Kidsave asks, "Want to adopt?" and hopes you'll consider an older child

October 19, 10:16 AMDC People & Places ExaminerKate Michael

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Ever thought about adopting a baby?  Looking forward to seeing his/her first steps, first words, and first signs of personality?  That's the dream of many.  According to Kidsave, more than 33 million children worldwide are growing up without parents.  But sadly, most of them have already had their firsts.  Kidsave is a 501 (c)(3) organization with a mission to move older children out of orphanages/foster care and into permanent loving homes.

We chatted with Kidsave super volunteer, Margarita Rozenfeld about her commitment to this cause and how her business leadership and philanthropic endeavors won her the Board of Trade's "One to Watch" award in 2008.

Margarita, how did you get involved with Kidsave?
I heard the President of Kidsave, Terry Baugh, tell her story at a book signing event for “Do Your Giving While You’re Living” and it really moved me. She went to adopt a child in a Russian orphanage and saw how horribly neglected and emotionally abused those kids were. They didn’t have anyone caring for them or even basic toys! The child she picked up and tried to hug didn’t know how to be held by an adult because they never experienced love or caring behavior by a grown-up.

Is Kidsave a personal mission?
Perhaps, especially because I grew up in that part of the word [Russia], I was so moved, I wanted to do something – anything to help Kidsave’s mission to ensure that every child in the world grows up with a loving family.

What is Kidsave all about?
Kidsave advocates often work on behalf of orphaned and foster children who are usually 8-14 age, because by this point they are near-impossible to adopt. The reason Kidsave programs are so successful - over 93% of Kidsave children are adopted - despite the age and sometimes national barriers (mostly Kidsave kids are from the US, Russia and Columbia) is that they match children with caring adults who advocate on their behalf. Either the host families or their friends end up falling in love with these wonderful children and choose to adopt them!

How has Kidsave been received in the DC community? How does the program benefit us locally?
Many of the children who participate in Kidsave programs are in the DC foster care system. Statistically, this segment of youth is in trouble:

-1 in 10 will commit suicide as young adults
-Less than half will finish high school
-1 in 3 will experience homelessness
-50% will end up in jail
-1 in 4 will become parents before age 20, and their children will likely end up in orphanages or foster care 
Many will have no choice but to turn to drug trafficking or prostitution to survive. We’re doing our best to end all of that – and our warm reception from the local public is encouraging.
 

There are advantages to older child adoption:
Interests and personalities are already formed prior to adoption.
Greater history on the skills, talents, previous illnesses and developmental milestones of older children has already been documented.
Older children are often less demanding, especially in the areas of dressing, bathing, eating and chores.
You can play right away!
They already have some memories of their past lives to share with you.
 

To find out more about Kidsave, how you can get involved, and events in the area to benefit and fundraise for this mission, visit the website here.