Legacy685 Adoption Assistance Fund

Legacy685
Adoption & Orphan Care Ministry

Adoption Assistance Fund

Approximately 143 million orphans world-wide are trapped in a cycle of hopelessness, without anyone to love them…protect them…care for them…

Adoption costs sometimes as much as $20,000 - $30,000 or more and can seem “financially impossible” to many Christian couples. That feeling results in thousands of children remaining in orphanages or being adopted by unbelievers instead of learning the gospel of Jesus Christ in a forever family.

God has commanded His people (the Church) to care for those in need. When God calls a couple to adopt, the financial hurdles provide places to see God’s provision in ways we never imagined. We believe God wants to use His church as a part of a couple’s “financial provision” in adoption.

Our desire is to embrace the beliefs and values revealed in the Bible. As the Church becomes obedient to God’s commands concerning the fatherless, the community will see Jesus Christ is alive and working in the lives of His people to care for those children who can’t care for themselves.

Our vision is to be a community that provides a place to be authentic and involved. The Adoption Assistance Fund challenges, encourages, and enables Believers to put their faith in action, by stepping out in faith to adopt and fulfilling God’s commands in scripture. The process also provides an opportunity for couples to develop relationships with other Christians as they seek prayer and financial support.

Adoption and Orphan Care are evangelism at its core. Both international and domestic adoption brings the mission field home, where children are loved, cared for, and discipled to know Jesus Christ as their Savior. There are millions of children waiting for forever families who would like to adopt them, but just can’t because of the financial barrier. By helping to reduce that barrier, we are helping to provide a safe place for those children who are trapped in the orphan life.

As a community of people who have been touched by the miracle of adoption, Legacy685 is called to play an active role in helping others who desire to pursue adoption. In response, we established the Legacy685 Adoption Assistance Fund with a simple goal – to help as many children and families experience the blessing of adoption as our collective resources will allow.

Overview of the Legacy685 Fund

The Legacy685 Adoption Assistance Fund provides matching grants and/or interest-free covenant loans to applicants who meet certain established parameters. Legacy685 has partnered with LifeSong for Orphans, a 501(c)(3) tax exempt orphan care and adoption ministry. Their purpose is to help churches across the country establish and administer adoption assistance funds. In this partnership, Legacy685 is responsible for establishing the vision and direction for the Legacy685 Fund as well as making known the opportunity for people to contribute financially to the fund. LIfeSong, on the other hand, exclusively handles the request for funding in the application process, including all of the confidential information involved in the application process. LifeSong also provides all of the administrative and operational support needed to evaluate applicants, to make decisions regarding grants and loans, and to document all contributions and disbursements involving the Legacy685 Fund.

In connection with the Legacy685 Fund, LIfeSong manages all aspects of the application process, including evaluation and verification of all financial and other confidential information. No one from Legacy685 or Houston’s First Baptist Church has access to any confidential information, and all decisions regarding the award of any matching grant and/or interest-free covenant loans are made solely by LifeSong. In addition, LifeSong makes all decisions regarding whether qualified applicants are given funds for matching grants and/or interest-free covenant loans based on various factors, including the amount of money in the Legacy685 Fund at the time of application, the applicant’s financial situation and adoption-related needs, and the way in which to best maximize the resources of the Legacy685 Fund. Following approval by LifeSong, all disbursements of matching grants and/or interest-free covenant loans are made by LifeSong directly to the applicant’s adoption agency(or in some cases to the adoptive family as reimbursement for documented adoption expenses).

Both organizations, Legacy685 and LifeSong for Orphans, recognize that the money in the funds belong to God, and these organizations are mere stewards thereof. Legacy685 requests that, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the first priority in use of the funds will be for approved Legacy685 families. LifeSong for Orphans understands and appreciates the reasons for this request.

Each organization recognizes that LifeSong for Orphans are many times turning away qualified Christian couples because of a lack of resources, so we understand that this fund could also be used for non-Legacy685 families who may otherwise qualify. This will ensure the funds will not be idle, but would be invested in the Kingdom.

Matching Grants

The key strategy of matching grants is to mobilize the Body of Christ and leverage funds to help bridge the financial gap in an adoption. With Matching Grants, LifeSong matches the funds raised on a dollar-for-dollar basis up to a specified amount. LifeSong also provides a “support raising kit” process to the family that helps them gather prayer and financial support for their adoption.

Interest-Free Loans

The key strategy for interest-free loans is that the funds become “self-perpetuating”, where the loan repayments each month can begin to meet the current needs of new adopting families. Couples will sign a covenant agreement to repay the loan through monthly payments.

Eligibility Requirements

The requirements to be eligible for a matching grant or interest-free covenant loan from the Legacy685 Fund as follows:

* Applicants need to provide a statement of their personal faith in Jesus Christ.
* Applicants must establish their need for financial assistance in connection with an adoption by fully completing the application process.
* Applicants need to have an approved home study conducted by a licensed social worker.
* Applicants must have a letter of recommendation from a member of the Legacy685 leadership team or, if not connected with Legacy685, a pastor in their home church.

To apply for assistance, submit the above documentation to:

LifeSong for Orphans
Attention: Legacy685 Fund – HFBC
P.O. Box 40
Gridley, IL 61744

Once completed applications have been received, applicants can typically expect a response within 4 weeks.

In addition, the funds in the Legacy685 Fund will be available to be allocated to qualified applicants according to the following priorities: first, to members of Houston’s First Baptist Church; second, to those who are a member of another local church and are connected with Legacy685 and third, to those who are believers in Christ who are not connected with Houston’s First Baptist Church or Legacy685 through LifeSong’s Beyond the Walls.

Funding

The Legacy685 Fund is funded by individuals led by God to give for the purpose of assisting families in their adoption. The fund is not supported financially by Houston’s First Baptist Church and is not supported by the budget of Houston’s First Baptist Church.

Legacy685 depends solely on gifts through individuals who desire to come alongside families and support them through financial gifts. Adoption and Orphan Care are evangelism at its core. Bringing the mission field home, where children are loved, cared for, and discipled to know Jesus Christ as their Savior. There are millions of children waiting for forever families who would like to adopt them, but just can’t because of the financial barrier. By helping to reduce that barrier we are helping to bring home those children who are trapped in the cycle of orphan life. Legacy685 is very grateful for any and all financial gifts that are given for families waiting to adopt.

Since the financial barrier can seem insurmountable to families open to the idea of adoption, it is a tremendous blessing to see God provide through the financial giving of others. If you feel led to give to families who are waiting to adopt a child, will you consider giving to the Legacy685 Adoption Assistance Fund?

Ways to Give

All contributions to the Legacy685 Fund are made directly to LifeSong for Orphans and are fully tax deductible, with 100% of all contributions being used to fund matching grants and interest-free covenant loans to approved families. LIfeSong for Orphans has been blessed with a partner that underwrites all US-based administrative costs (TMG Foundation). That means that 100% of your donation will go directly to the need – helping families adopt.

If you would like to make a donation to a specific family please note that on your donation and the money you donate will be used for that families adoption.

Giving money to the Legacy685 Fund* can be done by a check, cash or a credit card directly to LifeSong for Orphans. Legacy685 or Houston’s First Baptist Church will not recieve any of the funds. You may give either a one-time gift or you can give regularly such as a monthly basis.

If giving by a check or cash then mail your gift to:

LifeSong for Orphans
Attention: Legacy685 Fund – HFBC
P.O.Box 40
Gridley, IL 61744

If giving by credit card please go to http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/donation.html

For a one-time gift click on ‘Make A Donation’. To give monthly or on a more regular basis

click on ‘Monthly Giving Form’. On the ‘Monthly Giving Form’ you can either give by a check or Automatic Draft Debit.

*Please note: The LifeSong Legacy Fund is NOT the same as Legacy685 Fund. Please designate Legacy685 Fund – HFBC for each donation made. On-line donations should indicate “Other”, and write in Legacy685 Fund – HFBC.

If you would like to give a non-cash gift then go to http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/donation.html and click on Creative Giving. Through the LifeSong Giving Fund, LifeSong has innovative ways for you to donate non-cash gifts and put them to work in the Kingdom. You may either email (info@lifesongfororphans.org) or call Andy Lehman at 309-747-4515 for more information on how this may apply to your assets. There is also more information regarding this in our ‘Operating Guidelines’.

LifeSong for Orphans is a member of the ECFA – Evangelical Council on Financial Accountability.

If you would like to know more about LifeSong’s finances you can go to http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/donation.html and find their 2008 LifeSong Audited Financial Statement and their 2008 IRS Form 990 for you to view."