Please read this letter from our Board of Directors, and please support our 2008 Fundraising Campaign. You can support our work by clicking here.

October, 2008

Think of tucking a child into bed, looking deep into his or her eyes and see the thousands of children who wait for a family to call their own. Children who, due to circumstances not of their making, do not have a family, do not have enough to eat, do not have shelter, are not taken care of when they are sick. Since 1984, the words that have framed the mission of BAAS have not changed – to find homes for children who need permanency in their lives and to support those families.

The process of adopting internationally has changed dramatically in the past ten years. In addition to various changes ranging from outright country closures to more stringent requirements for families our US government has implemented the Hague convention. BAAS staff and volunteers spent an intense ten months of preparation, compiled volumes of documentation and held countless meetings to ensure that we are in compliance with the guidelines. As a result of this tremendous effort, BAAS has received the highest Hague accreditation through the Council on Accreditation (five years). This should enable us to provide services to families and children in need of homes for many years.

The strict requirements of the Hague have caused many agencies to close their doors – thus placing more demand on BAAS to provide services. In addition, the cost of adoption has increased significantly and the process has become more lengthy, cumbersome and complex. Fees alone will no longer fund the current costs of providing adoption services.

We firmly believe that what is unique about BAAS is the committed board of directors and the professional, qualified staff who prioritize your needs and provide personalized care. We have traveled to many foreign countries to find the best advocates and most ethical representatives to help our families. Over the past 24 years, Bay Area Adoption Services has worked tirelessly to help over 2,000 children from over 50 countries find their forever families. I am very proud of our efforts.

The BAAS Board of Directors has committed to raising $30,000 between now and the end of the year. All new gifts made by December 1st will be doubled by a generous matching grant given by the Board of Directors. You may be receiving a phone call, in the next month from a Board member, encouraging you to make a gift. What will this money be earmarked for? Having the funds to keep and attract qualified staff and professional social workers is always a challenge. Although we are a non-profit, we inhabit the high tech, Silicon Valley and the reality is that it is extremely difficulty to compete with the huge high technology giants. With your help, we can continue to provide the exceptional service that BAAS clients have enjoyed and benefited from over the years. We can sustain our current operations, improve our core support and plan for a stronger BAAS for the future. We are financially sound and currently able to meet our organizational commitments, however we need your help.

For those of you who have adopted, you have already crossed these hurdles, but think about what would happen if agencies like BAAS were not around. Take a minute and imagine what you would have done if BAAS wasn’t there to help you when you were ready to build your family.

Please join with us and help to support our efforts by becoming a member at one of the following levels:

• Friend $100
• Sponsor $250
• Angel $500
• Ambassador $1,000
• Global Circle $2,500
• Campeon de los Ninos $5,000
  (Champion of Children)

Please consider donating in honor or memory of a family member – a loving grandparent, aunt uncle, or friend whose life has been enriched by the presence of a child.

With your help, we can make a difference in the lives of many children.

Gratefully, on behalf of the children who wait –

Andrea Stawitcke
Executive Director

BAAS Board of Directors:

• Frank Foehr
• Ann Hillen
• Olana Khan
• Bern King
• Susan Lewis
• Kathleen Nielsen
• Cindy Rasicot
• Judy Rowlee
• Raghu Viswanathan, Chair

Thank you. You can support our work by clicking here.