November is a special time of year for the ASSA ABLOY/ADA family—not just because of Thanksgiving, but also because it’s National Adoption Month! This is a time to celebrate all the families who have gone through the life-changing journey of adoption and to help the dream of adoption become a reality for as many families as possible.
National Adoption Month holds a special place in our hearts, since ADA’s owners, Greg and Julie Menefee, started Courageous Hearts Adoptions back in 2019 after becoming the proud grandparents to two adopted grandchildren. That’s why, this month, we’re raising awareness about adoption and spreading the word about how others can support adoptive families.
The Benefits of Adoption
Adoption is an incredible experience and can have hugely positive effects on everyone involved in the process. It provides kids with a safe and stable household when they might not otherwise have one, it allows would-be parents the life-changing opportunity to raise a child when they might not be able or want to conceive on their own, and it also supports the birth mother and/or father when raising a child for them might not be feasible or desired.
Living in an adoptive family isn’t as rare as it may seem. Today, there are about 4.5 million adopted children living in the United States with roughly 1 in every 25 households having an adopted child. All families being placed for adoption go through a rigorous background and home check and, as a result, studies show that adopted children receive more one-on-one attention from their parents, show higher performance in school, and even have better health than children in the general population.
Adopting a child can make a huge difference in that child’s life, and with around 400,000 children currently living in foster care—with over half spending 2–5 years in the system before being adopted, some spending 5+ years before adoption, and some never being adopted—there is still plenty of good that can be done.
The Courageous Hearts Difference
After Greg and Julie became grandparents, they started Courageous Hearts in 2019 along with their daughter-in-law, Jenna, and Jenna’s sister, Sara, as a way to make adoption more accessible and affordable while also providing for the wellbeing of the birth parents.
In March 2020, Courageous Hearts matched its first child and adoptive family, and since then, they’ve facilitated more than 60 successful placements in Indiana and Arizona—they have also applied for licensing in Tennessee and are working on getting certifications to facilitate adoptions in Canada and the Scandinavian countries. At the heart of every adoption is the unshakable belief that both the birth and the adoptive families should be treated with compassion and empathy.
Unlike other adoption agencies, Courageous Hearts supports birth mothers by providing counseling and financial support even after the baby comes, and provides financial support to adoptive families in case the adoption fails. From day one, the Courageous Hearts team works so that everyone on both sides of the adoption is heard and does all they can to ensure a smooth process, even after the child has been placed in their new home.
In addition to working to build families, Courageous Hearts also works to raise awareness about adoption, especially about the foster children that desperately need to be adopted.
How You Can Help
There are many ways you can support the adoption cause, either with your time or your financial resources.
Adopt a child: One of the best ways to make a difference in a child’s life is to adopt one yourself. If you’ve been considering adoption and want to know more about what the process involves and what life might look like, check out these Adoptive Family FAQs.
Become a foster parents: If you’re unable or not ready to fully adopt a child, consider fostering instead. This provides children in the foster care system with a safe, stable environment full of love and guidance while they wait for their forever home, rather than have to deal with the uncertainty of moving from home to home. Don’t underestimate the power of fostering!
Volunteer as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate for children) or a GAL (Guardian Ad Litems): Another great way to support children waiting for their forever homes is to get trained as a CASA or a GAL. CASAs advocate for the best interests of children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect, while GALs look after children and help resolve custody or adoption disputes. In both cases, these volunteers do in-depth research on the child’s situation and provide their informed recommendations to the court on a path forward that has the child’s best interests at heart.
Donate: Supporting organizations like Courageous Hearts financially is another great way to make a difference. The process of adopting is pricey, with the average cost of a domestic adoption ranging from $48,000 to $60,000. By donating, you’re helping cover essential expenses like birth parent support, legal fees, and travel costs. Make a tax-deductible donation to Courageous Hearts today.
Join us in helping support children and families this National Adoption Month!