Meet Trailblazer Laura Butler

Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Butler.

Laura, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
From 2014-2017, we walked a beautiful but hard adoption journey. We learned so much along the way and stepped into greater levels of patience, peace and our eyes were opened to the needs in our backyard as well as around the world. Finally, on October 1, 2017, we brought our beautiful little girl home from Haiti. She has been home a year and adjusting so well.

During those years of waiting, we began to pray and wonder how we might help bring awareness to the need for orphan care and the adoption process. We have found that many families want to adopt, but don’t feel they can because of the high financial costs. We have also met other families eager to help children in the adoption process through prayer, giving and other types of support.

With a heavy heart, my very supportive husband asked me what I wanted to do help more families afford adoption. It is very overwhelming how expensive domestic and international adoption is. So, after many discussions and prayer, we started a 501(c)3 non-profit charity, the Anna Cheri Foundation, in honor of the story God is writing in our lives. Each year, we give grant(s) to families who has been called to adopt. In addition to this, we want to share adoption stories as a way to inspire others who may be considering adoption or looking for ways to help children have a forever family.

Our Mission
Our Mission is to INSPIRE people to orphan care around the world through both adoption and adoption support. Apply for Grant and Share your Adoption Story.

We formed this foundation out of a heartfelt the desire to live out – James 1:27 “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” Psalm 82:3 “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.”

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Our non-profit has been a dream come true for me. I always dreamed of starting something and no idea that through our family’s vulnerability and the journey of adoption would birth such a unique service. To be honest, the biggest surprise is the support we have had… I had wished for our first year to give one huge grant, but because of generous donations, successful fundraising, and prayerful friends, we were able to give 2 huge adoption grants. So, you can imagine the joy I felt the day we could help more children have a forever family.

The lesson is dream big… work hard and when people believe in YOU and your mission, great things will happen.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Inspiring Orphan Care ~ ‘The Anna Cheri Foundation’ – what should we know?
We have multiple fundraisers throughout the year.

1. Fishing Tournament – “Reel-in for Orphans”
2. Baby Bottle Drives – collect loose change from mothers day to fathers day.
3. T-shirt sales
4. Color fun run/walk – “Chalk it up for Charities”
5. Jewelry and boutique sales

Our goals are to give a grant (s) every year to a family who has been called to adoption. As well as share adoption stories. We believe through storytelling we can change the world… therefore, the tagline “inspiring orphan care.”

We are proud that our foundation is helping bring other children home to their forever family. 140 million orphans in the world and together we are helping have “one less” each time a grant is awarded. We want to make a difference in a families journey. We do not want money to be the only issue standing in the way if a family wanting to adopt and a child to feel loved and wanted.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.inspringorphancare.org
• Phone: 832-248-8194
• Email: lauracheributler@gmail.com
• Instagram: Inspiring_orphan_care
• Facebook: Inspiring Orphan Care

Image Credit:
Sweet Pear Photography, Genesis Photography, Rest of pics… ME

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