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Summer Miracles
In the News! 2011

See the Visiting Kids Photo Gallery

Summer Miracles Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)

Host a Child

Pay Summer Miracles application and host fees

Pay Winter Miracles host fees

Host Family
Weekly Reports
Week 1 report
Week 2 report
Week 3 report
Week 4 report
Final Report

Community Contacts

New York, Connecticut, New Jersey
Community Coordinator: Monica Luque

Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia
Community Coordinator: Jenna Nusholtz

Southern California
Community Coordinator: Amber Colopy

Northern California
Community Coordinator: Elizabeth Spier

Des Moines, Iowa and surrounding area
Community Coordinator: Matt Madison and Steve Hudson

Austin, Texas
Community Coordinator: Larry Rawlinson

If you are passionate about helping orphans and interested in starting a Kidsave community in your area please contact summermiracles@kidsave.org
We also welcome adoption service providers and community and religious organizations as partners.

About Summer Miracles

This amazing program gives orphans age 8-13 who have little to no hope in their own country for a family, the chance to meet people who might be interested in adopting them. The children live with host families, attend summer camp and have the opportunity to experience life in the United States.

During the summer visit, hosts, Kidsave staff and dedicated volunteers work diligently to find adoptive families for these children. Since 1999, more than 1,600 children have traveled to the US as part of our Summer Miracles program, and 80% have found families who have adopted them or are pursuing adoption.

Host families work together to support the children and each other while they are here and act as the children's advocates in finding families. Kidsave provides support to participating families. We collaborate with social workers, home study agencies, child welfare advocates, health professionals and government officials to find safe, appropriate families.

Hosting a child

To become a Summer Miracles
host parent:

1. You must live in or near one of our existing communities:
   • Des Moines, Iowa
   • Southern California
   • Northern California
   • Metropolitan Washington, DC (including Virginia and Maryland)
   • Metropolitan New York (including New Jersey and Connecticut)
   • Austin, Texas
   Don't live in any of these communities but still want to get involved? Start a Kidsave community in your area! These communities consist of a group of local families and volunteers who together commit to hosting children for five weeks during the summer. For more information, please contact summermiracles@kidsave.org. We also welcome adoption service providers and community and religious organizations as partners.
2. You must be at least 25 years of age.
3. Host parents must fulfill all program requirements. Start by completing a host inquiry form.
4. 2011 Host Application Form can be obtained by contacting your local community coordinator .
5. Upon satisfactory completion of program requirements, host parents pay a $1,250 hosting fee and are matched with a participating child. Hosting fees are applied to the cost of a child's participation in the program. Fees are charged once per family, regardless of the number of children that are hosted. Fees are non-refundable. (Pay hosting fees here).
6. Prepare yourself and your community to host a child by attending meetings and training sessions! (Upcoming sessions)

Interested in adopting an older youth?

Kidsave is not an adoption agency. However, through our program we connect youth with caring adults who are interested in adoption and refer families to partnering placement agencies. If you are interested in adopting an older youth, we encourage you to attend one of our information sessions or Summer Miracles community events and meet the children who are participating in our program.

Other ways to help

In addition to hosting children in their community, volunteers are needed to help raise funds, organize events, advocate for each child's adoption through community and media outreach, and secure support services for the children, including medical, translation, event planning and more.

Volunteers are needed in many areas, including:

• Fundraising
• Communications
• Health Professionals
• Escort Coordinator
• Summer Event Coordinators
• Hospitality Coordinators
• Miracle Makers
• Translation

Click here to see descriptions of each volunteer position »

For more information on any of these positions, please contact lauren@kidsave.org