Celebrate this special season with a special gift

As we prepare for Christmas this year our thoughts are upon the children in the baby houses and orphanages in Kazakhstan. We look forward with anticipation to the thoughts that next year there will be a young child in the house. There is something special about witnessing the Christmas season through the eyes and wonderment of a child. It makes it extra special.

Our International Adoption Agency, Adoption Ark, supports children overseas in multiple ways through out the year. Recently they sent out an email listing ways that others can assist them in their efforts during the holiday season and throughout the year. If you are interested in helping with the effort to assist the children in the baby houses and orphanages below are some of the ways they suggested.

OPTION 1
“What if Adoption ARK earned a penny every time you searched the Internet? Or how about if a percentage of every purchase you made online went to support our cause? Well, now it can! GoodSearch.com is a new Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up!
GoodShop.com is a new online shopping mall which donates up to 37 percent of each purchase to your favorite cause! Hundreds of great stores including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, ebay, Macy's and Barnes & Noble have teamed up with GoodShop and every time you place an order, you'll be supporting your favorite cause.

Just go to www.goodsearch.com and be sure to enter Adoption ARK as the charity you want to support. And, be sure to spread the word! visit GoodSearch or GoodShop .


OPTION 2
Happy Holiday, Kid

Those who work in adoption field know for a fact that perspective adoptive parents mainly desire to adopt young kids: babies or toddlers. Kids who are 4 and up are considered for these clients to be ‘too old’. Please think about it! Even combination of such words as ‘kid’ and ‘too old’ is an awkward combination. However, many orphans who dream about parents might never have an opportunity to experience family life because perspective adoptive parents consider them to be ‘too old’. At the age of 5, a kid might be too old to be desired by a loving family!
Adoption Ark’s mission is to help orphan kids, especially kids who need it the most – special needs kids and older kids!

Adoption Ark proposes a new program “Happy Holiday, Kid!” We think that it is a good time to be reminded about orphans who might never have a chance to be adopted and might never experience holidays shared with caring family members! We invite everyone who might be interested in making an orphan’s life a bit brighter, to participate in the program!
Here we have some older kids’ photos and IDs. We propose that you write greeting cards to one or a few of them (you can choose as many as you want) – on major holidays the child of your choice celebrates in his or her orphanage, in his or her home country.

How does this program work? You can choose one or a few kids and sign up to participate in the program. The process of signing up is easy, quick and absolutely free. You will receive the child’s first name (only! please be informed in advance that there is no possibility for us to release any confidential personal information about the child) and a list of MAJOR holidays in his or her home country.

The only thing you will have to do is to send greeting cards to us (to Adoption Ark), addressed to the kids you want to support and we will forward your cards to the regional representatives, who will bring them to the specific orphans to whom they are addressed. A few simple words of care, a funny picture on a greeting card, a smiley face, a silly drawing, anything of such nature may bring a smile to the child’s face and brighten his or her day.

We want to state it clearly: we will not accept any monetary donations or any gifts for the kids. This program is designed to put the message across – that we, adults, do care for orphan children regardless of their race, regardless of their nationality, regardless of their ages! This program is designed to raise awareness of older kids who grow and live in the orphanages.
Participation in the program is absolutely voluntarily and you can stop to do it at any time – no questions asked. Adoption Ark will not send you any reminders or any requests for cards --- it should be your pleasure to write a few words for the orphan of your choice.

If you have never met an orphan, you can not even believe how happy the kid might be when he or she receives a greeting card from abroad. Think about these kids –affectionate or reserved, polite or mischievous, proper or funny, active or shy – they all need attention, love and care! Please consider your participation in the program. We promise to deliver all cards to the kids of your choice. A simple holiday greeting card can brighten a day for a kid in a foreign country. They all look up to the sky. They all see bright stars. They all make wishes. Let’s just send them our greetings and hope that their wishes will come true. Happy Holiday, Kid!

For the full list of kids and for the free application to sign up for the program, please inquire at kids@adoptionark.org


OPTION 3
Christmas Projects 2008

During the holiday season Adoption ARK receives many calls asking "What do the children need this Christmas?" The answer depends on the country the children are living in and the condition of the orphanage. Adoption Ark, with your help, would like to make The Winter Holidays extra special living in orphanages around the world.

Project #1 Our Annual Celebration of the New Year For Orphans In The Ivanovo Region
Every year Adoption Ark is commited to bring the holiday spirit into children's' lives. Last year we sponsored a huge celebration of all orphanages in the Ivanovo region. In addition we provided gifts for orphanages that became special for our team. This year we would like to raise $2000 to support a celebration the New Year for our dear older children residing in this region. The usual celebration is a concert with children and adults participating. The funds are needed to help buy costumes and decorations; in addition we will provide each child in the sponsored orphanage with a gift.

Project #2 Help for Special Needs Orphans in Russia
Special needs houses for older children may be a sad place to visit. While children's' basic needs are met, they often times do not receive any formal education. However the situation is changing. One special needs orphanage in Pscov had their first school year with a program designed for special need kids. Adoption Ark would like to raise $1000 to buy educational materials and sports equipment for kids in Pskov. In addition we would like to make donations to other special needs orphanages.

Project # 3 Helping Orphaned Children that have Cancer
We want to help orphans who have cancer to collect money for their treatment and medical care. We know of such orphans living in Kazakhstan, Russia and other countries. Those who want to donate to the project 'FIGHT CANCER' please put a note on your check that the money is to be donated towards this project.

Project #4 Kazakhstan Orphanage needs Basic Supplies for the Children
Two Kazakhstan orphanages asked for the donation of: 8 vacuum cleaners for groups of kids and 1 steam vacuum cleaner for musical center and sports room. glass-wooden case for medical supplies 8 cvarz lamps (lamps that clear the air) Special oven for making bread and other pastry Sports equipment Total requested $5,000 Adoption Ark donates $1000 towards this project. With help of our sponsors we have collected $3,500 but we still need to raise $1500 to meet this goal.

Project #5 Christmas Presents
Adoption Ark raised funds for Christmas gifts for older Bulgaria orphans. We will appreciate any donation for this cause.

Donations can be made through Google checkout by clicking on the "Donate to Orphans" button or you can mail your contribution to:

Adoption ARK
830 Buffalo Grove Road,
Suite 103
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089

PLEASE WHEN YOU SEND A CHECK INDICATE THE PROJECT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DONATE TOWARDS. IF WE HAVE REACHED OUR GOAL FOR YOUR INTENDED PROJECT, PLEASE INDICATE IF YOU ARE WILLING FOR YOUR DONATION TO BE APPLIED TO ANOTHER PROJECT THAT HAS NOT YET MET ITS INTENDED GOAL.

Warm thoughts go out to all of you this special time of the year. Thanks for all your support and prayers as we make our family a reality in 2009.