URGENT - JOINT COUNCIL CALL TO ACTION: 
Sign a petition/letter to be presented to President Obama and President Medvedev not to halt Russian adoptions.  See attachment

Once in a Lifetime Opportunity for Korean Adoptees who would like to Visit their Homeland:  Don’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to visit Korea. Welcome Home! is a homeland trip for adults adopted from Korea that is being sponsored by Social Welfare Society. 

This tour is being offered from August 22 – 29, 2010 and is designed for adults adopted through Social Welfare Society in Korea who are 20 – 35 years of age. Priority will be given to those who have never visited Korea. 

The program pairs adoptees with individual Korean volunteers who act as mentors through the seven-day program. The program includes opportunities to experience Korean culture as well as three days of travel in Korea based on each adoptees specific interest.  A unique aspect of this program is that adoptees and volunteers are paired before the tour and have opportunities to get to know each other before the program begins in August. 

This program is sponsored by SWS and is provided without charge to adoptees who are selected to participate. Funds to help defray the cost of travel are also provided. 

To apply for this program please download the application and email it to: rosemary@aiaaadopt.org or FAX it to: 248-362-8222 or mail it to: 2151 Livernois, Suite 200, Troy, MI 48083.

Social Welfare Society Motherland Tour Application Form

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College Scholarship:  Asian Pacific Islanders for Professional and Community Advancement (APCA) is an employee resource group of AT&T Inc.  A major goal of the group is to promotee diversity and its advantages throughout their corporation and communities.  One way they accomplish their goal is by granting annual non-renewable scholarships to college-bound high school students.  For the 2010 Program, the scholarship amount will be $1,500.  Please see the attached scholarship application for more details.

2010 APCA Scholarship Application Package

Adoption Survey:  We are inviting you to participate in a study of adoptive families that focuses on the successes and challenges of the teen and young adult years. We want to gain a more accurate and current picture of life course of adopted youth and how different factors (e.g., gender, ethnicity) may be related to their development. We are asking parents to complete an on-line survey that will take approximately 25 minutes. When you finish the survey, you can also volunteer to participate in a one-hour phone interview. If you agree to be interviewed, we will contact you to arrange a time to talk by phone. After we complete this portion of the study, we will also interview adopted young adults. (click here for more information)

Please help us with this study by completing the survey that is at

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/G9T6JQC

SPLENDOR OF THE EAST 2010, Tales of the Enchanted Lands - Myths & Legends.  Join them for dance and music in celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month on Friday, May 14, 2010, 7 PM at Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Ave., Dearborn, Michigan.  For tickets, please visit:  www.capa-mi.org.

KOREAN CULTURE CAMP OF EASTERN MICHIGAN is celebrating its 21st year and will be having their annual Korean Culture Camp in E. Lansing, Michigan at St. Thomas Aquinas School, June 21-25th, from 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. (except Friday).  A variety of activities will be offered to teach Korean culture including language, music, art, dance, drumming, Taekwondo, etc.  Most campers are children adopted from Korea, their siblings and Korean-American children but anyone with an interest in Korean culture is welcomed.  Volunteers are needed too.  For more information go to their website at www.koreanculturecamp.org.

BE THE ANSWER--TODAY:  In 1977, AIAA was a founding member of Joint Council on International Children's Services, a network of adoption service providers, family support groups, aid organizations, medical institutions, child advocates and educators.  Today a real financial crisis is jeopardizing their ability to continue to advocate for children in need around the world.

Click on the BE THE ANSWER campaign icon on our home page, listen to the children and respond.  Everyone who cares about their survival and future is requested to donate a minimum of $40 or whatever you can afford.  Be sure that you indicate that you are an AIAA adoptive family.

We need to act today!

CALL TO ACTION FOR FAMILIES FOR ORPHANS ACT:  UNICEF estimates 143 million children who live as orphans around world with no chance for permanent parental care. Joint Council on International Children’s Services, (JCICS), professional organization of adoption agencies, aid organizations, and professionals in medical field, is rallying support for Families for Orphans Act being proposed in Congress.

Act will create Office of Orphan Policy, Development, and Diplomacy within US Department of State that will help to spearhead services to children in need internationally. We urge you to go http://www.jcics.org/call_to_action.htm, read Act, and, if you agree methods being proposed, join  number of people who have already signed Petition.

Next, contact your members of Congress to encourage them to co-sponsor Act. While AIAA has some concerns about length of time it may take overseas to ensure that children are given chance to remain with birth families or be adopted domestically, this Office could be strong voice advocating for every child’s human right to permanent parental care as expeditiously as possible.

The University of Maryland Department of Family Sciences and The Center for Adoption Support and Education are working together to facilitate this important national study of transracial adoptive families

ATTENTION FAMILIES ON THE MOVE AND ADULT ADOPTEES!!!  HELP US KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOU.  If you are planning a move or have recently changed your address, please send us your new address and telephone number so we can update our database.  In addition to getting the newsletter to you, there are also occasions when our post adoption services department may need to reach you.  Having your current address and phone number saves us a great deal of time and effort.  So please take a minute or two to keep us current. 

AIAA REVISED GUIDELINES FOR LETTERS AND PACKAGES TO KOREA.
We have been pleased to see families connecting with their children’s foster parents, birth parents, caregivers, etc. However, due to the overwhelming volume of packages and correspondence we have received, our guidelines needed to be revised. You are asked to observe the following:

NANCY FOX, AIAA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND DR. SOOK WILKINSON, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST, HAVE CO-EDITED A NEW BOOK ENTITLED: - After the MORNING CALM: Reflections of Korean Adoptees. This book features 26 Korean adoptees of all ages. Their words have important implications for other adoptees, adoptive parents and professionals whose work is touched by adoption. To learn more about the book, the editors and the contributors, visit the website: www.afterthemorningcalm.com  

If you would like to talk to someone by phone, please call AIAA and ask for Jan, Tammy or Rosemary 248-362-1207

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