Hi! We’re Robert and Paula Gallagher. We are prayerfully asking for your donation to help us with our domestic infant adoption!
OUR STORY:
We met at Ave Maria University and got married shortly after graduation. We’re both one of five children, and we dreamed of having a large family of our own (we had a deal about what we were going to name our 15th child). With those family goals, there was no sense in waiting to start – but the baby never came. Over the past 13 years of marriage, we discovered Paula has endometriosis, PCOS, thyroid autoimmunity, chronic endometritis, and other diagnoses all contributing to infertility – and Robert dealt with thyroid cancer during the Covid years as well.
After years of testing, root-cause treatments, and multiple surgeries, we committed to one more year of interventions to overcome our infertility. We did absolutely everything we could so we would have no regrets. We walked away both exhausted and heartbroken, having discovered more diagnoses for Paula but having never achieved a positive pregnancy test.
While we have never conceived, we were blessed to experience parenthood through fostering. We fostered a baby and then a toddler, and both those journeys ended in reunification with their biological families. Though helping these families was incredibly fulfilling, the emotional toll of saying goodbye to our foster children ultimately led us to discern out of foster care.
Now, we feel called to start the new adventure of domestic infant adoption. We both greatly desire to have a child, and we are thrilled by the hope of finally starting our family through adoption!
We’ve always considered adoption, even during college, but the expense makes it impossible for us to achieve this goal on our own. This is why we’re asking for your help – we would be incredibly honored to have the opportunity to raise a child, but adoption takes a village before the child even arrives!
We have already paid for our adoption consultant Cradled In Grace, adoption preparation classes, home study and interstate paperwork, and profile book. We are in need of funding to cover the remaining adoption agency fees and legal fees.
OUR FUNDRAISING GOAL:
The remainder of the adoption process will cost about $40,000.
What your donation goes toward:
- Adoption agency fees (agency paperwork, counseling for the birth mother, pre-placement medical and living expenses for the birth mother)
- Family lawyer fees (all legal expenses related to the termination of parental rights)
- Travel expenses (if the baby is born in another state)
- Adoption finalization cost
WAYS YOU CAN HELP:
- Pray for us! Ask St. Thomas More and St. Joan of Arc to intercede for us.
- Donate to our fundraiser! Any amount you can give is appreciated. Thank you!
- If you wish to donate via Venmo, use @Paula-Gallagher-13.
- If you wish to mail us a check, please reach out for our address!
- Share this fundraiser page with your family and friends! The more the merrier! You can copy and paste this message and send via text or email: Hi! Please consider donating to our friends’ infant adoption fundraiser. Every little bit helps to create a new family! https://www.gofundme.com/f/robert-paula-gallagher-infant-adoption-fundraiser
Scripture says in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope,” and we cling to these words as we answer the call to give a child a safe, stable, and loving home. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for helping us make this dream a reality. We will post updates on this page for everyone when we hit milestones.
Sincerely,
Robert & Paula Gallagher