NDSC Convention Quick Reference for Thursday 7/10

This is a quick reference to help NDSC Conference attendees for Thursday's activities (subject to change).

Thursday 7/10/2014

5-9pm Exhibits Open
6-9pm Registration Open
7-8:30pm First Time Attendee Orientation
7-8:30pm International Exchange
7-8:30pm Adult Sibling Reception

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Andrea Roberts Helps Orphans With Down Syndrome Find Homes

By Alicia Dennis and Christina Tapper from People:

Andrea Faris Roberts figured her new son, born in 2002, got his almond-shaped eyes from her husband, Rich.

But when doctors confirmed that Reece had Down syndrome, "I couldn't stop crying," says Andrea, whose prenatal tests were normal. "I thought, 'What's tomorrow going to be like?' "

The answer: Reece has not only enriched his parents' lives but inspired his mom to save kids with Down syndrome around the world. Researching her son's condition, Andrea learned that in many countries, babies born with the disorder are often abandoned and left in orphanages.

Launching Reece's Rainbow in 2004, the former account manager wrote grant applications and networked with adoption agencies, ultimately dispersing over $4 million to fund adoptions of more than 850 children from Russia, China, Mexico and elsewhere.

Parents like John and Charissa Urban of Owasso, Okla., wouldn't know the love of Ava, now 8, adopted from Ukraine in 2008 without the help of Reece's Rainbow. They turned to the organization to help with funds to bring home little Ava – who weighed only 19 lbs. and was unable to roll over at age 3.

Though she initially had to use a walker to get around, Ava is now running, jumping and playing with her six siblings, including two who are adopted also (one of whom also has Down syndrome). "She's the center of our family," Charissa says. "We're so grateful."

Andrea says that families are being built every day.

"What is wonderful about Reece's Rainbow, is that families can go and see children's photos on the website and know that money is being raised to help with the adoption costs," says Andrea. "They see that it is a better possibility for them to be able to afford to adopt without the years of painful heartbreak in waiting to try to raise funds."

Today, 10-year-old Reece is in the 5th grade and loves playing basketball with his little brother, Owen, 7, in the family's yard in Gaithersburg, Maryland. He's also challenging his father at golf.

"He's got a better golf game than my husband any day of the week," laughs Andrea, 40. "He's got a wonderful swing."

Andrea insists that children with Down syndrome in institutions around the world are not forgotten and would be adopted if more families could afford the typical $25,000 fee (which includes home study costs, travel and adoption expenses).

"After six and a half years, all I can say to the world is, 'I told you so. I told you these kids were wanted,' " says Andrea. "Today, 850 children are not hidden away in institutions anymore. We have new connections every single day."

She adds: "If we had a full grant for every child on our website, we would have no children on our website. The cost is what is hard for people but every life is worth it. If we had more sponsors who could write a check for each of these kids and they would all have families. All of them."

And the proud mother says that her son Reece continues to be an inspiration.

"Reece," she says, "has helped so many families begin."

Reece's Rainbow is in the running to win a $50,000 grant

 

If you are new to Reece's Rainbow, we are a 501c3 charity with advocates and fundraises for the international adoption of children with Down syndrome and other special needs exclusively.   In only 6 years, we have found adoptive families for more than 850+ children around the world, and disbursed more than $4 million in adoption grant funding to save them!

Reece's Rainbow is in the running to win a $50,000 grant from Cultivate Wines.  IF we should win, (10) waiting orphans with Down syndrome in (10) different countries will each recieve a $5000 grant towards the cost of their adoption.  (list of children will be revealed at the end!)  Money is the ONLY thing standing in the way for these children to be FOUND and to come home to loving "forever families".

The voting period is between September 19-October 31.  We need EACH OF YOU to vote ONCE A DAY!   Every vote helps, and we can't make up for votes at the last minute like some other contests.

Restrictions:  this contest is open only to voters over the age of 21, and you must have a Facebook account to vote.  (contest rules) 

PLEASE visit this link every day, vote, and share on your Facebook, blog, yahoo groups, Twitter, with your friends and family.   This is an important opportunity for the children and the ministry as a whole for greater visibility as we go into our Angel Tree! (starting November 1)  

Any questions can be directed to me personally at andrea@reecesrainbow.org 

Thank you for your support!

http://www.cultivatewines.com/cause/49260/

Andrea Roberts, Founder & Executive Director
Reece's Rainbow Down Syndrome Adoption Ministry
www.reecesrainbow.org

E-mail:  andrea@reecesrainbow.org

Yahoo Messenger:  luvbama93

Skype:  reecesrainbow

Facebook:  Andrea Faris Roberts

Twitter:  @momtoreece and @reecesrainbow

"Let Us In - I Want To Learn" video

DOWN SYNDROME INTERNATIONAL PRESENTS THE GLOBAL VIDEO EVENT “LET US IN - I WANT TO LEARN!” IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 68 COUNTRIES FOR WORLD DOWN SYNDROME DAY 2012.
PLEASE WATCH THIS VIDEO AND HELP US CREATE A SINGLE GLOBAL VOICE FOR ADVOCATING FOR THE RIGHTS, INCLUSION AND WELL BEING OF PEOPLE WITH DOWN SYNDROME ON 21 MARCH.
THANK YOU!

Our thanks to the following for their outstanding video contributions:

Jonathan Center - Albania www.downsyndromealbania.yolasite.com
Asociación Síndrome de Down de la República Argentina (ASDRA) - Argentina www.asdra.org.ar
Down Syndrome New South Wales - Australia www.dsansw.org.au
Down-Syndrom Österreich - Austria www.down-syndrom.at
Aywiña Sindrome de Down - Bolivia www.aywinasindromededown.wordpress.com
Život Sa Down Syndromom - Bosnia & Herzegovina www.downsy.ba
Instituto MetaSocial - Brazil www.metasocial.org.br
Association of Parents of Children with Down Syndrome - Bulgaria www.downsyndromebg.com/en
Kyle Sumrow - American School of Yaoundé - Cameroon
Canadian Down Syndrome Society - Canada www.cdss.ca
Fundación Síndrome de Down del Caribe - Colombia www.fundowncaribe.org
Down Syndrom Centar Pula - Croatia www.facebook.com/pages/Down-syndrom-Centar-Pula/165392440226282
DownSyndrom CZ - Czech Republic www.downsyndrom.cz
Asociacion Ecuatoriana Sindrome de Down - Ecuador aesd_07@yahoo.com
Jevgenia Jepifanova - Estonia janesh81@mail.ru
Downiaiset - Suomen Downin Syndrooma ry. - Finland www.downiaiset.com
Trisomie 21 France - France www.trisomie21-france.org
Association of Professionals and Parents of Children with Down Syndrome - Georgia www.downsyndrome.ge
Deutsches Down-Syndrom InfoCenter - Germany www.ds-infocenter.de
The Disablement Foundation of Ghana - Ghana www.dfog.org
Down Syndrome Association of Greece - Greece www.down.gr
Asociacion Guatemalteca para el Síndrome de Down - Guatemala www.downguatemala.org
Hong Kong Down Syndrome Association - Hong Kong www.hk-dsa.org.hk
Angyalszív Down Alapítvány - Hungary www.angyalszivalapitvany.hu
Down's Syndrome Care Association (DSCA) - India www.dscaindia.org
Ikatan Sindroma Down Indonesia (ISDI) - Indonesia www.isdijakarta.org
Down Syndrome Association of Iraq (Hiba Centre for Down Syndrome) - Iraq hibains@yahoo.com
Down Syndrome Ireland - Ireland www.downsyndrome.ie
Associazione Italiana Persone Down (AIPD) - Italy www.aipd.it
Werathah Forum - Jordan www.werathah.com/phpbb/index.php
Down Syndrome Kosova - Kosovo www.downsyndromekosova.org
Yousef Ahmad Almuhanna - Kuwait ny.92@hotmail.com
Lebanese Down Syndrome Association - Lebanon www.lebanesedownsyndrome.org
Sinolicka - Macedonia koleva.rosica@gmail.com
Kiwanis Down Syndrome Foundation - Malaysia www.kdsf.org.my
Mrs Gakou Aissata Diop - Mali gakoudiop@yahoo.fr
Down Syndrome Association Malta - Malta www.dsa.org.mt
Down Syndrome Association of Mauritius - Mauritius feroziahosaneea@yahoo.com
Fundación John Langdon Down - Mexico www.fjldown.org.mx
Oshana Down syndrome Group - Namibia - Hannah Kambowe hkambowe@yahoo.com
Down's Syndrome Association of Nepal - Nepal info@dsanepal.org.np
New Zealand Down Syndrome Association - New Zealand www.nzdsa.org.nz
Down Syndrome Foundation Nigeria - Nigeria www.dsanigeria.org
Pakistan Down Syndrome Association (PDSA) - Pakistan www.pdsa-pakistan.webs.com
Sociedad Peruana de Sindrome Down - Peru www.spsd.org.pe
Zespoldowna.info - Poland www.zespoldowna.info
Associaçāo Portuguesa de Portadores de Trissomia 21 (APPT 21) - Portugal www.appt21.org.pt
Downside Up - Russia www.downsideup.org
Werathah Forum - Saudi Arabia www.werathah.com/phpbb/index.php
Down Syndrome Association Singapore - Singapore www.downsyndrome-singapore.org
Sekcija za Downov sindrom, Sožitje Ljubljana - Slovenia www.sekcija-ds.si
Down Syndrome South Africa - South Africa www.downsyndrome.org.za
Asociación síndrome de Down de las Islas Baleares (ASNIMO) - Spain www.asnimo.com
Ranjith WM. - Sri Lanka ranjiman2000@yahoo.com
Sudan Center for Down Syndrome - Sudan ds.sudan@yahoo.com
Svenska Downforeningen - Sweden www.svenskadownforeningen.se
Insieme 21 - Switzerland www.insieme21.ch
Penny Aika Pettit Down Syndrome Foundation - Tanzania mteripettit@yahoo.co.uk
Good Child Foundation - Thailand www.goodchildfoundation.com
Association des Parents et Amis des Personnes Encéphalopathes (APAPE) - Togo www.apape.wahost.org
Down Türkiye Down Sendromu Derneği - Turkey www.downturkiye.com
UAE Down Syndrome Association - United Arab Emirates www.uaedsa.ae
Down’s Syndrome Association - United Kingdom www.downs-syndrome.org.uk
Ukrainian Down Syndrome Organization - Ukraine www.downsyndrome.org.ua
National Down Syndrome Society - USA www.ndss.org
La Asociación Venezolana para el síndrome de Down (AVESID) - Venezuela www.avesid.org
Zanzibar Association of Down Syndrome (ZADOC) - Zanzibar www.zadoczanzibar.org
Zimbabwe Down Syndrome Association - Zimbabwe zdsabyo@ymail.com

And very special thanks for the generous and continued sponsorship of:

Down’s Syndrome Association - United Kingdom www.downs-syndrome.org.uk and,
Down’s Syndrome Federation of India - India www.downsyndrome.in

without which DSi's global WDSD initiatives would not be possible.