Finding a child you'd like to adopt is not always easy. Many parents have to go through an adoption agency, but what happens when an agency doesn't provide the service you want? Or worse, the service you need? This is a question that many people are asking as of late.
The case in question is happening in Bridesburg, PA. It's a small town that has been fighting for an adoption agency that meets their needs. The town has seen the failure of several agencies in recent years. One agency closed after a lawsuit was filed, another failed after being in business for a mere seven months. And now, the agency called Adoptions from the Heart is closing down after losing a contract to take care of the children the agency currently takes care of.
So far, the agency has received $9,000 from the city, which is a small amount compared to the $1 million the agency has spent on its operations. The city has also given the agency $8,000 so far, but it's only a fraction of what it would cost the city to hire another agency. And the city is also giving the agency $80,000 for the first year of the contract, which isn't enough to cover the costs the agency has already incurred.
According to the current contract, the city and the agency are supposed to meet twice a month to discuss the contract and any changes. And, as of yet, the agency hasn't been able to reach out to the city for any meetings. The agency is also unable to pay its employees for two weeks now.
The agency has two full-time employees and four part-time employees. All of them are looking for work, as the agency has no more money. Even though the agency has had trouble paying its employees for the past two weeks, the employees have still worked to help the kids who come to the agency. The employees have been giving out food, toys, and other items to the kids, but it's not enough to keep the agency going.
So, why is it that an agency has to close down? Well, it all comes down to a lack of funding. Most of the agencies in Bridesburg are run by volunteers. Volunteers usually have to put in hours of work before they can even get paid. But, once they are paid, the agencies usually don't have much to pay their staff with. The money they do have goes towards the cost of the agency and their expenses. If they don't have enough money, then they can't afford to pay the salaries of their staff.
This is a serious problem that many parents in Bridesburg have been dealing with. They've been asking their city to give them an agency that can help them adopt the children they love, but they can't seem to get anywhere. The city just doesn't want to fund an agency that doesn't provide the service it needs. And the agency doesn't have the money to stay open either.