Hands for Hope

Many families in both Hand in Hand and the greater Atlanta community have or are in the process of adopting older children. Adopting older children comes with a multitude of challenges for both the family and the child such as language and communication difficulties, adjusting to differences in the culture and way of life, and just transitioning to a new environment.

Therefore, Hand in Hand, in a joint effort with Georgia Tech China Care is launching a new program called Hands for Hope to help new adoptive families ease this transition. Because our volunteers are first and second generation Chinese-Americans, we have the language ability and understanding of both cultures to help with this difficult transition. Especially in the first few months, our Big Sisters hope to work on a one-on-one basis with families to help with things such as translating and bridging the cultural gap.

Meet Hope

The little girl who inspired our new program
Hope recently joined Hand in Hand after being adopted by the Wilson family this past year at the age of 11. Having not long ago become blind because of a surgery to remove a brain tumor, Hope faces many challenges as she is adjusting to a new culture and language. Yet, in the face of all these difficulties, Hope continues to be a happy, energetic and loving girl and has touched the hearts of everyone here at Hand in Hand. She loves to sing and dance, do origami and talk to people and has been such an inspiration. Through Hands for Hope, we hope to help many families such as the Wilsons as they go on their adoption journey.

Contact Us

Please let us know if you have suggestions for our new program. If you or someone you know is adopting an older child and would like our help, contact Melissa Li, our Hands for Hope coordinator at hope@handinhandchinese.org.