For many, the dream of having a family is fraught with obstacles and roadblocks. Most coming to adoption as a means to have or expand their families are faced with enormous expenses. The average adoption costs $30,000.

Where do prospective adoptive parents turn for financial help to meet or complete the costs of their adoptions? The answer? Sometimes to the kindness of a stranger. Helpusadopt.org, founded by Becky and Kipp Fawcett in 2007, is one of those strangers. The Fawcetts were moved to establish Helpusadopt.org after experiencing their own infertility issues and adoption process.

Helpusadopt.org is a 501(c)3 non-profit financial grant program that helps couples/individuals (regardless of race, religion, marital status or sexual preference) with their adoption expenses  by awarding financial grants from $500 – $15,000. Helpusadopt.org will pay the grant recipients’ service providers directly and will cover domestic, international, foster child and special needs adoptions.

On June 1^st, Helpusadopt.org awarded $50,000 in adoption grants to eight deserving recipients. The recipients came from across the U.S. and included married couples, and single parents.

The fourth round of grants will be awarded in December 2009. Helpusadopt.org is poised to give away another $50,000. The grant application is posted here. The deadline for submitting your application is October 16, 2009.

For information or to donate to Helpusadopt.org and help others build their families, contact Becky Fawcett.

Judy’s essays and articles have appeared in parenting magazines. Her story, “Souls Speak”, is featured in A Cup of Comfort for Adoptive Families: Stories That Celebrate a Special Gift of Love . “Healing the Roots of Our Grafted Tree” is featured in the upcoming Pieces of Me: Who Do I Want to Be? (EMK Press, September, 2009). She blogs at The International Mom’s Blog.