Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Families For Orphans Act

Below info is from the Joint Council urging support of the Families for Orphans Act:

UNICEF estimates that there are 143 million orphans in the world today. Research such as the Bucharest Early Intervention Study conducted by respected researchers at Harvard University, Maryland University, and other universities has shown that keeping an orphaned child in a permanent and loving family is the best way to ensure that they have love, attention, and care needed to survive, and better yet, to thrive.

Although the U.S. Government has programs related to vulnerable children, very little of the focus and funding is going toward finding permanent families for children in need of parental care.

Developing countries where millions of orphans live lack the resources and expertise necessary to develop sound systems to provide for the care of the rising number of children living outside of permanent parental care.

Sign the Petition
We, the undersigned, request that the U.S. Congress pass the Families for Orphans Act, which would provide a diplomatic authority, with technical and coordinating capacity to keep children in their birth families whenever possible and move orphans and other children without parental care into permanent families (either through kinship care, domestic adoption, or intercountry adoption).

Very little of current U.S. funding and focus is dedicated towards finding permanent families for children in need of parental care. Developing countries lack the resources and expertise necessary to establish sound systems to provide for the care of the rising number of children living outside of a permanent family environment.

We support the Families for Orphans Act which is designed to overcome these barriers by establishing the Office of Orphan Policy, Development and Diplomacy, a specialized office within the U.S. Department of State.

This new office would be responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive, evidence-based strategy to support the preservation of families and the provision of permanent families for orphans. We urge the members of the U.S. Congress to pass the Families for Orphans Act.

CALL TO ACTION
Tomorrow is the start of the Call to Action for the Families For Orphans Act. Over the next three days join the movement and let Washington hear your voice!
Sign the Families For Orphans petition, make three simple phone calls, and get the word out! Here's how...
1. Call Congress!
  • On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday call your three Members of Congress (two in the Senate and one in the House of Representatives).
  • You can find your Representative at http://www.house.gov/
  • You can find you Senators' at http://www.senate.gov/
  • Ask to speak with the Legislative Director or Chief of Staff
  • For maximum effect, we are asking you to make these calls within this 72-hour window!
What should you say or write to your Members of Congress?
  • This is an issue that is critical to children in need, so speak from your heart. Tell them why ensuring more children living in families is so important to you!
  • Ask your Senators and Representatives to become a Co-Sponsor of the Families for Orphans Act.
  • Please feel free to use the following text as a guideline when speaking with your Members of Congress.
    • "As a constituent of we are requesting that you support the Families For Orphans Act by becoming a Co-Sponsor of the legislation. For information on becoming a Co-Sponsor, please contact Senator Mary Landrieu, Senator James Inhofe, Representative Diane Watson or Representative John Boozman. Thank you for representing your constituents by becoming a Co-Sponsor of the Families For Orphans Act (Senate Bill 1458 and House Bill 3070)."
2. Sign our Petition!
3. Get the word out!
  • Send this email to friends and family. Post to your Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, blog or website

More Information
For detailed information on the Families For Orphans Act visit:

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