Guatadopt.com is an Information and News website run entirely by adoptive parents. We receive minimal funding through site sales and donations which keep the site active. Our writers are strictly volunteer (ie: not paid for their contributions) and generally have outside fulltime jobs unrelated to adoption. We are not affiliated with any adoption agency, adoption organization nor NGO (though, we do support various charities and advocacy projects).
The primary purpose of the site is to provide News, Information and Support to the adoption community relating to Guatemala adoptions and Guatemala current events. We believe that adoption is often the best option for children whose biological families are unable to care for them or who feel that the child's best interest is served by an adoption plan. We also believe that the best interest of the child can only be served through ethical adoption practices.
Guatadopt’s secondary purpose is as a portal to connect adoptive families with humanitarian projects related to Guatemala. Children adopted from Guatemala will always be Guatemalan and as a result many adoptive families choose to support worthy causes that help the people of Guatemala. Projects promoted on Guatemala range from health services to education and direct aid opportunities in times of national crisis.
Finally, Guatadopt serves as a way to connect adoptive parents to the rich culture and history of Guatemala. This enables adoptive families to better teach their children of their heritage and the cultural and socioeconomic conditions that lead to formation of families through intercountry adoption from Guatemala.
Our site consists of several writers and contributors (all of whom are adoptive parents!):
Kelly
Founder & Webmaster (designer of the first Guatadopt Calendars thru 2007)
Kevin
Lead Writer & Spokesperson
Troy
Writer & Researcher
Marie
Writer & Cultural Studies Contributor
Laurie
Calendar Coordinator/Editor & Site Tech Support
Merideth
Writer - View of an Adoptee
Forum Moderators & Calendar Volunteers
We rely on several wonderful parents to assist with moderating our forums and with organizing the calendar: Janet, Steve, Gail, Cheri, Kerri, Laurie, Laura Jean and Marie
Additional writers/contributors
We have several guest writers who give us permission to post their opinions or information on the site. Several of these writers are afflilaited with agencies or adoption organizations. We provide the information as a courtesy to our readers and the contributors are clearly indicated at the top of the post. A special thanks to our readers for always keeping us on our toes and also providing valuable information to the site!!!
HISTORY Of GUATADOPT.COM
The idea for Guatadopt.com started in July 2002. At the time, it did not have its own domain name and was a simple site containing information gathered during Kelly's own adoption process. In February 2003, the site moved to its new domain name: guatadopt.com and realized there was a need for NEWS and information about the process.
In March 2003, the Hague became the topic of concern for most agencies and adoptive parents. The site blossumed into a news site with updates directly from our contacts in Guatemala. It gradually became the
Guatemala Adoption Information and News site. Kevin came on board as a writer in 2003 with his passion for the children of Guatemala. Through the last few years, we have added new writers and volunteer staff to the site. It remains our goal to provide accurate news, educational information and support for adoptive parents in all stages, agencies and adoption organizations as well as a resource for post-process adoptive families.
