For years, Kidsave has brought older orphans to the United States and connected them with permanent families.
The Kidsave Summer Miracles program will provide 50 orphans from Colombia the opportunity to stay with host families in the U.S. for the summer as they meet families interested in adoption. It’s the chance of a lifetime for children who didn’t think finding a permanent family was possible.
“They’re children who are literally thrown away, forgotten kids in their own countries,” said Terry Baugh, president and co-founder of Kidsave. “When you introduce them to an American family who values them, people realize they’re amazing human beings.”
According to UNICEF, there are nearly 140 million children worldwide who are orphans. Ninety-five percent of all orphans are over the age of five.
Kidsave provides children the opportunity to connect with families and possibly find a place to call home.
“To have that kind of an impact on another person’s life is profound,” said Marycarol Skaggs, a host parent for the organization. “The only way to make an orphan not an orphan is through adoption.”
Over the years, Skaggs was a host parent for a number of kids. What was supposed to be just a temporary home for the summer, ended in adoption for a few of the children through Kidsave.
“It’s bringing a child into your family and showing them what family life,” said Skaggs. “I would encourage any family who is just on that fence to make the plunge and give it a try. It is so significant to have that kind of an impact on the life of another person.”
This year children from Colombia will be staying in the United States from June 30 to August 3.
The first Kidsave event will take place on July 2 in Columbia, Maryland.
For more information, visit the Kidsave website.
