FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                      October 31, 2005

FRUA calls for end to adoption marketing campaign

Group says the bottom line is kids

            Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption is calling on the manufacturer of life like baby dolls to stop a marketing promotion that allows buyers to “adopt” one of the toys at a number of retailers across the United States.

The dolls are manufactured by Lee Middleton Original Dolls, based in Ohio.  The company employs a promotional campaign where children can browse for a baby in a make-belief nursery.  The company’s Web site says the new “parents” can then complete adoption papers and the doll will be given a check up by a nurse.  The site adds that many new parents “can’t wait to shop for accessories (including dresses, blankets, shoes and more) to make their new arrival the prettiest on the block.”

“Adoption is first and foremost about improving the lives of children,” said FRUA Chair Karen Klein Berman. “Adoption is not a baby contest.  Adoption is certainly not a tool for parents to acquire a status symbol with which to impress their neighbors.”  Berman says that while FRUA is not calling for the dolls to be withdrawn from the marketplace, the group is asking that adoption not be used as a marketing tactic.

“The promotion is suggesting to children that adoption is a noble thing, and it is,” said Berman.  “At the same time, using adoption to sell a toy also sends a very distorted message about adoption in our society today.  Many parents make significant sacrifices both before and after an adoption to build a life for their children.  Adoption is about love- not a new acquisition to show off to the neighbors.”

FRUA has more than 2,300 members across the United States and presents a number of educational conferences and material on both the national and chapter level.  The organization also publishes a regular journal on adoption issues and offers a support network for both pre-and-post adoptive parents.

“Adoption is a wonderful thing and it’s something children should be exposed to,” Berman said.  “But adoption isn’t about picking a perfect baby and showing that baby off, it’s about dedicating your life to a child who might not otherwise have a chance.  We’re not talking about make-believe, it’s the best reality there can be.”

For more information, contact John Perry, FRUA Advocacy and Outreach Chair, at (517) 256-8516 or via e-mail at John@frua.org.