Help Out a Secular Adoption Agency

In the wake of civil unions becoming legalized in Illinois, Catholic Charities in various cities have chosen to stop offering adoption services because they don’t want to give any children to gay couples.

So what happens to all the kids in their care? They have to go somewhere…

The (secular) Youth Service Bureau of Illinois Valley stepped up. They’ve already taken in 330 children and no doubt more will follow.

Sean Gillespie of the Air Capital Skeptics has been in contact with YSBIV’s director, David McClure, and he likes what he sees (despite McClure being openly religious):

This is an excellent example of an individual stepping up to promote strong humanist principles. It also seems that he clearly understands the difference of being a secular organization. I also find it refreshingly honest that he does not claim to know the will of a mysterious supernatural entity and only hopes that his actions are approved of.

I have also been in contact with Mr. McClure in order to thank him for his work and coordinate getting some donations together for his organizations. This particular quote from one of the emails really stands out.

“I hope the movement to stand up and do the right thing for gay couples trying to create family spreads.”

Their goals are clearly very in line with the goals of secular humanists and I think we need to do our part to help them out.

The Skeptics group wants to raise money for the agency and they’ve started a fundraising drive to make that happen:

It’s a great cause and you’d be directly helping the children who have been deserted by the Catholics who care more about practicing discrimination than they do about finding a good home for the kids. Please consider chipping in.

Richard Wade

I gave $100 to the orphans. Go YSBIV!
Richard Wade

I gave $100 to the orphans. Go YSBIV!
Richard Wade

I gave $100 to the orphans. Go YSBIV!
Richard Wade

I gave $100 to the orphans. Go YSBIV!
Richard Wade

I gave $100 to the orphans. Go YSBIV!
Richard Wade

I gave $100 to the orphans. Go YSBIV!
Richard Wade

I gave $100 to the orphans. Go YSBIV!
Anonymous

How about proposing YSBIV in the “children” category of the Foundation Beyond Belief for the next round? They seem to fit the bill just fine and it would send the message that when religious organizations drop kids so they can more tightly hold on to their bigotry, the secular will step up and take care of business.

EDIT: Having checked out the FBB website I see that anyone can nominate a charity, so I’ve gone ahead and proposed them myself.
Anonymous

How about proposing YSBIV in the “children” category of the Foundation Beyond Belief for the next round? They seem to fit the bill just fine and it would send the message that when religious organizations drop kids so they can more tightly hold on to their bigotry, the secular will step up and take care of business.

EDIT: Having checked out the FBB website I see that anyone can nominate a charity, so I’ve gone ahead and proposed them myself.
Anonymous

How about proposing YSBIV in the “children” category of the Foundation Beyond Belief for the next round? They seem to fit the bill just fine and it would send the message that when religious organizations drop kids so they can more tightly hold on to their bigotry, the secular will step up and take care of business.

EDIT: Having checked out the FBB website I see that anyone can nominate a charity, so I’ve gone ahead and proposed them myself.
Mara

Done! Hooray for this organization! Taking care of these kids is incredibly difficult work and I admire those who can do it. I especially admire those who understand that the kids are more important than their religious beliefs.
Mara

Done! Hooray for this organization! Taking care of these kids is incredibly difficult work and I admire those who can do it. I especially admire those who understand that the kids are more important than their religious beliefs.
Christine

Everybody, please please please help these great people out!

They’re from my hometown, Ottawa, where you can’t throw a stick without hitting three churches and the newspaper runs an article a week “questioning” evolution or praising a local businessman or philanthropist for his religiosity.

It would be so awesome to see a big outpouring of support for YSBIV come from the atheist community!
Christine

Everybody, please please please help these great people out!

They’re from my hometown, Ottawa, where you can’t throw a stick without hitting three churches and the newspaper runs an article a week “questioning” evolution or praising a local businessman or philanthropist for his religiosity.

It would be so awesome to see a big outpouring of support for YSBIV come from the atheist community!
Christine

Everybody, please please please help these great people out!

They’re from my hometown, Ottawa, where you can’t throw a stick without hitting three churches and the newspaper runs an article a week “questioning” evolution or praising a local businessman or philanthropist for his religiosity.

It would be so awesome to see a big outpouring of support for YSBIV come from the atheist community!
Christine

Everybody, please please please help these great people out!

They’re from my hometown, Ottawa, where you can’t throw a stick without hitting three churches and the newspaper runs an article a week “questioning” evolution or praising a local businessman or philanthropist for his religiosity.

It would be so awesome to see a big outpouring of support for YSBIV come from the atheist community!
Christine

Everybody, please please please help these great people out!

They’re from my hometown, Ottawa, where you can’t throw a stick without hitting three churches and the newspaper runs an article a week “questioning” evolution or praising a local businessman or philanthropist for his religiosity.

It would be so awesome to see a big outpouring of support for YSBIV come from the atheist community!
Anonymous

What Ottawa paper runs an article a week “questioning evolution”?? Wait, don’t tell me……The Sun?

Im guessing that’s the paper you were referring to re: the praising businessmen for their ‘religiosity’ as well?

I don’t read the rag, hence my surprise at your comment 🙂
Anonymous

What Ottawa paper runs an article a week “questioning evolution”?? Wait, don’t tell me……The Sun?

Im guessing that’s the paper you were referring to re: the praising businessmen for their ‘religiosity’ as well?

I don’t read the rag, hence my surprise at your comment 🙂
Anonymous

What Ottawa paper runs an article a week “questioning evolution”?? Wait, don’t tell me……The Sun?

Im guessing that’s the paper you were referring to re: the praising businessmen for their ‘religiosity’ as well?

I don’t read the rag, hence my surprise at your comment 🙂
Semipermeable

I donated what I could, wish them all the best.
Semipermeable

I donated what I could, wish them all the best.
Anonymous

Catholics, in my experience, care deeply about children until they leave the womb. Then all bets are off. Their choice is either to allow gays to adopt, or let children suffer in orphanages and the foster system. They chose wrongly. It’s another example of “it’s nothing for a good man to do good, but for a good man to do evil requires religion.”
Anonymous

Catholics, in my experience, care deeply about children until they leave the womb. Then all bets are off. Their choice is either to allow gays to adopt, or let children suffer in orphanages and the foster system. They chose wrongly. It’s another example of “it’s nothing for a good man to do good, but for a good man to do evil requires religion.”
Anonymous

Catholics, in my experience, care deeply about children until they leave the womb. Then all bets are off. Their choice is either to allow gays to adopt, or let children suffer in orphanages and the foster system. They chose wrongly. It’s another example of “it’s nothing for a good man to do good, but for a good man to do evil requires religion.”
Anonymous

Catholics, in my experience, care deeply about children until they leave the womb. Then all bets are off. Their choice is either to allow gays to adopt, or let children suffer in orphanages and the foster system. They chose wrongly. It’s another example of “it’s nothing for a good man to do good, but for a good man to do evil requires religion.”