Infertility isn’t a comfortable word for many. Adoption isn’t either. “I learned that, especially as a failed IVF patient, no one wanted to talk about adoption,” says Becky Fawcett, co-founder of HelpUsAdopt.org, the nation’s first non-discriminatory adoption grant program. “The word, when mentioned, was always in a hushed tone and as an aside.”

Since launching HelpUsAdopt.org with her husband Kipp in 2007, Fawcett has helped change the perception of adoption—and brought together 692 happy families along the way, too. “Adoption is a beautiful way to build a family,” she adds. “My hope is to show the world it’s more common than one may think.”

Here, get to know Fawcett as she shares her story and the impact of her nonprofit.

Tell us about your own adoption story…

I tried to have a baby the old-fashioned way at the age of 31 and quickly started my IVF journey. After five rounds of IVF, three pregnancies and three miscarriages, we started our adoption journey to Jane in January of 2005.

How did this lead to the launch of Helpusadopt.org?

We spent $82,000 on noninsurance-covered medical IVF bills and had just $40,000 left in our savings for an adoption. I started asking questions. What are people doing in this situation? How are they getting help, if they need it? And, most importantly, what happens to all the children who need homes if families can't afford to adopt?

How is it different from other nonprofits in this field?

We support all types of adoption, all types of families and all types of religions. We don't charge an application fee and we award large, life-changing, problem-solving grants, up to $20,000.

What is the reach and impact?

We launched as a kitchen-table organization with $20,000; since then, we have awarded 692 adoption grants totaling over $6.6 million. Our reach is global and our impact is beyond definition—because how do you define the impact when talking about the life of a child?

Any anecdotes you could share?

An adoption grant from Helpusadopt.org is so much more than the check. It's a lifetime of family—these children are no longer statistics. They are sons and daughters, brothers and sisters. Also, not only do our grants bring a child home, they create parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts and uncles… The impact is tremendous beyond what I ever expected. The notes of gratitude I have received over the years bring me to tears.

Favorite part about what you do…

Advocating for others. Making a difference in underserved communities and changing the world of adoption for these families and children—that’s what I love to do the minute my feet hit the ground every morning.

Learn more about Helpusadopt.org and how your donations help here.

From now to the end of March, we will donate a portion of proceeds from every single veronicabeard.com/en-de order to HelpUsAdopt.org, which helps families in the U.S. overcome the financial obstacles of adoption. #VBGIVESBACK