Introducing Tanner

Friends, let me introduce you to a young boy named "Tanner."

Tanner is a 13 year old boy with Down Syndrome and some hearing loss.  He lives in a country in Eastern Europe (not my son Alex's country).

He lives in an orphanage.  He has no family caring for him.

He is one of the 200+ children with Down Syndrome listed on Reece's Rainbow, available for adoption.  There are even more children with other special needs on the site.  The idea is to create adoption grants for them, to help pay for an international adoption.  One of RR's mantras is there are people who want to adopt these children and provide them families--the initial cost is the primary barrier.

I'd like to make him one of the 1000+ (!!!) children Reece's Rainbow has helped get into families in the past five years.  Look at that number--over 1000 children found families with their help.  THIS IS POSSIBLE.

I agreed to be Tanner's "angel tree warrior" for this month and next. The idea is to raise $1000 more for his adoption account (which is already pretty healthy at $8000!).  We have $750 to go.

I am talking to my university's Students For Life group, and they may be interested in helping raise some funds.  But while it is a great opportunity for outreach and education and a little money, I don't think they can raise $750.  Tanner needs your help as well.

Please consider sharing this page with others and contributing yourself.  They take paypal, or you can send a check (write "Tanner #31-1" in the memo line).  Even the change in the bottom of your purse counts!  And if you want to make a substantial donation, keep in mind Reece's Rainbow is a 501c3 organization--you can write this off on your taxes (if you are an American).

Y'all--I'll be honest.  The stats tell us that kids with special needs have an uphill battle in getting adopted.  So do boys.  Especially older boys.  But he needs a family.  Orphanage life is no life for a child, and it usually goes from bad to worse at adulthood.  He lives in a country that has a straightforward and relatively quick adoption process.  There is hope.

We can do this.  WE CAN DO THIS.  Please pray, pass the word, and plunk in a coin at Tanner's profile today.

Thanks, Susan
aka IC