ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Crowdfunding has become a new buzz word for start-up businesses. It’s also helped people achieve personal goals, and build a network of “virtual” cheerleaders at the same time. Here is the story of one couple who used the power of the internet to add to their family, and provides hope for children who might not have other options.
Ed and Laurie Dullmeyer’s story started the way many do, boy meets girl. Boy marries girl. Both want a family.
“I was aiming for four or five and he was like whew um, maybe three?” Laurie told Ivanhoe.
But for this couple, it wasn’t easy. Laurie suffered three miscarriages and lost a baby at 20 weeks.
Ed explained, “I remember seeing how sad she was, it was in June, and at work there was an ad on the radio for a Chinese adoption seminar.”
During the adoption process, Laurie became pregnant with Josiah, born in 2006. Jesse was adopted later in the same year. Laurie next had Jamie, followed by Jacob. Then, the adoption agency called and asked if the Dullmeyer’s would consider a child with special needs, born without fingers on his left hand.
“They sent us a file on Jonah, and a video on him, and we kinda knew he was supposed to be with us.” Ed said.
“When we adopted Jesse it was roughly 18,000 dollars, and I was working at the time so that kind of justified my teaching salary went toward her adoption.” Laurie explained.
But Laurie was now at home full-time and adoption costs had skyrocketed to thirty-three-thousand dollars. That’s when friends told the couple to get the word out online. So they decided to try a crowdfunding site called go-fund-me.
Ed continued, “I had a really hard time asking people for money because you’re not destitute but you also don’t want to take away your savings.”
The Dullmeyers hit their goal using the site, family and friends kept sharing their story. They also held garage sales and other off-line fundraisers.
“People want to be a part of something. How neat to know they were a part of something that helped a child and another family.” Ed stated.
The Dullmeyers say they have one more place at their table, and are currently using go-fund-me to raise money for another adoption. You can donate to their campaign at www.gofundme.com/help-us-bring-Jordan-home. Social media experts say it’s important to research sites before starting a campaign. Gofundme is a site for people to raise money for personal reasons, while other sites, like Kickstarter may be exclusively for business start-ups.
Contributors to this news report include: Cyndy McGrath, Producer; Brent Sucher, Videographer; Roque Correa, Editor; Gabriella Battistiol, News Assistant.
