Nearly four years ago I began serving as the Southwest Minnesota Parent Liaison for the Minnesota Adoption Support and Preservation program. My husband and I have been blessed with nine children through adoption and are looking forward to traveling to Guatemala to bring home our tenth. It has been my privilege to connect adoptive families with one another. We enjoy the opportunity to support one another through phone calls, an online support group, and adoption gatherings throughout the region. We also are blessed to see the relationships that our children have developed with other kids like them. I have been surprised, however, that in serving 20 counties for almost four years, I have only connected with 120 families. Adoptive parents not only join together for fun and support but we also work to encourage others to adopt. Currently, Minnesota has more than 500 CHILDREN WAITING TO BE ADOPTED. Adoptive parents don’t need to have a high income or own a home. They may be married or single. Adoption and foster care social workers are looking for families with "real life" experience and the ability to cope with challenges: they are not looking for perfect families. I strongly encourage adoptive parents, those waiting to adopt, and even those considering adoption to call me. I would love to assist in bringing more adoptive parents together to further the cause of adoption in Southwestern Minnesota. Call me, Claudia Fletcher, toll free at 877-349-6353 or e-mail me at maeflye@aol.com. Claudia Fletcher Parent Liaison Minnesota Adoption Support and Preservation
