Meet Becky Fawcett, founder of Help Us Adopt
Becky Fawcett’s 12-year-old son jokes by asking, “How many babies did you have this year?” Becky answers, “I had a lot of babies this year,” to which he replies, “You look good.” Such is the life of the founder of Help Us Adopt.
The Start of Help Us Adopt
In 2017 alone, Becky and her organization, Help Us Adopt, gave grants that helped 38 families adopt 41 children. Founded in 2007, Help Us Adopt is the nation’s only non-discriminatory adoption grant program. The nonprofit helps individuals and couples—regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, marital status or sexual orientation—with the adoption cost by awarding grants up to $15,000. Help Us Adopt supports domestic, international and foster care adoptions, and the organization doesn’t charge an application fee. In ten years, Help Us Adopt has awarded 230 grants totaling more than $2,000,000.
Hear Becky explain the process of applying for a Help Us Adopt grant, and how you can get involved through peer-to-peer fundraising and the Faces of Adoption initiative.
Hear how Help Us Adopt is helping all families adopt children:
Today, Becky tells her own adoption story, explaining how her inability to have children led she and her husband to adopt. She shares the impetus behind Help Us Adopt, discussing the financial commitment involved in adopting a child and the way traditional adoption grant programs define ‘family.’ Becky speaks to how Help Us Adopt serves the LGBT community as well as the legal routes to adoption for LGBT families.
Topics covered about Help Us Adopt
Becky’s adoption story
- Couldn’t have baby even with medical intervention
- Spent $82K trying to get pregnant (five IVFs)
- Now have two adopted children
- Ultimately spent $190K building family
Why Becky founded Help Us Adopt
- Adoption costs $40K: ‘What if I had needed help?’
- Wanted to offer services as pro bono publicist, looked for adoption grant programs
- Most defined ‘family’ as white man and woman who worship in a certain way
- Wrote business plan for nation’s only non-discriminatory grant program
- Offers grants up to $15K, help families get to finish line
How Help Us Adopt serves the LGBT community
- 18-19% of grants go to LGBT families
- Seeking more LGBT applicants
- $50-80K = typical household income range
- Founded on belief in family equality
- Individuals AND couples may apply
The legal routes to adoption for LGBT families
- Foster care system (LGBT-friendly, provides monthly stipend)
- Domestic newborn adoptions
- Only two international programs
How to begin the adoption process
- Find adoption agency or attorney
- Participate in a valid home study
- Legal document required for grant
The ‘personal statement’ portion of the Help Us Adopt application
- Be honest about why asking for help
- Want to know your personal story
How Help Us Adopt grants are delivered
- Pay invoice directly to adoption professional
- Not taxable, not a loan (no strings attached)
Help Us Adopt’s peer-to-peer fundraising program
- Create page, solicit small donations
- Participate in seasonal campaigns (e.g.: Mother’s Day)
- Design your own for birthday
- Don’t have to make donation yourself
Help Us Adopt’s Faces of Adoption initiative
- Social project, new post every Friday
- Tell adoption stories (i.e.: Scott Hamilton)
- Stronger, more positive voice