NEWS REGARDING FINAL TRAVEL FUNDING

NEWS REGARDING FINAL TRAVEL FUNDING 5/5/5 Project:  Although we have had success with our 555 program ($71,000 raised over the course of 26 months), the leadership group of the project has decided to end the monthly crowd-fund project effective October 5. We seem to be much more successful in rallying for imminent last minute travel, and donors giving for particular families rather than as a pre-chosen group.  We will complete fundraising for this cycle, but will not choose anymore families for 555. Donors who are set up with auto bill pay or auto-Paypal transactions should cancel those prior to October 5. We encourage you to continue giving for our families in urgent need directly to their FSP funds on our website.  New Process for Travel Funding Requests: The Board of Directors of Reece's Rainbow is pleased to announce the formation of a Funding Committee. While RR's focus has been and remains both on building grants for waiting children AND providing a tax-exempt way for families to fundraise while in process, we recognize that some families might experience financial needs shortly before travel. Rather than the informal requests of the past, the following procedure has been recently passed by the Board and will become the only way that families close to travel will be able to ask for pre-travel funding assistance via Reece's Rainbow's generous benefactors. If you have been invited to travel to your child and need additional financial assistance, the Committee (consisting of 3 Board Members) will take requests prior to midnight on the 30th or 31st of each month. The Committee asks that you email funding@reecesrainbow.org with a brief explanation of the scope and reason of your financial need. Once per month, the Committee will then pass such requests onto private donors who have indicated they will consider such requests. We must remind our families that no pool of unallocated funds has ever existed nor will exist within Reece's Rainbow to fund such requests. It is solely the discretion of our generous donors as to any gifts made for this purpose. The Committee and Board remind our courageous families that no guarantees of private donor funding before travel can be given. We do however pledge that all such requests will be presented equally, and funds placed in the family's FSP if received.  We hope this new procedure answers your questions and streamlines this process at what is often a very stressful and emotion-filled time for almost-adopting families. All requests turned in by midnight of the last day of the month  Funding committing meets by the 5th day of the month All requested needs sent to donors the same day the committee meets.  Any and all allocated funds will be posted to the families FSP as they arrive.  Donations are, as always, made at the discretion of the donors. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact Andrea, Michelle or any Board Member at any time.

Reece's Rainbow is TEN | #RRisTEN #OurWorkIsNotDone

21 Truths About Down Syndrome | #wdsd2016

Today is World Down Syndrome Day 2016!

21 March 2016 marks the 11th anniversary of World Down Syndrome Day. It is officially observed by the United Nations. Each year the voice of people with Down syndrome, and those who live and work with them, grows louder. But there is still so much more we can do.

Reece's Rainbow is working to do more by doing our part to share the TRUTH about Down Syndrome! So, for today, here is a repost from four years ago! From 21 beautiful families of children with Down syndrome and their TRUTH about Down syndrome! We'd love to invite these families (and ANYONE ELSE) to leave an updated photo of their child in the comments!

We'd love to hear from YOU! Please add your TRUTH about Down syndrome in the comments below and share our WDSD 2016 '21 Truths About Down Syndrome'!

Grab This!

CLICK HERE to order your Reece's Rainbow WDSD clothing and gear NOW with our WDSD “One Word that Describes Your Child with DS” graphic on them to wear and use proudly throughout the year! Celebrate World Down Syndrome Day with Reece’s Rainbow!

$18K in TEN days?

$18K still in Grants Waiting to be Given to 18 Kids

We've reached the halfway mark already! You've done great to raise

$3,000 for the first three of our 21 Days of Hope Children! We are so

thankful for all of your hard work on behalf of our Waiting Children!

We still need your help to get the remaining 18 children their $1,000 in

Waiting Child Grants! We need your help to not let that FREE money from

our donor slip away!

We have TEN days left to raise $18,000!

Will you help us?

Why 21 Days of Hope?

We are nearly at the halfway point for the 21 Days of Hope campaign!

A donor has offered $21,000 to give to 21 of our waiting children if we can raise $21,000 for our Voice of Hope fund.

So, what is the Voice of Hope?

The Voice of Hope fund is what keeps us operational.

If we're going to continue to be successful saving lives, Reece's Rainbow has to be "out there,"  attending and sponsoring strategic events, print advertising, leveraging social media, building relationships, and seeking new donors to support our mission.  And behind the scenes, 7 days a week of administrative effort goes into managing/creating our website, defining our graphic/logo presence, handling donations, seeking and posting new waiting children, answering new family inquiries, serving those families through the adoption process, tracking and disbursing grant funds, taxes and accounting, charitable status, organizing Buddy Walks and preparing for and implementing our many fundraising efforts throughout the year.   Our Voice of Hope fund is where that money comes from.  Without this, we simply can not do what we do, and many lives will be lost as a result!

Reece's Rainbow is totally non profit. We do SO much on comparatively SO little. Our operational costs remain below 10%, which is hard to do because we want to be able to do so much more for the children!   We cut out a lot of really great opportunities each year due to cost.   Reece's Rainbow functions solely on private donations.   We've done everything possible to maximize each donation and give as much as possible to the waiting children and committed families.  At this time, we do not have any corporate or government funding, so we are completely dependent on your generous gifts to keep us going.

So what can you do to help this year's 21 Days of Hope children each receive their $1000 grant?

HOW TO HELP: 1) Donate! 2) Share this campaign via FB, Twitter, instagram, blog 3) Print out our 21 Days flier PDF and hand out to people locally 4) Choose a featured child and be a warrior for them on social media! 5) Purchase "21 Days/WDSD" items from our Cafepress store 6) Inquire about ADOPTING one of these children!

Thank you for all that you do to support Reece's Rainbow!

It's the 21 Days of Hope!

Celebrate WDSD16 with Reece's Rainbow!

World Down Syndrome Day 21.3.16

Be Sure to Order Your WDSD Gear NOW!

Order your  Reece's Rainbow WDSD clothing and gear NOW   so you will have it in time to wear it and share about it on WDSD 2016! World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD), observed on 21 March every year, is a global awareness day which has been officially observed by the United Nations since 2012.   The date for WDSD being the 21st day of the 3rd month, was selected to signify the uniqueness of the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome which causes Down syndrome. Get the "One Word that Describes Your Child with DS" button, t-shirts, totes and LOTS MORE!   Reece's Rainbow

2015 The Year in Review!

2015 SUMMARY:

• 80+ families joined us for our Annual Reece's Rainbow Family Reunion in Luray, VA! 
• 270 children came HOME 
• $2.3 million+ in waiting child and family grant funds raised 
• $2.1 million+ in life-saving grant funds disbursed for traveling families 
• Over $2 million is currently available as adoption grant funding for waiting orphans 
• We had another great Angel Tree in 2015. We raised $188,000 just during those two months! So grateful to our amazing warriors and benefactors! 
• We continue to maximize every donation by operating on less than 10% total revenue.

Thank you for your continued support!!

Andrea Roberts, Executive Director

*** Detailed donation reports are available by request via email to 2015taxreceipts@reecesrainbow.org ***

Please notify us of any mailing address changes for our records.
Reece's Rainbow
PO Box 277
Monrovia, MD 21770

LAST CHANCE to make your 2015 tax deductible donation

Save the Date and Give on 12/1!

GUEST BLOGGER: Missy Colfack | We would do it over every year if we had too!

Many years ago I had the opportunity to work as a para at a school for children with special needs. I knew then that we were meant (called) to adopt, but had no idea where that would lead. At that time I came across Reece's Rainbow. I fell in love with their desire to help children with down syndrome be adopted and even though at that time I never dreamed we could adopt internationally we wanted to be a part of what they did.

We choose to donate to the Angel Tree because we loved filling our tree with some of the precious children. It is wonderful to look at them and know that some of them have a family now and we were a part of that!

It didn't take long and I was emailing Andrea on a regular basis to find out more about children that touched my heart. I would discuss it with my husband and we just could never figure out a way for it to work... we can't travel that far from home (we have never been on a plane), we can't be away from our children that long, we can't take that kind of time off, etc. So years went by and we continued praying to God if this is for us to lead the way.

I started to think maybe I was wrong and this wasn't our calling so I had to take some time away from the waiting list for a few months to help me understand what we were supposed to do. Then we got the email "Just two days until Angel Tree" Oh yes! It's time to choose a child or children to support. My husband and I went to see the children listed that Year. On October 30th, 2013 we saw her!! Could it be? We prayed and prayed and couldn't stop thinking about her. This was when we knew without a doubt she was OUR daughter! How? How can we travel that far, How can we afford it, How can we take that time off work? Well simply we had no idea. We took a leap of faith! We knew if it was God's plan he would find a way! It was a long hard, emotional journey, but worth every bit of it!!

We would do it over every year if we had too! She has brought so much to our family in just the 6 months she has been home. Soon we will get to celebrate her 6th birthday as a family, she will get to celebrate her birthday for the first time and get to see all of us celebrating her!!

We have spent many years watching our biological children learning to crawl, taking their first steps, getting their first tooth, and so on! Such an amazing thing to see. Now we see things much differently! The look when our daughter falls down and everyone rushes to her to comfort her because she never had anyone care, seeing her try new foods she has never seen and not being limited what she can eat, playing with brothers and a sister who will always be here and not watching as they are adopted and she remains, getting clothes and shoes that belong to her and not everyone shares, and so much more. Getting to see those firsts are heart wrenching and heartwarming at the same time!

By the support of many amazing people around the world and stepping up to choose a child to advocate for at Christmas time people like us get a chance to see our children. So if you have ever considered becoming an Angel Tree warrior please, please do it!! You will not go unnoticed what you are doing is HUGE! We were blessed by the crazy chance that our daughter's angel tree warrior is only a couple hours from where we live so not only did she do something amazing for our daughter but she has met her and will always be a part of her life.

We are so grateful for Reece's Rainbow and the Angel Tree because without them we would not be holding our daughter in our arms!! Our lives have changed....... we are BLESSED!!!

 Daddy's poem as we were waiting to bring Hannah "Susan" home:

From the moment we saw

your sweet little face

and read your file

you grabbed our hearts

and made us smile.

What started as a search

in donation to the *Angel Tree

turned into much much more

could it be?

On our knees

seeking guidance in Prayer

decision was made easy

Time to prepare.

Countless hours spent

on forms and writing

All in *Crazy Faith

WOW this is exciting!

You see faith sometimes

is not always knowing

or sometimes understanding

But having trust in

Gods hand and his planning.

Sweet little Hannah

Our love for you

is so strong

what seemed like forever

now won't be that long.

Times are getting a lot closer

can't wait for the day

your finally in our arms

where you belong

and stay.

VISIT THE 2015 ANGEL TREE NOW!

Wait, What, Christmas Already?

Starting In TWO Days!

2015 Social Media Awareness Graphics

You can add any of our awareness graphics to your blogs or right click and download to share on social media!
#downsyndrome #adoption #specialneeds #orphannomore http://reecesrainbow.org/awarenessbuttons
Thank you for all you do to support Reece's Rainbow!
See These and More Awareness Graphics ➲ ↝

Add This to Your Blog! <div align="center"><a href="http://reecesrainbow.org" title=""><img width="100%" src="http://reecesrainbow.org/wp-content/uploads/1000miles.jpg" style="border:none;" /></a></div><div align="center"><a href="http://reecesrainbow.org/awarenessbuttons" title="">Add This to Your Blog!</a></div> Add This to Your Blog! <div align="center"><a href="http://reecesrainbow.org" title=""><img width="100%" src="http://reecesrainbow.org/wp-content/uploads/shaketheworld.jpg" style="border:none;" /></a></div><div align="center"><a href="http://reecesrainbow.org/awarenessbuttons" title="">Add This to Your Blog!</a></div> Add This to Your Blog! <div align="center"><a href="http://reecesrainbow.org" title=""><img width="100%" src="http://reecesrainbow.org/wp-content/uploads/findfamily.jpg" style="border:none;" /></a></div><div align="center"><a href="http://reecesrainbow.org/awarenessbuttons" title="">Add This to Your Blog!</a></div> Add This to Your Blog! <div align="center"><a href="http://reecesrainbow.org" title=""><img width="100%" src="http://reecesrainbow.org/wp-content/uploads/greatthings.jpg" style="border:none;" /></a></div><div align="center"><a href="http://reecesrainbow.org/awarenessbuttons" title="">Add This to Your Blog!</a></div>

Add This to Your Blog! <div align="center"><a href="http://reecesrainbow.org" title=""><img width="100%" src="http://reecesrainbow.org/wp-content/uploads/stolemyheart.jpg" style="border:none;" /></a></div><div align="center"><a href="http://reecesrainbow.org/awarenessbuttons" title="">Add This to Your Blog!</a></div> Add This to Your Blog! <div align="center"><a href="http://reecesrainbow.org" title=""><img width="100%" src="http://reecesrainbow.org/wp-content/uploads/simplylive.jpg" style="border:none;" /></a></div><div align="center"><a href="http://reecesrainbow.org/awarenessbuttons" title="">Add This to Your Blog!</a></div> Add This to Your Blog! <div align="center"><a href="http://reecesrainbow.org" title=""><img width="100%" src="http://reecesrainbow.org/wp-content/uploads/smallthings.jpg" style="border:none;" /></a></div><div align="center"><a href="http://reecesrainbow.org/awarenessbuttons" title="">Add This to Your Blog!</a></div> Add This to Your Blog! <div align="center"><a href="http://reecesrainbow.org" title=""><img width="100%" src="http://reecesrainbow.org/wp-content/uploads/itmatters.jpg" style="border:none;" /></a></div><div align="center"><a href="http://reecesrainbow.org/awarenessbuttons" title="">Add This to Your Blog!</a></div>

NINE | Reece's Rainbow

Have we mentioned we are 9 years old, today?

We've seen a lot of change over the past 9 years. For one, we had only 5 children listed in 2006 yet today, in 2015 we have over 1000. 

We have seen the number of kids coming HOME each year increase and most of the change we've seen internationally with children with special needs has been positive. 

There has also been some things that are not positive which is why we must not stop or slow down in our advocating. We still have lots of work to be done!

We are so thankful for each of our families, whose adoptions were testimonies of the value of the children; and so grateful for all of the endless work our tireless advocates have done in these 9 years. We've seen over 1300 children HOME and disbursed over $10 Million in adoption grants!


Thank you 

from the entire Leadership Team at Reece's Rainbow

Celebrating 8 Years of Family, Future and Freedom | Reece's Rainbow

June 9, 2014 marks the 8th anniversary of the creation of Reece's Rainbow as an adoption advocacy foundation for orphans with Down syndrome and other special needs.  More than *1500* children have found forever families, and we have disbursed more than $8 million in adoption grant funding to get those children HOME.   We've been featured in People Magazine three times, honored as a Congressional Angel in Adoption, and highlighted in powerful video segments with Diane Sawyer and Glenn Beck. But none of these amazing results could have happened without YOU.  Donations to our Voice of Hope fund are what keep Reece's Rainbow serving and GROWING.  We maximize every dollar by operating on less than 10% each year!  We thank you for your continued support and hope you will share this special celebration of FAMILY, FUTURE, and FREEDOM!

CLICK HERE to share Reece’s Rainbow on your blog! Thank you! <div align="center"><a href="http://reecesrainbow.org/freedom" title=""><img width="100%" src="http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s62/WilliamtheOutlaw/Poppies/freedom.png" style="border:none;" /></a></div><div align="center"><a href="http://reecesrainbow.org/awarenessbuttons" title="">CLICK HERE to share Reece's Rainbow on Your Blog! Thank you!</a></div> Be sure to get your FREEDOM GEAR from the Reece's Rainbow Shop!

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Merry Christmas! | Angel Tree Special Report | Reece's Rainbow

Merry Christmas from Reece's Rainbow! Greetings! We have just under TWO WEEKS to go of the 2013 Christmas Angel Tree! It has been an AMAZING Angel Tree so far and the largest one we have ever had! What a blessing to see ALL of our children with Down Syndrome included and so many of the Other Children! As of this week, we have had $146,845 in donations AND there are now 17 who have found families! But we still need your help to make sure ALL of our Angel Tree Children meet their AT Goal of $1000! Remember, all donations over $35 receive a beautiful ornament with that child's photo on the back WHILE SUPPLIES LAST! And just in time for Christmas, our 2013 Christmas Video, "Safe in the Arms of Love!". A BEAUTIFUL celebration of some of our precious children who are HOME this Christmas! Safe In The Arms of Love Don't forget about Angel Tree Dollars, either! These are brilliant and have been extremely popular every year! Give them to your friends, family, teachers, students, therapists, children, anyone! You make the donation, they get to choose which Angel Tree child receives it! A beautiful way to share Reece's Rainbow! Thank you for all you do to support Reece's Rainbow! All the best to you and your family,    Reece's Rainbow Angel  Tree Dollars! CLICK TO PURCHASE   Click to get yours before Christmas!