In response to the recent letter to the editor on the bias in the adoption charity story — this is the very reason people are hesitant to share their story.

How can anyone cast shade on another individual's effort to address a need? My charity was created to help specifically support families who are open to expanding their family through adoption.

I would never argue against the fact that keeping a child within their biological family is the best option — in fact, the training that adoptive parents undergo clearly and explicitly states this fact. That said, there are millions of children in a host of “systems” and without families — and there are thousands of families in a position to provide a home. Can you even begin to imagine what the situation would look like if adoption wasn’t an option?

Should there be greater support and resources provided to families that would allow them to remain intact? YES. But that doesn't address the needs of the million orphans that already exist — and that is where my heart lies.

We cannot possibly put our efforts into everything, but we can put it into one thing and commit to doing the best you can. I think the authors of the letter to the editor “intended well” themselves, but discounted the actions and support of those trying to accomplish the same (child welfare) but from a different angle. What a poor and emotionally driven response.

David Wert
Assistant professor in the Department of Physical Therapy
Founder, Gregory’s Gift