News and Events

July 30 , 2010 Photos from the 2010 TDH Charity Gala, Toronto Event organizer and TDH Fundraising Coordinator Christine Morra speaking from the podium Stephanie Guillaume in front of the Tree of Life, which she and Renny Duquette created Dorinda and Brendan Cavanaugh address the guests July 14 , 2010 TDH Charity Gala for Vung Tau 3 Delivers by Dorinda Cavanaugh This year’s gala targeted Vung Tau 3 as the primary recipient of the funds raised. It was my great pleasure to be part of bringing the materials to this orphanage. We spent the morning shopping for TV’s, computers, fridges and dryers, bicycles and riding toys for the younger children. In the afternoon, we were able to deliver the computers, and were present for the delivery and the other major appliances. Unfortunately, despite the 40+ degree heat, there was no electricity, so the pleasure of turning on TV’s and computers had to be postponed to the next day. At the end of the afternoon, to the delight of all the kids at the orphanage, the bicycles and riding toys arrived. Wonderful chaos ensued as the kids unloaded the bicycles and began to ride around the grounds of the orphanage and the surrounding streets. The little ones got on the riding toys in two’s and three’s, and the sounds of races and squeals of laugher could be heard in every corner. Great fun! See more photos at: http://tdhgalaauction2010.blogspot.com/ The training courses for the nannies began on the following Saturday, and will continue on a regular basis during the next months. The last part of the funding is in reserve for the remodeling of the baby washing area. We are looking for some idea as to how best reconstruct this area – with a sink and dressing/changing area, cupboards for clothes, diapers, and towels, appropriate lighting, and perhaps an area for preparation of bottles. If you are an architect or designer or have any talents in this area, we would greatly appreciate your input. June 3, 2010 Call for Volunteers in the Ottawa Area Following the success of February's 'A Concert with Heart', TDH Ontario is planning to host a fundraising event in the Ottawa area each year. We would also like to initiate a variety of family-oriented social events, such as picnics, a Halloween party, a Tet celebration and the like. These events are largely driven by volunteers. We are so grateful to TDH for the children they have brought into our lives and by volunteering we hope to give something back to the organization. We have a core fundraising committee and are looking for others to join us. We'd love to hear your ideas! The skills we are looking for include: - Writing (English and/or French) - Experience in organizing fundraising events - Marketing skills - Graphic design skills - Contacts with businesses - Management skills - Creative, imaginative - Simply willing to help out! By donating your time, whether an hour here or there or more, as you can, you receive so much in return! -Meet other prospective and adoptive parents who understand and have experienced the joys and issues of adoption and parenting such as attachment, bonding, and retaining cultural contact. For example, through this group a new parent found a great daycare attended by another TDH adopted child. - Acquire new skills - Occupy yourself fruitfully while waiting for your adoption to be completed - Help build a TDH family of families -- a great support network for all of us! Volunteers Marlene Alt and Sandra Bellemare will be at Sandbanks for theTDH picnic on June 6. If you are interested in learning how you might be able to contribute, feel free to introduce yourself there or drop a line to Sandra (sandraDOTbellemareATgmailDOTcom). April 3, 2010 An online auction will enable everyone to support TDH and the Vung Tau 3 orphanage The silent auction that will take place at the gala itself is now also accessible online. There are two categories of items you can bid on: items for your own personal use and items that will be donationed to the orphanage. If you are not attending the gala you can bid online and TDH staff will enter your maximum bid for you that night. For all the details, a full list of items (Blue Jay tickets! Raptor tickets! a ski getaway!) and to start bidding, visit tdhgalaauction2010.blogspot.com. April 1, 2010 TDH is offering a "Summer Vacation in Canada" program for Ukrainian orphans A group of adoptable older children will travel to Canada this summer to spend four weeks in the homes of prospective 'forever' families. Deadline for applying is May 1, 2010. Please see the Ukraine program page for full details. March 2 , 2010: TDH Ontario is moving offices We are delighted to be relocating to a larger and very pleasant space, just a few blocks from our current location in Vankleek Hill. The new address is: 36 Home Ave. P.O. Box 963 Vankleek Hill, ON K0B 1R0 The phone and fax numbers remain the same. Please note that the office will be closed from April 7th and reopen on April 12, to enable us to complete the move. In case of emergencies during this closure please contact TDH Canada in Montreal at 514-937-3325. March 2 , 2010: More reasons to attend the 2010 TDH Charity Gala In addition to the exciting program described below we are delighted to announce that from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. TDH Director Dorinda Cavanaugh and several other staff members will be speaking in detail about the Vietnam adoption program. They will specifically address some new challenges and answer questions. During the cocktail hour they will be available to talk with individuals one-on-one in the main ballroom. Invite your friends and family to this elegant and relaxed evening! The program includes a lovely meal, open bar, entertainment, a silent auction and a raffle. The money raised goes to TDH Canada, to support the children left behind, who will never be adopted. Unless a greater need arises in the interim, this year's proceeds will be directed towards the betterment of Vung Tau 3 orphanage. Date: Friday April 9th, 2010 Where: Le Jardin Conference & Event Centre (Banquet Hall), 8440 Highway 27, Woodbridge, ON Time: 6:00 pm for cocktails; 7:00 pm for dinner Tickets: adults $75 before March 9 (includes 4-course meal and deluxe open bar), $85 after March 9. Children's tickets: $55 (4 course meal) or $35 (chicken fingers and french fries) . For every 10 tickets purchased your name will be entered into a draw to win a private box at the Marlies game of your choice, including 18 tickets and a $200 food voucher. If you would like to donate an item to the auction or purchase tickets, please contact Christine Morra. Companies donating to the auction will receive a free ad in the TDH newsletter as a thank you. Other donor benefits are available. Christine can provide more information on sponsorships, the event itself and on the benefitting orphanage. February 24, 2010 : Report on 'A Concert with Heart', February 13, 2010 This classical music concert, with commentary by Brendan Cavanaugh, welcomed almost 100 guests and raised nearly $2,000 for TDH Canada's projects in Vietnam, Honduras and El Salvador. Special thanks to pianist Amélie Langlois for programming the music (and performing) and to the other musicians who gave so generously of their time and talent: Janice Mah (violin), Kevin James (viola), Carmen Bruno (cello), Angela Casagrande (oboe), and Catherine Donkin (piano). Our gratitude also to guest host Laurence Wall, for his first class contribution to the evening, and to the many sponsors (listed below) who donated products and services to the raffle. A final thank you to all of you who attended! February 24, 2010 : Annual Sandbanks Family Picnic, Sunday June 6, 2010 Once again the spectacular Sandbanks Provincial Park will be the site of our TDH Ontario family picnic (located about 3 hours from both Ottawa and Toronto). The picnic will be on Sunday June 6, on sites 31 and 32 and the adjoining beach, in the Outlet River Campground area. Please bring food for your own family (or to contribute to our pot luck table), beach toys, chairs, sunscreen, hats, swimwear and umbrellas (for shade!) The cost for the picnic is $5.00 per family, payable to TDH Ontario, plus the day use admission fee at Sandbanks, which is payable at the park gate. The event gets underway at 10:30 a.m. and lasts through the afternoon (weather permitting). If you're interested in camping (a number of families are staying for the weekend), visit the Ontario Parks web site to make a reservation or call them at 1-888-668-7275. Please email Manon if you plan to attend or have any questions. February 2 , 2010: Tet 2010 Celebrations, the Year of the Tiger Please note that the proposed TDH Ontario Tet celebration in Kingston (as described in the last newsletter) has been cancelled due to lack of interest. Instead we will be attending the wonderful event hosted in Ottawa, this year at the Bronson Centre (located at Bronson and Somerset) on February 7th, 2010 from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. The event will feature food kiosks from the three regions of Vietnam, local entertainment from the community, fortune telling, li-xi for children, games and activities. Tickets are $5 per person, or $12 for a family of 4. There is also a New Year Concert at 3:00 p.m. featuring Asia and Paris by Night artists - Huong Thuy and Doang Phi. Tickets are only $40! For information/details related to these events please contact: Tue Huy at CDNVOttawa@gmail.com. For more information about TDH Ontario's attendance please email Manon. January 28, 2010: Our thanks to the following sponsors of 'A Concert with Heart' who have donated merchandise that will be assembled into baskets and raffled off at the event. Check back as we add new sponsors regularly! Bossarts, "Beauty in Balance", 161 Laurier Ave West (at Elgin), Ottawa Bridgehead Coffeehouse, 109 Bank Street (at Albert), Ottawa CBC News Ottawa at 5, 5:30 and 6 on CBC Television Cyclelogik, "Ottawa's Premier Cycle and Multisport Boutique", 1111a Wellington Street (Westboro), Ottawa Gold & Spices, Groupe Convex L'Institut Valor, Plantagenet, Ontario Mrs. Tiggy Winkle's, 315 Richmond Road (Westboro), Ottawa Pacale's All Natural Ice Cream Rexall Pharma Plus, 700 March Road (Kanata), Ottawa Staples, 8141 Campeau Drive (Kanata), Ontario The Piggy Market, 400 Winston Ave (Westboro) The WORKS Gourmet Burger Bistro, 580 Bank Street, Ottawa Three Wild Women, 263 Richmond Road (Westboro)

January 11, 2010 : We are delighted to announce that CBC Radio personality Laurence Wall will be the guest host for 'A Concert with Heart' (concert details below). Laurence is well known for his news reports on CBC Radio One weekday afternoons and for his cello playing with Ottawa's community orchestra, Divertimento. Laurence is always informative and entertaining -- another great reason to attend the concert! Seating is limited so please ensure you reserve your tickets early by contacting the TDH Ontario office at 613-482-6306 or by emailing Manon.

December 15, 2009:
TDH Ontario is organizing its first ever Ottawa-area fundraising event on Saturday February 13, 2010: an evening of live classical music featuring a number of talented local musicians
Presented to benefit TDH Canada's aid and educational programs for impoverished, abandoned and disabled children in Vietnam, El Salvador and Honduras
Where: First Unitarian Congregation, 30 Cleary Ave., Ottawa
When: Saturday February 13, 2010, 7:00 -- 9:00 p.m.
Featured Performers: Janice Mah (violin), Kevin James (viola), Peter Rapson (cello), Angela Casagrande (oboe), Catherine Donkin (piano), and Amélie Langlois (piano)
Program: selections by Mozart, Ponchielli, Rossini, and Schubert
Tickets: $25 each
With opening remarks, including reflections on St. Valentine, by Brendan Cavanaugh, TDH Canada Secretary General
This is sure to be a moving and memorable evening! If you would like to help us promote this event simply click here (aussi en français) and print our poster. To reserve your tickets now please call the TDH Ontario office 613-482-6306 or email Manon.

December 8, 2009:
Shop online at www.mandysmoon.com and benefit TDH Canada
Just in time for Christmas, the generous folks at www.mandysmoon.com have agreed to donate 10% of our purchases to TDH Canada. To qualify simply put "TDH Fundraiser" in the comments when you checkout. To help us track the transactions, you might also like to email TDH Fundraising Coordinator Christine Morra (christineATtdhDOTca) with your total before tax. Mandy's Moon has adoption items, multicultural dolls and gifts, t-shirts and lots of personalized items.

October 13, 2009:
TDH can benefit from your United Way/Centraide donations
One of the things people value about the United Way Campaign is that their gifts are put to work close to home, in the community where they live and work. Moreover, individuals can designate their gifts to any registered Canadian charity. To direct your donation to TDH, specify TDH Canada Inc., business/charity registration number 119208940RR0001. By doing so, you can support an organization that may be dear to your heart while contributing to the United Way Campaign at the same time.

October 5, 2009:
Update on the situation in Kontum province following Typhoon Ketsana, by Dorinda Cavanaugh
As might be expected in the wake of a fierce natural disaster striking a relatively remote region of Vietnam, communications are unreliable (telephone connections are poor and the electricity is still out) and there does not seem to be any central coordination in the relief effort.

Flooded village and fields at the orphanage

Nonetheless, Tran Bich Thuy, TDH's senior staff person in Vietnam, managed to speak with Sisters Juliana and Jane at the Vinh Son 2 (VS2) orphanage. Thuy learned that everything is very dirty from the flooding and everywhere it smells awful. One of our contacts who has been to the area wrote the following:

"When I have look at their skin some old people and children have problem with it for the mud and the water still remain there within 5 days and they had been eating the meat from the dead animal too. Some kids in the village whom I used to teach them Bible come and talk to me. Teacher look at my face. I eat noodles everyday so I feel sick, my face is swollen. I'm not beautiful anymore. I feel so broken heart."

Girl eating instant noodles

Rice is available in Kontum, as well as water, some market products and medicines but the prices are high. Sister Jane said they need anti-fever and anti-diarrhea medicine plus 70kg of rice per day for VS2. She also needs clothes, uniforms for the kids going to school, shoes, mosquito nets and blankets.They were only able to save some of the clothing. Sister Juliana told Thuy she doesn't know what to ask for: she says the villagers are coming to ask for help and they don't have anything to give them.

Drying clothes saved from the flooding

Rice is $400/ton. We are having 10 tons delivered today, one to VS1, one to VS2, and eight to the convent. I think if they use five tons to answer the needs of the villagers and the rest for the children and the sisters, it should last them one month. We will also try to raise $6000 for the other needs, including food, medicine and mosquito nets. Thuy will go there around October 25. I also have someone else there who is willing to go for a few days next weekend to help with the cleanup.

Orphanage rice crop lost to typhoon damage

For more information on the orphanages and Catholic sisters of Kontum, go to Articles + Archives. To donate to the Kontum typhoon relief efforts, please make cheques payable to TDH Canada (indicate Kontum orphanage fund on the cheque) and send to TDH Ontario, 116 Main Street East, P.O Box 963, Vankleek Hill, Ontario K0B 1R0. Any amount will help and your generosity in this time of exceptional need would be greatly appreciated.

October 1, 2009:
Typhoon Ketsana hits Vietnam and your help is needed
The typhoon that has just ripped through central Vietnam killed dozens of people, most as a result of landslides. Now hundreds of thousands have been displaced, many of them the country's poorest, already surviving daily on the slimmest of rations. Among those badly hit are the Catholic sisters of the Vinh Son 2 Orphanage in Kontum, province. This is a private institution which receives no funding from the Vietnamese government and relies entirely on donations and whatever income their own labour can provide. The children residing here are not available for adoption and Vinh Son 2 is their only home and family. TDH has been supporting Vinh Son 2 for several years and Dorinda traveled to the facility with a group of high school students in November 2008. She has received recent reports on the typhoon's destruction from associates in Kontum, including the following:

"It has been disastrous for Kontum which became cut-off because landslides have closed the roads leading northwards and because the Dakbla River has burst its banks, rising above the level of the bridge leading to the south. Crops have been wiped-out. The rice crop was about to be harvested. Animals washed away and drowned. Water supplies contaminated. Villages abandoned. Vinh Son 2 orphanage also. Many people have now moved to the seminary, wooden church and convent. Food scarce. Much has been damaged by flooding in shops and stores. Petrol prices have risen sharply already. People are scared and a little hungry and thirsty. Many families buy their food fresh daily; they don't carry food stocks as such. Many cannot afford to buy rice in larger amounts. There is no electricity in the village and the only food that they have had today is some instant noodles. I fear that things in the countryside will be much worse than in the town, which already seems devastated."

Dorinda states, "The sisters at Vinh Son 2 barely make do with their meagre harvest in feeding the children. To have lost a rice harvest is awful. And I can only imagine what it is in the villages further out." We are hoping that by the generosity of TDH supporters, including those of you for whom Vietnam has become part of your own family through adoption, we can send money and aid supplies -- whatever can most effectively and readily reach our friends in need. Any amount will help. To donate, please make cheques payable to TDH Canada (indicate Kontum orphanage fund on the cheque) and send to TDH Ontario, 116 Main Street East, P.O Box 963, Vankleek Hill, Ontario K0B 1R0.

July 9, 2009:
TDH hosts Vietnamese delegation, May 2009
As part of our organization's efforts to maintain and strengthen our excellent relations with Vietnam, TDH often sponsors delegations of Vietnamese officials working in adoption-related areas to visit Canada. In May of this year we welcomed officials from the provinces of Hoa Binh and Tra Vinh. Families who adopted from these provinces met with our guests at the Saigon Palace in Toronto (pictured on the home page and below). For more information on the delegation's visit please see the TDH newsletter, issue 2.

June 30, 2009:
Dorinda Cavanaugh's testimony before the Parliamentary standing committee on Citizenship and Immigration
TDH Director Dorinda Cavanaugh was asked to present the views of TDH on the current citizenship debate to a Parliamentary Subcommittee. She was one of three adoption organizations to do so. The text of Ms. Cavanaugh's testimony is available here.

June 8, 2009:
Full citizenship for ALL adopted children - Support needed for Bill C-397.
To all adoptive parents, adoption agencies, potential adoptive parents, family, and friends:

Your help is urgently needed to show members of Parliament that the Bill of NDP MP Olivia Chow (C-397) is of utmost urgency and concern to the adoptive community. We have set up an online petition that we ask you to sign and encourage signature by your family, friends, and associates.

The current law provides that "second generation Canadians" will NOT have the right to pass on their Canadian citizenship to their children if they are born outside of Canada. This is clearly discriminatory, and must be changed. Olivia Chow has introduced a private members bill (Bill C-397) which if passed will correct the problems created by the new Citizenship Act which came into force in April 2009. Ms. Chow's website contains a great deal of information on this topic: http://oliviachow.ca/mp/?cat=27.

If you want to see this law changed in regard to the citizenship of your children, please sign the online petition. Please pass this information on to everyone who might be willing to sign the petition or get involved, and feel free to send it to other forums or adoptive parent groups.

May 5 , 2009:
Report on the TDH Ontario Dinner Dance Fundraiser, April 24, 2009.
Our first gala fundraiser was an incredible success!  The evening of socializing, delicious food, enchanting music and a wonderful silent auction raised $18,000 for TDH Canada to further assist children who remain in orphanages.  Special thanks to Christine and Sebastian Palmieri for organizing this amazing evening with such grace! Thanks as well to all those who attended, from near and far. We hope to make this an annual community event and invite your participation for future years.

March 21 , 2009 :
TDH Ontario announces fee increase for Vietnam adoption program
As many of you are aware, the number of proposals from Vietnam is at last picking up. We do not know whether this will be a permanent positive change, but we are working hard to maintain it. Nonetheless, we were unable to process as many adoptions in 2008 as we had expected, and combined with augmenting costs in Vietnam being passed on to us, we regretfully must raise the fees. In addition, the adoption costs to date have been based on our estimates of total costs, both in Vietnam and in Canada, and it was difficult to accurately predict what those would be. Now, with a little over two years and approximately 75 adoptions behind us, we are able to anticipate better what those costs are.

That being said, adoption costs are always unpredictable, and the financial crisis has affected Vietnam as elsewhere. There are always unexpected contingencies, which we have up to this point absorbed. We cannot continue to do this and run a viable program. We would also point out that our program costs are still considerably lower than other Ontario and British Columbia agencies working in Vietnam.

Thus in order to keep the program operating, we are obliged to raise costs by $2000 Cdn for all clients, effective immediately. This applies to all clients who have not paid their final fees. We are very, very sorry to have to do this, particularly in these difficult economic times, but we must emphasize that if we are to keep this program going, and continue to receive child proposals from our partner orphanages, and even enter into new agreements, we must take this action. The office staff, to their enormous credit, have done their share in taking what we hope will be a temporary cut in salary/hours, and we have looked into all other options that we thought feasible. This increase was reviewed and approved by our Board of Directors.

We regret that we are forced to do this, and we hope for your understanding and cooperation. At the same time, if this is truly an unbearable financial burden, please contact us, and we will attempt to make alternative arrangements for your particular situation. We certainly do not want anyone to be forced to withdraw from the program for reasons of financial hardship. We hope that this measure will result in more referrals, and will keep you informed on this subject.

Archived News and Events

November 25, 2008:
Your support contributes directly to the well-being of children in orphanages and to the strength of our adoption programs. An Toronto event, now in the planning stage, is a great example.

October 13, 2008:
TDH can benefit from your United Way/Centraide donations, and from special events such as the wine tasting organized by Philippe Richer

October 7, 2008
Adoptive mother Susan McKenzie shares her wonderful story about adoptive families coming together to support their children's heritage and each other

September 30, 2008:
London, Ontario event pays for a small herd!

Updated Sept 5, 2008:
TDH Ontario family picnic, Saturday September 6, 2008, Sandbanks Provincial Park

August 7 , 2008:
Upcoming event in London, ON area, Thursday August 21st, 2008

Jackie and Doug Walker, who have adopted through TDH Ontario, are generously hosting a fundraiser with the goal of raising enough money to purchase two water buffaloes for two families in Vietnam. The event will be held Thursday August 21st, 2008 at the West Haven Golf Course, just west of London, ON. Please contact them directly to participate or to make a donation: atmerithot@aim.com

June 17, 2008:
An Important Update on the Process of Child Proposals from Vietnam, from Dorinda Cavanaugh

The recent slow down in child proposals from Vietnam and the country's perception that Canadians are very particular about the children they will consider for adoption has led TDH to take several initiatives. Read full letter.

May 8, 2008:
TDH Dragonfly Campaign

Our latest fundraising campaign aims to support the needy orphans of Vietnam, the ones left behind, who will never be adopted. Find out how as little as $5 can help. Visit the TDH Canada web site.

May 7, 2008:
"Adoption Rules Tighten Abroad", by Mary Kane, The Washington Independent

A well written article that desribes the current state of international adoption more objectively than most. Read the article on The Washington Indepdendent web site.

April, 2008:
Dorinda Cavanaugh Receives Distinguished Alumni Award from Catholic University of America

Every year, CUA alumni nominate fellow graduates to receive the honour of CUA’s Alumni Achievement Award. Nominees are those who have a national reputation in their fields and have helped make their community and country a better place. This year Dorinda Cavanaugh was one of the few chosen. Read about her honour on the CUA web site.

April 17, 2008:
Update to Vietnam Program Information

Please refer to our Programs Overview section for the availability of Vietnamese special needs children and the Vietnam Program section for updates to processing times.

February 18, 2008:
Income Tax Receipts

Income tax receipts for adoptions completed in 2007 will be sent out by the end of February. If you have any questions or have not received your receipt by mid-March please contact Jose Garcia in our Montreal office at 514-933-7125 or e-mail info@tdh.ca.

February 19, 2008:
Ukraine program update from Ontario's Ministry of Children and Youth Services

January 2008:
Canadian Citizenship Process

The Government of Canada is introducing a new procedure to expedite Canadian citizenship for children adopted internationally. For the latest information contact TDH Ontario or check the Citizenship and Immigration Canada web site.