Building Families: How AdoptTogether Makes Adoption Possible

By Teesta Bhola-Shah

Adoption is something most people hear about, but not many realize just how expensive it can be. For families who dream of giving a child a home, the biggest challenge often isn’t deciding to adopt, it’s the price tag. With the average adoption costing around $50,000, the process can feel impossible before it even begins.

That’s why AdoptTogether, a nonprofit crowdfunding platform, was created: to help make adoption a reality for families everywhere.

We interviewed this incredible organization about their mission and goals with this program. “Our mission is to bridge the gap between families who want to adopt and children who need loving homes,” the organization shared. “We believe in a family for every child.”

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Making adoption affordable

AdoptTogether works kind of like GoFundMe, but specifically for adoption. Families create pages to tell their stories, who they are, why they’re adopting, and what the journey means to them. Friends, relatives, and even strangers can donate to help cover costs.

But unlike regular crowdfunding sites, AdoptTogether is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which means all donations are tax-deductible. Companies can even match donations, doubling the amount raised.

“Some people stop considering adoption as soon as they see the cost,” the AdoptTogether team said. “At AdoptTogether, we want to give growing families hope.”

Wes & Alexa Marquis, adopting a child from India with AdoptTogether

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Thousands of families helped

Since it started 11 years ago, AdoptTogether has helped more than 5,000 families raise over $40 million to adopt children from 67 countries.

“We have families fundraising for domestic, international, and foster-to-adopt programs,” the team explained. “Lately, we’ve seen an increase in domestic adoptions.”

One thing that sets AdoptTogether apart is how carefully it manages donations. Families don’t just get the money directly — every disbursement goes through AdoptTogether’s Hoping Hearts Foundation, which reviews expenses to make sure funds are used only for verified adoption costs like agency fees, travel, and legal documents.

“Every dollar we disburse goes toward an adoption-related cost,” the team said. This extra step builds trust for donors, knowing their gifts are being used exactly as intended.

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Community Building

Beyond fundraising, AdoptTogether has also built a network of support. Families share updates, post milestones, and thank donors as they move through each stage of adoption. Those stories often inspire others to start their own journeys.

It’s a reminder that while adoption does require a lot of paperwork and expenses, it’s a labor of love. Every donation, big or small, helps bring a child one step closer to a loving home.

As AdoptTogether continues to grow, its mission stays the same: make adoption accessible to every family who feels called to it. The organization partners with businesses, agencies, and individuals to reach more families each year.

“There’s still work to do,” the team said. “Every child deserves a family. Until that’s a reality, we’ll keep going.”

AdoptTogether shows what can happen when communities come together with compassion and purpose. The people who donate are helping build happy families and bright futures for children. Check out their website and consider donating at AdoptTogether.org!