-pandemic. All of my team members have received their COVID-19 vaccines and are starting to attend in-person meetings and work from the office instead of at home, at least once a week. I am not sure about you, but for me, the re-open has been bitter-sweet. It’s been eye-opening as I attend some of my first in-person meetings and events and the alarming amount of anxiousness I feel.
Like me, I am fairly certain that many of our adoptive families and children may be experiencing similar situations. I wanted to be one of the first to tell you, you are not alone. Many of us are going through this, what feels like an unnecessary, but fact-of-life re-entry experience. I urge you all to be kind to each other, remember that some of us got incredibly sick with COVID-19, while many of our loved ones may have passed over the last year during the pandemic. It’s okay to feel what your feeling, it's okay to question yourself and to continue to be cautious. Try to remember what life was like during the good and healthy times, the closeness of friends and family, and the energy you can feel when gathering in large communities united by some amazing cause. You are VFA’s community, and while I can’t gather beside you right now, just know that life is returning to normal and there is much work to continue. We need your support.
Over the coming months, VFA plans to take on massive legislative issues. We are dedicated to blocking discrimination and fighting for racial equity within our field. As we collectively take on institutionalized racism that has plagued every aspect of our society for hundreds of years, we all have to do our part. VFA has identified two lenses that we look at things, racial equity and mental health focuses. With each program we implement or legislative reform or push, we are dedicated to making sure that we don’t forget to view through our two focus lenses and do everything we can to make sure that we step one foot closer to having a foster and adoptive system that promotes equity and cares for the mental, as well as the physical, wellbeing of our children and families.
As we move forward in the next few months VFA will be implementing and an organizational game-changing five-year strategic plan, expanding our mission and talking major legislative items such as reforming the Multi-ethnic Placement Act, implementing Family First Presentation Services Act, fighting for the Adoption Tax Credit, bringing national attention to the continued and ongoing need for post-adoption services. We have a big plate full of plenty to keep us going for quite a while, however we are excited to be here, in the new world, fighting for our families and children that are impacted by the child welfare system.
Thank you for your financial support, your membership, and the love you provide every day four our nation’s waiting children. I urge you, if you can, to make a $50 donation today in the name of a close friend or family member that is not currently a member of VFA. This donation will provide a year-long membership to VFA, expand and strengthen our community, and make your voices even louder. Yes, we at VFA still have our voice, we are looking to help you raise yours.
Together we are Voice for Adoption.
Sincerely,
Schylar Baber