CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES DESERVE LOVE AND FAMILY TOO

In Honor of National Adoption Month

Adoption is a way to grow families and take children out of the foster care system by providing them with a permanent loving home. National Adoption Month was created to bring awareness to the impact of adoption. The plan began as National Adoption Week in 1984, as proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan. President Bill Clinton then proclaimed the first National Adoption Month in 1995. In foster care, we have a number of youth available for adoption. The most vulnerable and disadvantaged youth in the foster care and adoption system are those children with disabilities. Disabilities include physical, emotional, cognitive, and learning impairments ranging in severity. Here are a few Michigan youths to bring awareness to the youth with disabilities looking for their adoptive families.

If interested in learning more about these youth or others in foster care, please contact Orchards Children Services at funderwood@orchards.org.

MEET:

Destiny is 15 years old. She loves being on the go, animals and exploring for bugs anywhere they can be found. She has an amazing imagination and is quite the storyteller. Destiny has an affectionate smile and a deep laugh. Destiny is very talkative and engaging when she is familiar with you.

Heather is 15 years old. Heather is a sassy, loving girl who loves to joke around, chit-chat, and “Chillax”. Her favorite color is green. Heather’s favorite food is McDonald’s and her favorite holiday is Christmas and her Birthday because it is all about me and I get special gifts. Heather shares that her favorite movie is The Grinch because he is so funny and makes her laugh.

Marcellous is a 15-year-old boy who loves to be active. Marcellous enjoys doing all sorts of outdoor activities, especially camping and swimming. He enjoys listening to music, dancing, and singing. Marcellous would love a family that enjoys being active and outdoors and that will encourage him to continue to grow and learn. Marcellous never stops smiling.

Dominic is 9 years old. He is such a sweet boy who enjoys being able to be outside, gets along well with his peers, and has a wonderful, infectious giggle over funny sounds.

Isa is 11 years old. Isa is a very happy child. He enjoys watching videos on YouTube and has a particular interest in a YouTuber, Ryans World. Isa loves to play games like Uno, Monopoly, Chutes and Ladders, etc. Recently, Isa was able to play a game designed by “Ryans World”. He was very excited to learn how to play and remained engaged for 3 full games. Isa loves to interact with the people around him. The best thing about Isa is he is very easy to connect with. He is always happy to be engaged in gameplay or conversations.  Isa has a very bubbly personality and would be a great addition to a loving household.

Matthew is 17 years old. Matthew enjoys gathering small toys and collecting them in his pockets. His favorite animal is a toy frog that he carries around in his pocket. Matthew enjoys watching TV and just hanging out. Matthew enjoys scaring his staff members and thinks it’s funny when they are startled by loud noises.

Christopher, who goes by Chris, is a fun-loving, energetic kiddo. Chris is 15 years old. Chris loves to sing and just recently learned “ Take Me Out To The Ball Game.” Chris can always be found with his bubbly personality and a smile on his face. He has recently taken an interest in cooking shows. Chris also enjoys exploring how things are put together and taken apart. Any chance he has he can be found outside making chalk murals, playing with rocks and singing in the sandbox. Christopher has been up for adoption for more than ten years. He needs a safe, stable and loving family who has some patience and the ability to advocate for Chris.

Jeremiah is 17 years old. Jeremiah is kind and gentle. He would make an excellent companion for anyone. Jeremiah loves cats and he always assumes the “big brother” role with younger children. Jeremiah loves basketball, WWE wrestling, games shows, and the card game “Uno”.

Thomas AKA Tommy is 11 years old. He is an avid outdoorsman! He enjoys fishing, swimming, and playing outside. He is very curious and has a bright personality. Tommy enjoys school and meeting new friends. He is very eager to find his forever family.

D’Amarr is 13 years old. D’Amarr is sweet, loving and funny. D’Amarr lives in the moment and is always ready for a good time. D’Amarr has a fantastic imagination, and he is always orchestrating battles for his favorite superhero, The Hulk.

Kakashi is 12 years old. He is very sweet, affectionate, smart, and silly. He is mostly non-speaking and uses a communication device. He loves to be outside whether it’s jumping on the trampoline, playing with his flags, or swimming. He is very helpful and loves to do things for others. His perfect day would consist of listening to music and spending time on YouTube, spending some time outside, having McDonald’s for dinner, and ending his night with a family movie night.

Joshua is 12 years old. Joshua is a very kind and loving individual with an eagerness to get to know those around him. He loves to build with Legos and explore his surroundings. He loves being outdoors and searching for bugs. He is very energetic and loves nothing more than a good home-cooked meal.

Isaieh is 14 years old and is a gowith-the-flow kiddo. He enjoys spending time with others, going to the library and is always willing to share his toys with others and include others in activities. Isaieh loves to play with Legos and is skilled in building different creations. He loves anything baby Yoda related and in his downtime he enjoys coloring, playing on his switch, playing with Legos and spending time with friends who he refers to as his buddies.

Amanda This is Amanda! She is 17 years old. Something about Amanda is that she is very creative! Amanda loves coloring, drawing and writing in her journal. Amanda’s favorite show is Disney’s “Descendants”, and she looks up to the character Mal from the show!

Brandon is 10 years old. Brandon is a kiddo who is always ready for the next adventure. He loves doing anything outside, especially swimming. Brandon has a lot of energy and would love a family that’s ready to match his level.