Printer Friendly

Many people have heard of Boys & Girls Aid, but aren’t sure exactly what we do.

Simply, we impact the well-being of children in need.

Here are some of the most common questions people ask us:

Is Boys & Girls Aid a national organization? 
No.  We work mainly in Oregon, with infant adoption services in Oregon and Washington. This means that 100% of every dollar you give stays right here to help your own neighbors.

Is Boys & Girls Aid an adoption agency?
Yes.  Since our inception in 1885, we have placed over 17,000 children in permanent homes. 

How much does this cost the birth mother? 
Nothing at all.  We pay her expenses throughout the pregnancy and for the following three months.  Just as important, we provide support and counseling as long as she needs us.

Do you provide foster care? 
Yes—for children of all ages, whether for an emergency stay, or an extended period of time. 

What kind of children do you help? 
Our clients may be neglected, abused, or homeless – or any combination of these.

Can you help older children?
Absolutely.  In fact, we have a number of facilities for teenagers and young adults to 23.  Some of these are:

• The Pettygrove Residential Program for girls age 14 to 18.
• Safe Place for Youth in Washington County.  Serving homeless and runaway youth up to age 19.
• Transitional Living Program.  This critical service was created for 16 to 23-year olds who are almost ready to live on their own, but need assistance in making the transition to adulthood.

Do you provide any services for adults?
We provide training and counseling to birth mothers and fathers, adoptive parents, and foster parents.

What if I want to help a child or teen but am unable to make a commitment to be a foster parent? 
You may want to look into mentoring. While Boys & Girls Aid no longer offers a mentoring program, a great resource for mentoring opportunities is Oregon Mentors.

What kind of staff do you have?
Boys & Girls Aid employs adoption clinicians, social workers, youth care counselors, and administrative personnel.  All members of our staff are highly trained to work with children in need.

What if there is a problem during the night or on the weekend?  
Our adoption clinicians are available 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week to assist birthmothers.  We also offer after-hours assistance for foster care parents of youth our care.

Who pays for all of these services?
Boys & Girls Aid receives funding through government contracts. However, there is a gap between funds awarded from government contracts and the actual cost to deliver high quality services. In our case, for every $1 of services we provide, 80 cents is covered by our contracts. This leaves 20 cents on each dollar that we must raise in order to continue our vital work.