Donate

CCAI

Blog

7 ways to celebrate NAAM as a Family!

It’s November, which means it’s National Adoption Month! There are many ways to celebrate adoption together as a family.

  1. First, celebrate your child’s adoption, tell your child’s adoption story together and have each family member share from their unique perspective. In addition, create a book together through Shutterfly or blurb.com.
  2. Second, celebrate NAAM by watching positive adoption-related movies as a family.
  • Meet the Robinsons
  • The Odd Life of Timothy Green
  • ELF
  • Annie (2014 version)
  • Chimpanzee Documentary (Disneynature documentary)
  • Tigger Movie
  • Despicable Me 1 and 2
  • Kung Fu Panda 1, 2 and 3
  • Anne of Green Gables
  • The Great Gilly Hopkins (age 10+)
  • Lion (age 13+)
  • Easy A (age 15+)
  • Instant Family (age 13+)
  • Found documentary on Netflix (age 13+)
  • Dan in Real Life (age 13+)
lion trailer
  1. Third, celebrate adoption through reading books together that promote the value of adoption.
  • Bringing Asha Home by Uma Krishnaswami
  • Bad Kitty Meets the Baby by Nick Bruel
  • Happy Adoption Day! by John McCutcheon
  • We Match on the Inside: A book to help your child answer questions about adoption by Christine Bunkowski
  • I’ve Loved You Since Forever by Hoda Kotb
  • Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk (age 12+)
  • A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life (age 13+)
Celebrate adoption by reading I've loved you since forever by Hoda Kotb
  1. In addition, celebrate your child’s adoption by celebrating their heritage!
  • Make a meal from your child’s birth country or go out to a restaurant featuring food from your child’s country.
  • Watch a movie or documentary about your child’s birth country or heritage.
  • Visit cultural festivals or museum exhibits
  • Incorporate a tradition from your child’s birth country.
  • Learn the language of your child’s birth country.
Celebrate adoption by making Varenyky
Varenyky (or Peirogis) is a popular Ukranian dish.
  1. Fifth, celebrate adoption by spreading the word about CCAI’s Adoption Services and Orphan Care.
Shan Shan is getting one-on-one education through CCAI's charity fund.
CCAI’s one-on-one education program
  1. Sixth, celebrate NAAM by educating yourself and the people around you about adoption and adoptee experiences through CCAI’s The Park Adoption Community Center. 
  2. Finally, get your child involved in AdopTween (ages 9-12) or AdopTeen (ages 13+) through virtual and in-person events!
Adoptween celebrating Halloween!
AdoptTween celebrating World Adoption Day!

Recent posts

GiGi Pleet

Adoption Program Specialist

GiGi Pleet joined CCAI in 2014 as our China Applications Specialist. She rejoined the team in 2022 after taking a few years off to spend time with her family.  GiGi and her husband have adopted three beautiful daughters from China who are the joy and purpose of their lives.  GiGi is passionate about adoption and furthering CCAI’s mission to find loving parents and permanent homes for as many children as possible and to continue reaching out to children left behind.  When she is not working, you can find her spending time with her girls in the beautiful mountains of Colorado or on an adventure to a new, faraway place.
 
Joined CCAI:  Originally 2014 – 2020, rejoined 2022
 
Bucket List Item:  To see all Seven Wonders of the World 

Contact Information

gigi@ccaifamily.org

(303) 850-9998 ext. 300

Emily Straut

The Park Administrative Assistant

Emily was adopted through CCAI in 2002!  Having always admired the ways that the organization continued to support families even after adoption, she began working at The Park last year because she wanted to be more involved in the adoption community and according to her, “It’s been a blast so far!”

Emily is majoring in environmental science at MSU Denver and hopes to help mitigate the causes and effects of climate change. In her free time, she like to practice guitar, play video games, watch movies, and spend time with her friends and family. 

Bucket List: Visit every province in China!

Contact Information

emily@theparkcommunity.org

(303) 221-6688 ext. 170

CO Team Line 4

Ivy Buchanan

The Park Adoptee Program Coordinator

Ivy has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Production Design for Film and Theater with a minor in Studio Art. She had the opportunity to study abroad in London, England and Florence, Italy. After graduating, while visiting an orphanage in Kathmandu, Nepal she had a moment of realization and knew she wanted to work in the adoption community. After some prior experience in post-adoption and nonprofit management, she came to The Park and is really enjoying focusing on and being involved with offering lifelong support for adoptees and the adoption community.

Ivy was adopted from Kazakhstan at 18-months old and is proud of her adoptee identity and her adoptive family. She is passionate about sharing the stories of the amazing people in the adoption community and helping adoptees celebrate their identities. Her lifelong best friend was adopted from China through CCAI. 

In her free time, she enjoys making art (she is working on a series of sculptural paintings of poached animal species), trying new food, catching up with friends, reading, and being with family. She loves to travel whenever possible.

Joined CCAI: 2023

Top Bucket List Items:

  • A trail ride through “Middle Earth” in New Zealand
  • Volunteering for a few weeks at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
  • Sleeping in a hammock on a beach

Contact Information

ivy@theparkcommunity.org

(303) 221-6688 ext. 205

CO Team Line 1

Colorado Expenses

ExpenseAmountPmt MethodPay ToDue
Application Fee$250Check/ACH WithdrawalCCAIApplication submission
Child Abuse Record Search$35/FamilyCheckCO Dept of Human ServiceApplication submission
IAAME Monitoring & Oversight Fee$500Check/ACH WithdrawalCCAI (Sent to IAAME)After App Approval
First Program Fee (Includes Home Study)$5,700Check/ACH WithdrawalCCAIAfter App Approval
CBI/FBI Fingerprint Search$39.50 per personMoney OrderColorado Bureau of InvestigationAfter App Approval
USCIS Filing & Fingerprinting$775 plus $85/adultCheck/Money OrderUS Dept. of Homeland SecurityUpon I-800A submission
Dossier PreparationApprox. $450-$900Check/Money OrderSecretary of State(s), Chinese Consulate(s)As preparing Dossier
Second Program Fee$5,050Check/ACH WithdrawalCCAIDossier Submission
CCCWA Fee$1,270Check/ACH WithdrawalCCCWA via CCAIDossier Submission
Third Program Fee$5,500Check/ACH WithdrawalCCAIPrior to receiving child match acceptance letter
CCCWA Post Adoption Translation Fee$300Check/ACH WithdrawalCCCWA via CCAIPrior to receiving child match acceptance letter
Court Validation Deposit$200CheckCCAIPrior to receiving child match acceptance letter
Post Adoption Deposit (Refundable)$450Check/ACH WithdrawalCCAIPrior to receiving child match acceptance letter
Visa to enter China$140 (plus courier fee)Check/Credit CardChinese Consulate via a courier/travel agencyApproximately one month before travel to China
US Domestic & International Airfare$1,000 – $2,000 per traveler (adopted child over 2 requires full ticket)Credit CardA travel agency/airline of your choice

Approximately 7-10 days prior to China departure

In China Travel & AccommodationsApprox. $4,000-$4,400 for two adultsACH WithdrawalCCAI (wired to China)Approximately 7-10 days prior to China departure
Adoption Registration and Notarization$800 – $1,000CashLocal government in ChinaIn China
Orphanage Donation(Voluntary)Cash or WireOrphanageIn China
Child’s Passport$100-$150CashLocal passport agencyIn China
Food$700 – $800 per coupleCash/Credit CardHotel(s), restaurant(s)In China
Child Physical & Photo$130-$150CashClinicIn Guangzhou, China
Child U.S. Entry Visa$325Cash or CheckU.S. ConsulateIn China
Court Validation Fee$167CheckCounty CourtAfter U.S. Return
Child’s Colorado Birth Certificate$37.75CheckColorado Vital Statistics OfficeAfter U.S. Return
Lutheran Family Services$250CheckLutheran Family Services via CCAIWhen Home Study is approved by CCAI