 
Spread the word online or in person - we need as broad a network of supporters as possible. If you think you can arrange a major public event or fundraiser for us, please contact our Chief Operating Officer, Laurie Ahern, at lahern@mdri.org
Volunteer your time or professional knowledge - We recommend that you contact a non-governmental advocacy or service organizations working in Turkey and Romania to offer your assistance if you are interested in volunteering in a service capacity. There are excellent non-governmental organizations working in both these countries and a number of them are described in our reports. As a human rights organization, MDRI does not provide services or endorse the activities of any particular organization.
CAN I MAKE A DONATION DIRECTLY TO INSTITUTIONS OR ORPHANAGES?
MDRI recommends supporting the work of activists and family members working to keep children out of institutions, in the community, and in families or substitute family environments where they can be loved, nurtured, and protected. Every child has the right to grow up with a family (or a substitute family for children who do not have extended family to take care of them). It is always possible to clean up an institution – but clean walls and toys are no substitute for the love that only a family can provide. While children may be desperately in need of food or medical care, there is no way to guarantee that such care will actually get to the child. This is why we encourage you to support MDRI’s advocacy work – or the work of one of the many excellent non-governmental organizations working on the ground to bring about reform – rather than giving direct help to institutions themselves.
CAN I ADOPT A CHILD FROM ROMANIA OR TURKEY?
It is extremely hard to adopt from abroad. The Romanian government has ended foreign adoptions. The Turkish government requires one year of residence in Turkey after adoption. For US citizens, information on adoption can be found at the US Department of State Website:
Romania
http://bucharest.usembassy.gov/Visas/Adoptions.html
http://www.travel.state.gov/family/adoption/country/country_440.html
Turkey
http://turkey.usembassy.gov/adoption.html
http://www.travel.state.gov/family/adoption/country/country_340.html
Note: MDRI is an organization dedicated to the enforcement of international human rights in all countries. We take no position on policies related to international adoption.
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