“There will never be a way we could pay back Children’s Home for what they did for our family. That’s why we try to pay it forward by contributing so other families can make the same decision.”
Those are the sentiments of long-time Children’s Home donors, Mike and Jan Martin, whose connection to the organization goes back more than 40 years.
“When we decided we wanted to adopt, we told Children’s Home we were open to any child who needed a home,” said Jan. “We felt confident fate would give us exactly the right child. And it did!”
The Martins were notified in the spring of 1977 they had been matched with a baby girl.
“When she arrived, it was mind-blowing,” said Jan, recalling the moment the Martins met their daughter. “Thank goodness for the excellent class preparation Children’s Home gave us and an introduction to other families doing the same, because we knew nothing about being parents!”
“We always knew we could get help, even if we didn’t need it,” added Mike.
The Martins, now living in Fort Meyers, Florida, where Mike serves as President of Florida Gulf Coast University and Jan as its First Lady, couldn’t be prouder of their children. Amanda is a graphic designer, and their son, Sam, adopted through an Oregon agency, is a geneticist.
“We always want to remember where we got started with these two kids,” said Mike, explaining the couple’s ongoing decision to financially support the adoption agencies that helped them grow their families. “Everybody has to find their own family, and we were fortunate to have found ours. Children’s Home made that happen.”
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