Marshall
Waiting
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Elijah, Maurissa, Omar, Jayson & Andrew
Waiting
Siblings and the best of friends!
Elijah loves to watch TV and his favorite shows are Pinocchio and Looney Tunes. He loves drawing, playing with puppets, and is fascinated with ventriloquists His perfect day would be spent at Disney World meeting his favorite character, Mickey Mouse. One day, Elijah hopes to be a puppet master and if he could jump on an airplane and fly anywhere, it would be to meet Slappy the Puppet. Maurissa says her friends would describe her as "A girl with curly black hair, a pretty smile, dark brown eyes, and her edges are always on fleek." She's still deciding on her future career path but is considering being a lawyer, a fashion designer, or a hairstylist. For fun, Maurissa enjoys cheering and running. If fame were to come her way, she'd like it to be for just "being herself." She would like her adoptive family to know "I laugh a lot. My favorite snack is Takis. I love chicken nuggets and French fries, with honey mustard. Omar is the caretaker of the group and always makes sure his siblings are well taken care of. He likes to play football, swim, and play video games. Omar is most proud when he wins at Fornite and likes listening to rap. He's not picky when it comes to a dream vacation, as long as it's on an island. He'd like his adoptive family to know he's a "good kid." This athletic young man is ALL about football! Jayson loves playing football. His perfect day would be spent playing football all day. When he grows up he wants to play football. One day he'd like to be famous for playing football. For fun, he likes to play football. As a side note: Jayson also likes playing basketball, is a fast runner, enjoys playing video games, and likes dogs. AND did we mention, he LOVES football? Andrew loves swimming, riding his bike, listening to music, and playing all day. He's proud of being strong and a fast swimmer. Andrew's favorite animal is a hippo. His favorite book is about a hippo, and when he grows up, he wants to be a hippo. He hopes his adoptive family has a hippo and a sense of humor. This dynamic sibling group hopes to find a FUN family who will value their sibling bond while encouraging their individuality.
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FAQs
If a child in foster care is in the Heart Gallery, reunification with their biological family was not possible so an adoptive family is needed. Most Heart Gallery children are at least 9 years old, part of a sibling group, and/or have special needs. All children in foster care have experienced abuse, abandonment, and/or neglect; therefore, need support to heal from the trauma they have experienced.
All children are different, with a variety of unique strengths and needs so all types of families are needed. In Florida, you must be at least 21 to adopt a child from foster care. There are no restrictions based on age, race, marital status, or sexual orientation. You may live in a home or apartment that you own or rent. Adoptive parents must have a stable income sufficient to support their family.
In Florida, there is no cost to adopt a child from foster care. In fact, families who adopt may qualify for a monthly adoption subsidy. Health care for children adopted from foster care is covered by Medicaid until age 18. They also receive free tuition at any Florida state college, university, or vocational school.
Federal tax credits and exemptions may also be available. Visit the IRS website to learn more.
Prospective adoptive parents must complete Adoption Orientation, a 36-hour Professional Parenting course, have an approved home study, and approved background screenings. Most importantly, you must be willing to make a lifelong commitment to a child in need.
Yes. One of the benefits of adopting from Florida is having access to a comprehensive case history. You will be given information on the child’s background, medical history, and personality. This information helps you determine if your family is the right fit for the child.
This can vary greatly depending on the situation. However, as a general rule, it usually takes about 12 months from the time a family begins training to the time when a child is placed with the family.
Yes! Your approved home study should be accepted by any child welfare agency. Each circumstance will be assessed to determine if it is appropriate for a child to move out of state. Keep in mind these adoptions can be more complex and take longer, depending on the case.
Adoptions appear to be more stable when parents have flexible and realistic expectations for their children and when they use post-adoption supports to help with challenges.
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