Gladney Blog

This past week has been made up of forms, forms, and more forms. Don't get me wrong, I love paperwork and filing, it is what I am good at. Even so, finding the right forms to request a child abuse clearance in not easy when the state alters requirements every six months without notice. As a result of a sudden change, I uncovered a policy issue that can only be described as bad.

Last week, our Gladney families and staff attended the Chinese New Year celebration in New York to bring in the new year. 

When I heard through Texas Christian University that the Gladney Center for Adoption had a potential internship opportunity, I was curious to find out how they serve children. During my internship so far, I have learned Gladney keeps the best interest of the children in mind. I am so honored and grateful for this journey of serving here. I have observed genuine, caring individuals in every department, from Donor Relations to Marketing. From driving in the entrance and parking my car to walking the walls of Gladney, I have seen messages that symbolize the heart and passion of Gladney’s staff for the children they serve: 

Emily Morehead talked with Ashley Whiteside, Domestic Infant Adoption Manager,  about reframing how we see adoption. Like any journey, the journey to adoption can be a bumpy road full of twists and turns. It requires patience, communication, and a lot of love before, during, and after a baby is welcomed into the world.

The process of adopting is stressful. However, footing the cost shouldn’t be. One fun way to raise money for your adoption fee is to put together a chili cook-off. A chili cook-off is a popular fundraiser, especially if you hold it in the fall around football season. This is a great way to raise money for adoption as it brings the community together and involves food. And I mean, who doesn’t love good company and excellent food?! Here are some tips in planning your cook-off:

The process of adopting is stressful. However, the cost shouldn’t be. Other than scholarships and grants, there are many ways to raise money that can involve your friends, family, and the community. One simple, fun way to raise money is to hold a trivia night. People love competitions, especially ones where they can put their knowledge to the test against friends, family members, and co-workers. Here are some tips in planning a successful night:

The process of adopting is stressful. Although there are scholarships and grants that you can apply for, sometimes these don't help to cover the full cost of the adoption fee. One way to raise money for an adoption is to sell custom-designed t-shirts. These t-shirts can obviously promote your cause of adoption on the t-shirt, but it can also feature other various designs to attract the eye. Some of the essential steps in setting up a custom t-shirt sale are:

The process of adopting can be stressful. However, paying the adoption fees shouldn’t be. One way to raise money to go towards those adoption fees is to create a crowdfunding campaign. Many people have created various fundraisers on the website GoFundMe.com because it is an easy and convenient way of raising money and reaching a wide variety of people.

The process of adopting is stressful. However, footing the cost shouldn’t be. One way to raise money for the adoption fee is to organize a 5K walk/run in your community. Groups across the country have successful raised a lot of money doing this such as Deer Park-5K Color Run, and you can too! Here are some helpful steps in organizing the run/walk:

This internship has been so much more than I ever expected! I first heard about Gladney after I started the MSW program at the University of Texas at Arlington. When the opportunity presented itself to apply for an internship here I jumped at it, but I was not holding my breath on being one of the few lucky ones to be selected. Then, the much-anticipated e-mail came in…” you have been accepted as an intern at the Gladney Center for Adoption”. Intern at Gladney?! Me?! I felt like my eyes were deceiving me! I remember calling my mom to tell her and then quickly assuring both of us that it was too good to be true. I am so glad that statement was wrong!