Letter posted January 9, 2022 in Palm Beach Post:

2021 is the 25th anniversary of TANF, Temporary Aid to Needy Families, which replaced “welfare” by providing financial aid, health care, job training and other services to parents living in poverty. With numerous states restricting sex education, contraception and abortion services, there are few resources for mothers who choose to continue with their pregnancies. Adoption is a decision many mothers and children say haunts them. They worry that the child may not be well cared for, and many times for good reason.

An estimated 121,000 children are presently waiting to be adopted, and 27,000 age out each year. Child Protective Services in some states are using a majority of their TANF funds for payroll instead of assisting the parent. They are also using these funds to pressure the mother to name the father, even when there has been documented domestic abuse and the children and mom are still in danger. Government agencies are pressuring the fathers to pay the bills when they are usually also living in poverty. How is America going to care for the increase in children in foster care and waiting for adoption?

Does anyone care?

Sheila Jaffe, Boca Raton (PBC NOW Membership Director)