Tapestry partners with LifeSong for Orphans (formerly Life International), a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt orphan care and adoption ministry that helps churches across the country establish and administer adoption assistance funds, to administer the Tapestry Fund.  In this partnership, Tapestry is responsible for establishing the vision and direction for the Tapestry Fund as well as making known the opportunity for people to contribute financially to the fund.  LifeSong, on the other hand, exclusively handles the application process (and all confidential information involved in the application process) and provides all of the administrative and operational support needed to evaluate applicants, make decisions regarding grants and loans and handle all contributions and disbursements involving the Tapestry Fund.

The Tapestry Fund provides matching grants and/or interest-free covenant loans to applicants who meet the established parameters described below.  LifeSong makes all decisions regarding whether qualified applicants are given funds for matching grants and/or interest-free covenant loans based on various factors, including the amount of money in the Tapestry Fund at the time of application, the applicant’s financial situation and adoption-related needs, and the way in which to best maximize the resources of the Tapestry Fund.  Following approval by LifeSong, all disbursements of matching grants and/or interest-free covenant loans are made by LifeSong directly to the applicant's adoption agency.  You can find more information about the LifeSong matching grant and interest-free covenant loan programs at http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/adGrantLoans.html.

In connection with the Tapestry Fund, LifeSong handles all aspects of the application process, including evaluation and verification of all financial and other confidential information.  No one from Tapestry or Irving Bible Church has access to any of your confidential information, and all decisions regarding the award of any matching grant and/or interest-free covenant loan are made solely by LifeSong.

The requirements to be eligible for a matching grant or interest-free covenant loan from the Tapestry Fund are:

• applicants need to provide a statement of their personal faith in Jesus Christ
• applicants must establish their need for financial assistance in connection with an adoption by fully completing the application process
• applicants need to have an approved home study conducted by a licensed social worker
• applicants must have a letter of recommendation from a member of the Tapestry leadership team or a pastor in their church

You can view and print the Tapestry Fund application here.

The funds available in the Tapestry Fund will be available to be allocated to qualified applicants according to the following priority: first, to members of Irving Bible Church; second, to those who are members of another local church and are connected with Tapestry; and third, to those in the community who are not connected to Irving Bible Church or Tapestry.

The Tapestry Fund is a great way to provide much needed financial support for Christian families seeking to adopt.  All contributions to the Tapestry Fund are made through LifeSong and are fully tax deductible, with 100% of all contributions being used to provide matching grants and interest-free covenant loans to qualified families.  The Tapestry Adoption Assistance Fund is funded solely from contributions from individuals.  It does not receive any funds from Irving Bible Church.

You can make a tax-deductible contribution to the Tapestry Fund by sending your check to:

LifeSong for Orphans

c/o Tapestry Fund (Irving Bible Church)

P.O. Box 40

Gridley, IL 61744

If you prefer to make your contribution online, go to www.lifesongfororphans.org/donation.html (and click "make a donation" button at the bottom of the page).  Please be sure to indicate the "Tapestry Fund (Irving Bible Church)" in the description field so that your contribution is properly directed.

If you would like to learn more about the Tapestry Fund and how you can help bless a child’s life forever, please contact Michael Monroe at tapestry@irvingbible.org.

If you have questions about the Tapestry Adoption Assistance Fund or how to apply, please contact Michael Monroe at tapestry@irvingbible.org.

You can make a tax-deductible gift to LifeSong for Orphans in memory of little Nikolas and 100% of your contribution will help other families adopt . . . [more]

• Adoption Costs and Financial Assistance Resources

• Funding an Adoption - a helpful article by Crown Financial Ministries about how to fund an adoption in a financially responsible way

• Adoption Tax Credit - a helpful article that explains the basics about the federal adoption tax credit (of up to $12,150 for 2009)

If you are a church looking for more details about the Tapestry Adoption Assistance Fund and examples of the resources and forms that we use in administering our fund, we want to help.  Tapestry had the opportunity to make a presentation entitled Turn-Key Solutions in Creating Local Church Adoption Funds in May 2008 at Summit IV, hosted by the Christian Alliance for Orphans.  You can view the presentation slides and you can also view and print the resources and forms for the Tapestry Fund.

LifeSong for Orphans (formerly Life International) has helped numerous churches establish and launch their own Adoption Fund as a ministry of their local church.  Tapestry partners with LifeSong as we serve children and families through the Tapestry Adoption Assistance Fund.  Learn more about LifeSong at www.lifesongfororphans.org.

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