Open Your Heart and Home

The gift of parenthood through CFCA

Written by Kristine Hedlund

Tammy and Doug Smith with their adopted sons, Nate and Tony

In the State of Arizona, there are more than 10,000 children living in foster care. Many find themselves in shelters for weeks or months, waiting for an available foster home. Christian Family Care Agency needs your love, time and resources to help provide nurturing and caring environments to help these children heal.

Margaret Soberg, Foster/Adoptive Family Recruiter for Christian Family Care Agency and foster care provider for over 16 years, says, “My greatest challenge and joy as a foster-care parent is when an infant or young child comes in to my home frightened to the point where they don’t speak or even cry. And then a few weeks pass, and they are smiling and nourished. It is an amazing transformation.”

Margaret went on to share a story of two of her foster daughters. While living with their birth mother, the young girls were towed in and out of unhealthy relationships between their mother and her boyfriends. When they went to stay with Margaret, her husband, Warren, was away on business. The girls begged Margaret not to let “the boyfriend” come home. They were convinced they would get yelled at or beaten. Margaret tried to convince these two young girls that she was married and her husband would love them. It took several weeks before they trusted Warren and were convinced that not all men were abusers.

After four miscarriages and four failed adoptions through a Private Adoption Agency, Tammy and Doug Smith met with CFCA. With a strong Christian faith, they began classes in June through September of 2004, and then opted at that time to put their classes on hold so they could finish the construction of their new home. In February of 2005, Tammy and Doug preceded with their adoption classes. Tammy shared, “God certainly has a plan for each of us. Doug and I were content with the fact that we would probably never have children.”

Both Tammy and Doug were Junior High Youth Group Leaders for Christ Church of the Valley, and one Friday evening, Tammy and Doug made the decision to donate all of their “adoption” savings for a new multi-million-dollar facility for children. The following Monday, Tammy was driving down the 303 and received a call from Louise at CFCA. “We have two beautiful brothers that we would like you to consider,” Louise told her.

Tammy and Doug had few requirements when it came to gender preference, race or family size. They knew they could love any child. After submitting a birth book, it wasn’t long before the Smiths received the call that they had been the chosen parents for brothers Tony and Nate, ages 4 and 3. The boys moved in on the Smiths’ wedding anniversary in March of 2006, and they have been one big happy family ever since.

Tammy noted, “You don’t have to be a millionaire or a celebrity to adopt; and by using organizations such as CFCA, the adoption costs are minimal.” Tammy went on to say, “While many may make comments that Tony and Nate are blessed, little do they know, it is Doug and I who are blessed.”

If you are thinking about becoming a Foster Parent or Adopting a child in Arizona, here are some of the most commonly asked questions:

How do we start?
To complete an adoption in the State of Arizona, you must first be certified as acceptable to adopt by the Juvenile Court of the County in which you reside.

How long does it take?
The certification process typically takes three to four months once you have submitted the fingerprints and the necessary paperwork.

Are there any age or marital requirements?
You must be 18 years old to adopt in Arizona; CFCA requires a minimum of 21 years old. There are no laws regarding an upper age limit, but the Court’s guidelines are that a parent be no more than 65 by the time a child reaches 20. Single persons may adopt. Couples should be married a minimum of three years to adopt through CFCA’s program.

Do we have to be certified before receiving placement of a child? No. If a child is placed with a prospective adoptive family prior to certification, a Temporary Custody Motion can be filed with the Court pending certification. Certification is required to complete an adoption.

Once we are certified, how long does it take to receive placement of a child?
The average wait for placement through CFCA’s adoption program is about a year. Some families are chosen right away. Other families wait two years or longer before being selected by a birth mother.

How much does it cost?
CFCA’s fees, which are sliding scale based on income, include: home study; classes; matching services; birth parent counseling, living, medical and legal expenses; post-placement services; and legal fees to complete the adoption. There are no fees for a state adoption.

We’ve heard about “Fost/Adopt” and are wondering if that’s the best choice for us. It depends on your willingness to provide foster care. In general, foster families will at some point have the opportunity to adopt a foster child in their home, but it is difficult to know in the beginning whether any given child will eventually return home or become free for adoption.

Founded in 1982, Christian Family Care Agency is a private nonprofit, 501(c)(3) social services agency that provides adoption, foster care, and counseling programs focused on meeting the needs of children and families. CFCA's fundamental belief is that a nurturing family is essential to every child's success, and as a result, hundreds of children that have come to the Agency in crisis situations are now part of loving and caring families. The Agency is licensed by the State of Arizona, accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA), and has offices in both Phoenix and Tucson.

Christian Family Care Agency
Phoenix Location
602.234.1935, www.cfcare.org