People: A Cause to Adopt
DOWN THE ROAD, she hopes to set up a loan program for those who don’t receive grants, since many of HUA’s applicants don’t qualify for the few loan programs that do exist. The backing of a big donor would also free Becky of the financial burden, allowing her to spend more time raising awareness about adoption itself. She’s felt the sting of offhanded comments from those who view adoption as less than perfect, who seem to believe that if you can’t avoid it, it’s best to pretend it never happened: He looks just like you. You’ll never even have to tell him.
“There’s nothing wrong with the word ‘adoption,’” Becky says, eyes flashing. “I do not want my child to be labeled, but this is a label I want him to be proud to wear.” By the time they finish their second adoption — a sibling for Jake — the Fawcetts will have spent more than $200,000 building their family, none of it funded by HUA.
This burgeoning amount, coupled with the recession and a six-month layoff for Kipp thanks to the crash of his employer, Bear Stearns, caused Becky to re-enter the PR world this past December. Though she promises HUA will be her biggest client, some of her focus is bound to be lost in the day-to-day shuffle of running her company. She, and HUA, needs more space, more help, and, of course, more money to fill the growing number of grant requests as more visitors come across her website and Facebook page.
Nonetheless, Becky is hopeful. Her e-mails are starting to get answers — there’s interest from the Today show, and surely it’s only a matter of time before she’s sitting on Oprah’s couch and has every last celebrity who’s built a family through adoption aiding her cause. “I need three people,” she says, determined. “I need Oprah, I need Angelina, and I need Sheryl. And I don’t need their money — I need their voices.”
E-MAIL: jbergen@phillymag.com