Gladney Blog

The Gladney Center for Adoption is honored to announce a remarkable   
opportunity — the very first International Hosting Program ever approved by the   
country of Ecuador. For the first time, Ecuador’s central adoption authority has   
entrusted Gladney to bring a group of waiting children to the United States,   
allowing them to experience life with loving American families. This milestone   
marks an incredible moment in international child advocacy — and you can be a   
part of it.  
For 2–4 weeks this summer, children from Ecuador who are waiting for adoption   
will travel to the U.S. to stay with carefully screened and qualified host families.   
During their time here, the children will experience the warmth of family life,   
participate in fun cultural and community activities, and form meaningful   
connections that may change the course of their lives.  
Hosting is a powerful way to make a tangible impact. For many children, this   
experience becomes the bridge to finding their forever family — whether through   
adoption or by opening new doors for advocacy. Gladney’s team will provide full   
support and guidance every step of the way, ensuring that both children and   
families are well-prepared and supported throughout the journey.  
By welcoming a child into your home, you are not only offering love and stability   
for a few weeks — you are helping to shape their future. Ecuador’s decision to   
launch this historic partnership with Gladney speaks volumes about the trust   
placed in our organization’s experience, compassion, and commitment to ethical   
adoption practices.  
We invite you to join us in making history. Step forward, open your home, and   
become a host family for a child from Ecuador. Together, we can help these   
children experience belonging, hope, and the joy of family.  

Building Partnerships, Creating Futures: Gladney’s Work in Thailand  
At Gladney, we believe every child deserves a loving and caring family. This   
belief has guided our international work for decades — and it continues to inspire   
new partnerships around the world. We are thrilled to share an update on two   
incredible collaborations in Thailand that are helping make this vision a reality.  

A return trip to China is an extraordinary opportunity for adoptees and their families. It’s a chance to connect with culture and heritage in a personal and powerful way—but like any meaningful journey, it requires thoughtful preparation. At Gladney, we want families to feel equipped not only with the right travel essentials but also with the emotional tools to make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime experience. 

At Gladney, we are proud to work alongside exceptional organizations that share   
our commitment to finding loving, permanent families for children. Two such   
partners, Cathwel Service and Chung Yi Social Welfare Foundation, have been   
pillars of our international adoption work in Taiwan for 17 years, and their   
dedication has helped bring hope and stability to hundreds of children.  

For many international adoptees, traveling back to China is more than just a trip—it’s a deeply meaningful step in the lifelong journey of adoption. At Gladney, we believe these experiences have the power to strengthen identity, deepen family bonds, and create lasting connections to culture and heritage. 

Recently, Gladney’s Director of International Advocacy/Bulgaria Program, Sarah Hansen, MSW, was invited to be a guest on the Creating a Family podcast. In this episode, Sarah joined host Tracy Whitney and fellow guest Simi Riesner, Executive Director of Mazi Adoption and Family Services, to explore the unique joys and challenges of older child adoption.

If you’ve ever heard the saying, “If you’ve met one autistic person, you’ve met one autistic person,” you already know the first golden rule: autism is not a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. It’s more like a giant, beautiful quilt—full of different colors, patterns, and textures—stitched together with individuality. 

At Gladney, our International Adoption team is committed to advocating for children who are still waiting for the love and stability of a forever family. Every trip we take reminds us that behind every file and photograph is a child with a story, a spark, and dreams for the future.

Being adopted has meant constantly living in- between. I am Chinese by blood, but despite my parents taking me to China and observing customs
and traditions, I do not feel that these Chinese customs and traditions are my own. I feel like my face betrays the life I’ve actually lived. I’m American—but people still ask me where I’m “really” from. That question sticks like seaweed in my throat. I don’t honestly belong here or there.

Gladney's international trips are one way our team connects with children waiting for a forever family. During each trip, our program leaders reconnect with in-country partners and meet the children. This opportunity helps us nourish partnerships, collaborate with governments, and work together to improve any and all facets of the international adoption process that are in the best interests of the children. Every face-to-face connection helps us better understand each child, equipping us to advocate on their behalf when we return—bringing us one step closer to creating brighter futures through adoption.