FRANKSVILLE, Wis. — Family isn't only defined by genetics. It can also be defined by the people who love, support, and value you.
There's a lot of truth in that statement and the national organization 'Gift Of Adoption Fund' drives that message home with the work that they do. Chrissy Lang is a Wisconsin Chapter Board member for Gift of Adoption.
"Gift of Adoption was founded in 1996 here in Wisconsin by Gene and Lucy Wyka and since 1996 we have been able to spread nationally," said Lang.
Chrissy understands how adoption can change the trajectory of a young life. The former Ms. Wisconsin was adopted from the Philipines when she was just six months old and made adoption her pageant platform... that's how she found Gift of Adoption Fund.
"They provide grants for children that are of high medical needs, children who are going to age out of orphanages and out of foster care, and children who want to be with siblings," said Lang.
The organization has 27 chapters and has helped over 5,000 children. Meet the Gonzalez family who marked the agency's 5000th adoption.
"So we knew as soon as we weren't going to have biological children that siblings were very important to us, so we wanted to adopt siblings from the very get-go," said adoptive parent Nicole Gonzalez.
11-year-old Josue, 9-year-old Darwin, and 6-year-old Abraham were adopted by Nicole and her husband David of Franksville. The three brothers had been in care at an orphanage in Ecuador for five years.
"We wanted them to be able to stay together as a family and we wanted more than one child, so it made sense to do it all at once and keep them together as a family," said Mrs. Gonzalez.
International and sibling adoptions can not only be complex, but very expensive. The average cost can range from $15K-40K. That's where Gift of Adoption Fund steps in to help.
"If it wasn't for the volunteers, the board members, and the extremely generous donors of all of our Gift of Adoption Fund chapters, we would not be able to do this," said Lang.
The boys have been in their new home for about two months now and are busy doing what boys do.
"It's been going very well actually, better than I expected. You hear all these stories of bad transitions, but they've done very well," said David Gonzalez.
They feel right at home playing soccer or football, which is the most popular sport in Ecuador (I even got in on the fun) and most of all it's apparent they're happy to be TOGETHER!
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