“I want to find a family that could be mine forever,” says fourteen year old Caesar, who is one of many older Latino children in California waiting and looking for a new family that will love them. Like most children who are available for adoption, Caesar is in the foster family system. Without a permanent family, he will be on his own when he turns eighteen years old.
The outcome for most kids who don’t have the support of a permanent family are not good, according to Jill Jacobs, executive director of Family Builders adoption agency in Oakland. “Within twelve months of being on their own, more than sixty percent are homeless or in jail,” she says. “Children get into the foster care system because something bad has happened in their life,” she says. Neglect, abuse, or domestic violence are common, as is drug abuse by one or both parents. Whatever the reason, the parents are not able to take care of the child and they go to a foster family.
Jill says that there is nearly 80,000 children in foster care in California and 45% of them are Latino. “Latino children are the fastest growing ethnic group in foster care,” she says. A look at the database at www.familybuilders.org of children available for adoption reflects this reality. Jill says she wants to let Latino families know there are Latino children who need families.
Family Builders focuses on older children, who are often overlooked by the rest of the adoption system. They focus on youth aged nine and older, though they arrange adoptions for children of all ages. When asked about the special challenges that people assume older children will present, Jill says, “Parenting is tough at any age – there are issues to face whether they’re your own children or adopted.” The advantage of being an adoptive parent, she adds, is that you get to choose what type of challenges you get to deal with.
Lisa Martinez adopted a thirteen month-old boy with Family Builders. Kanye is now almost three years old. A single mother, Lisa contacted Family Builders, which worked with her to discover what she wanted and what she wanted to offer a child. Lisa has a lot of praise for Family Builders and how they manage the entire adoption process. “People at Family Builders are willing to help you match these children with people who are willing to open their homes and hearts to them,” she says.
Lisa urges people to find the courage within them and contact an organization like Family Builders. “Because there will be somebody there who will encourage you that you’re doing the right thing – you’re going to make the difference in a child’s life,” she says. “If you have it in your heart to think about adoption, then you have it in your heart to open your life to it,” she concludes.
The outcome for most kids who don’t have the support of a permanent family are not good, according to Jill Jacobs, executive director of Family Builders adoption agency in Oakland. “Within twelve months of being on their own, more than sixty percent are homeless or in jail,” she says. “Children get into the foster care system because something bad has happened in their life,” she says. Neglect, abuse, or domestic violence are common, as is drug abuse by one or both parents. Whatever the reason, the parents are not able to take care of the child and they go to a foster family.
Jill says that there is nearly 80,000 children in foster care in California and 45% of them are Latino. “Latino children are the fastest growing ethnic group in foster care,” she says. A look at the database at www.familybuilders.org of children available for adoption reflects this reality. Jill says she wants to let Latino families know there are Latino children who need families.
Family Builders focuses on older children, who are often overlooked by the rest of the adoption system. They focus on youth aged nine and older, though they arrange adoptions for children of all ages. When asked about the special challenges that people assume older children will present, Jill says, “Parenting is tough at any age – there are issues to face whether they’re your own children or adopted.” The advantage of being an adoptive parent, she adds, is that you get to choose what type of challenges you get to deal with.
Lisa Martinez adopted a thirteen month-old boy with Family Builders. Kanye is now almost three years old. A single mother, Lisa contacted Family Builders, which worked with her to discover what she wanted and what she wanted to offer a child. Lisa has a lot of praise for Family Builders and how they manage the entire adoption process. “People at Family Builders are willing to help you match these children with people who are willing to open their homes and hearts to them,” she says.
Lisa urges people to find the courage within them and contact an organization like Family Builders. “Because there will be somebody there who will encourage you that you’re doing the right thing – you’re going to make the difference in a child’s life,” she says. “If you have it in your heart to think about adoption, then you have it in your heart to open your life to it,” she concludes.