A Letter from Jon Coleman

January 2, 2008

Dear Friends,

I am writing to our many friends and family who have so wonderfully supported us through the past six months to let you know what we are doing to memorialize our Chloe. I am pleased to tell you that nearly $45,000 has been donated in Chloe’s memory. This represents the largest memorial gift ever received by Holt International Children’s Services.

In this letter I would like to tell you about Holt and about how the monies donated in Chloe’s memory will be spent. Holt International is an adoption and children’s services agency that focuses on helping orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children in 20 countries. While much of Holt’s work involves adoption of children into the U.S. it also importantly supports in-country social services in many countries, including Guatemala, Chloe’s birth country.

Guatemalan Adoption Crisis

In late August, my wife Linda and I met with the staff of Holt to discuss the needs of children in Guatemala and how the monies raised could best honor our Chloe. At that meeting we learned of the adoption crisis in  Guatemala.  More children are adopted into the United States from Guatemala than any other country, with the exception of China. However, for several years Guatemala's adoption process has been deteriorating and is criticized by the United Nations and many western countries, including the United States, because Guatemala does not meet the standards of the Hague Convention on International Adoption. As a result, starting January 1, 2008 inter-country adoption from Guatemala to the U.S. and to other western countries will stop and will not start again until Guatemala comes into compliance with the guidelines of the Hague Convention. It is not known for how long adoption from Guatemala will stop, but it is expected to be months before new adoption systems are established.

As a result, thousands of poor and destitute children in Guatemala who would have escaped poverty through adoption will only get support from in-country child welfare programs and agencies. As you can imagine, given the poverty in Guatemala, there is not nearly enough money to support all the children who need it. With the termination of adoption, many children will be left to live on the streets or in sorely under-supported orphanages.

Chloe’s Kids

This problem is where we think we can help. Holt has identified its partner agency in Guatemala (APIF) to receive all of the Chloe Coleman Memorial gifts. Holt has also named the support of APIF and all the children they support “Chloe’s Kids” in memory of Chloe. We are very touched. You can read more about APIF and see some of the children we are all supporting here and here. (Adobe Acrobat Reader Required)

Because of the gifts, Holt will be able to continue to support the children it serves in Guatemala during this period when no children can be adopted. Thus far, enough money was given to Holt in Chloe’s memory that about 75% of the APIF’s annual operating budget will come from these funds.

The Coleman’s Plan Their Trip to Guatemala

As you can imagine, Linda, Elizabeth, Peter and I are now more committed to helping these children than ever. When we adopted Chloe we began our life as friends of Guatemalan children and now Linda and I plan on supporting these kids for the rest of our lives. This is now our personal cause. To further understand the need and to identify how we can help in the future we plan on visiting Guatemala in early 2008. We will visit APIF and possibly other social service agencies in need of our support.

Again, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness and generosity.

To learn more about Chloe's life, click here to read her obituary.