Pact An Adoption Alliance

PACT SERVES ADOPTED CHILDREN OF COLOR BY PROVIDING NOT ONLY ADOPTIVE PLACEMENT BUT ALSO LIFELONG EDUCATION, SUPPORT, AND COMMUNITY FOR ADOPTEES AND THEIR FAMILIES ON MATTERS OF ADOPTION AND RACE.

PACT FAMILY CAMPS ARE FIVE-DAY IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES FOR ADOPTED OR FOSTERED CHILDREN OF COLOR AND THEIR FAMILIES, INCLUDING EXTENDED FAMILY AND FIRST/BIRTH FAMILY. PROGRAMMING IS BASED ON PACTS CHILD-CENTERED, ANTI-RACIST, ETHICAL APPROACH TO ADOPTION, RACE AND FAMILY. MANY PRESENTERS AND COUNSELORS ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR, ADULT ADOPTEES, FORMER FOSTER YOUTH OR FIRST/BIRTH PARENTS. CAMP IS A LIFE-CHANGING OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FROM EXPERTS AND ENJOY FAMILY ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE CONNECTION AND ACKNOWLEDGE INTERSECTIONALITY. DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, PACT FAMILY CAMPS WERE CANCELED IN 2020.- RACE OF YOUTH: 74% AFRICAN AMERICAN, 12% LATINO, 8% ASIAN, 1% NATIVE AMERICAN, 5% WHITE- FAMILIES AT CAMP: 31% FAMILIES INCLUDE AT LEAST ONE BIPOC PARENT, 28% FAMILIES ARE LGBTQ PARENTS, 17% ARE SINGLE-PARENT FAMILIES; 48% DOMESTIC PRIVATE ADOPTION, 35% FOSTER ADOPTION, 17% INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION

ADOPTION PLACEMENT - PACT IS A LICENSED, FULL-SERVICE ADOPTION AGENCY AND A NATIONAL THOUGHT LEADER THAT MODELS A RADICALLY ETHICAL APPROACH TO ADOPTION. WE MEASURE OUR SUCCESS NOT BY HOW MANY PLACEMENTS WE MAKE BUT BY HOW EFFECTIVELY WE HELP ADULTS MEET CHILDRENS NEEDS, WHETHER THAT INVOLVES ADOPTION OR NOT. WE START BY PROVIDING WOMEN FACING UNPLANNED PREGNANCIES WITH HONEST, BALANCED, COMPASSIONATE COUNSELING, ALLOWING THEM TO EXPLORE ALL THEIR OPTIONS. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE REALITY THAT WHEN AN ADOPTIVE FAMILY IS CREATED, ANOTHER FAMILY IS DISRUPTED. OUR ANTI-RACIST PRACTICES INCLUDE SEEKING OUT AND SUPPORTING ADOPTIVE PARENTS OF COLOR, WHO HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDER-SERVED TO ALLOW EXPECTANT PARENTS TO CONNECT WITH ADOPTERS WHO SHARE THEIR CHILDS RACIAL IDENTITY. WE RECOGNIZE PLACEMENT AS THE FIRST STEP ON A LIFELONG JOURNEY, AND OFFER POST-PLACEMENT SUPPORT TO ALL.

EDUCATION - EDUCATION ABOUT ADOPTION, RACE, IDENTITY AND FAMILY IS AT THE HEART OF PACTS MISSION TO CHANGE LIVES AND CHANGE THE WORLD. PACT DELIVERS THE CHILD-CENTERED, ANTI-RACIST EDUCATION THAT PARENTS MUST HAVE IN ORDER TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ADOPTED CHILDREN OF COLOR. PACT IS FILLING A NICHE THAT IS GENERALLY NEGLECTED IN THE ADOPTION FIELD WITH CUTTING EDGE WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES WHERE FAMILIES CAN JOIN TO LEARN AND TALK ABOUT THE COMPLEXITY, PAIN AND JOYS OF ADOPTION.SUPPORT - PACT OFFERS MONTHLY GROUPS TO SUPPORT ALL MEMBERS OF THE ADOPTION COMMUNITY, INCLUDING OUR INNOVATIVE YOUTH CLUBS FOR ADOPTED AND FOSTERED TWEENS/TEENS OF COLOR, FIRST/BIRTH FAMILY MEMBERS, AND PARENTS OF COLOR (THROUGH OUR GROUNDBREAKING ADOPTIVE PARENTS OF COLOR COLLABORATIVE), AND TRANSRACIAL PARENTS. OUR NATIONAL SUPPORT GROUPS MEET VIRTUALLY; SOME REGIONAL GROUPS MEET IN-PERSON WHEN PERMITTED.