Help Us Adopt helped Alison and Erica build their family

Help Us Adopt wants to help more LGBTQ prospective parents to expand their families through adoption

DAVID TAFFET | Senior Staff Writer
taffet@dallasvoice.com

Most is the biggest reason many prospective parents give up on the idea of adoption. So after adopting her two children, Becky Fawcett decided to help others adopt.
Fawcett started a financial grant program called Help Us Adopt. In the 18 years since she started her nonprofit, she’s granted 737 families up to $20,000 to go toward their domestic, international or foster adoptions.

But more of that money needs to go to LGBTQ parents, Fawcett said. So on June 5, Rainbow Roundup will host an online panel discussion in connection with Fawcett to discuss how to apply for an adoption grant.

Fawcett said she’s tried to figure out why more LGBTQ prospective parents don’t apply for grants from her organization. First it was because same-sex couples couldn’t get married. But once they could get married, the number of applications didn’t increase.

Maury and Immanuel got a grant from Help Us Adopt

Then she was told gay men have double high incomes and lesbian couples have lower incomes. But she knew that wasn’t true in either case.

And, some people thought, no one would let transgender folks or single gay men become parents, so why apply?

Apply, Fawcett said, because Help Us Adopt is granting throughout the LGBTQ community. In fact, she noted, a recent grant went to a single, Black trans person in Kentucky who’s now a parent.

“We don’t get enough LGBT applicants,” Fawcett said. “We have money to give you to adopt. We have a board supporting you. Apply.”

Foster said adoption can be expensive, considering agency fees, attorney fees and travel. When adopting a newborn, the adoptive couple covers the medical expenses.

When adopting internationally, the country usually charges fees. Fawcett said the average adoption costs from $40,000 to $70,000.

And she’s noticed that since the pandemic, adoption fees have risen, as has the average income of those applying.

Fawcett is a natural fundraiser. She said she started by asking her friends to contribute. While she still relies heavily on individual donors, she gets some corporate funding as well.

“I started with people I knew,” she said. “Everywhere I go I’m raising money. I tell the story and people love what we’re doing.”

When they ask, “What can I do?” she asks for money.

While Help Us Adopt is not an adoption agency or adoption law firm, its website has very good advice on how to get going.

“The first thing you need to do is to decide how you want to adopt — domestic adoption, international adoption, special needs, foster-to-adopt,” the organization advises.

Next, find an adoption specialist. Jonathan’s Place and Hope Cottage are two agencies in Dallas that welcome the LGBTQ community.

Several good resources are listed to help in finding agencies or attorneys. For foster-to-adopt, classes are required that your agency will provide or refer you to.

In Texas alone, 70,000 kids are in the foster system without homes. Around the world, hundreds of thousands of children need homes. The cost of adopting shouldn’t be what’s keeping them from having a good, loving home.

“You might not need this help,” Fawcett said, “but you have to know someone who does. There are countless gay and lesbian couples and singles who want to be parents.”

Visit HelpUsAdopt.org and apply for a grant to make adoption less financially daunting.

LGBTQIA+ Family Building Info Session on June 5 at 7 p.m. Visit Rainbow Roundup’s Facebook page to sign up for the online session.