Prior to Meeting

1. Determine location
2. Contact Azur Walters or Jane Newell to notify about the meeting and to request personalized flyers, invitations, and his attendance
3. Post flyers - suggested locations are churches, libraries, grocery stores, community gathering places, and coffee shops
4. Some families list their events in community calendars that are listed in their local newspapers or church bulletins
5. Mail invitations 2-3 weeks prior to the meeting

Sample Agenda

• Welcome and introductions (5-10 minutes)
  - The goal of the meeting is to encourage parents to adopt.  Try to put a warm, friendly face to adoption.  Let them know that adoption is do-able.
  - Encourage families to call CHSFS for further questions
• Sharing Your Story/Description of Adoption Process -- Done with an agency person when possible
  
  
• For Minnesota, Western Wisconsin, and Iowa families (45-60 minutes)
  - Choosing an agency
  - Attending an information meeting
  - Registration
  - Application
  - Attending pre-adoptive classes (PAC)
  - Choosing/working with a program
  - Referral/acceptance of referral
  - Travel (International)
  - Placement and post-placement
  
  
• For families living outside of Minnesota, Western Wisconsin, and Iowa (45-60 minutes)
  - Choosing/working with a homestudy agency
  - Choosing/working with a CHSFS international adoption program
  - Referral/acceptance of referral
  - Travel
  - Placement and post-placement
• Q & A (10-15 Minutes)

Creative Ideas for Personalizing Your Meeting

• Share photos, scrapbooks, and/or brief video clips from your trip to receive your child
• Share a copy of your child's referral - you may want to black out information you wish to remain confidential
• Display cultural items or what you bought from your child's country
• Play music related to your child's country as guests enter
• Serve ethnic food