Taking Adoption Searches to the Next Level with Technology

I know I am repeating myself, but I do love technology and the internet. For those of us affected by adoption, there has been no greater tool to bring us together, to educate others, to connect and find our lost family.   I often look back on my last 12 years here online and see how far we have grown and am amazed at how , as a community, we have evolved to continue using the tools created. I used to use the adoption community as my standard go to in reference to what “other people” IE Not marketers did online. Meaning, if we didn’t take to a new internet too, then the longevity of such a fad was short. We have great instincts!

On the adoptionsearch front, however, progress has been limited. If you have ever searched, then you know that the numbers of “online adoption reunion registries” is daunting. There is no lack of places to look through or to register with, but many are outdated, cumbersome and really NOT searchable. When you consider that often the key connection in adoption searches is only the birth date and even that can sometimes be wrong, it is wonder that the numbers of people who have found each other has even happened. It can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Hence the only two registries that I normally recommend are the ISRR because it is an active registry and the Registry at Adoption.com as it is searchable to a degree. However, there comes a time when one must say “it’s time to build a better mousetrap”.

A Better Adoption Search and Reunion Registry

Enter iReunion.

iReunion is a new adoption search and reunion concept created by Bob Shultz. Bob is an adoptee who has reunited and has helped others search. In other words he is one of us who understands the issues and the reasons why people search, how people search and what it takes to find someone after an adoption separation. And for the last 15 years Bob has been thinking of what a BETTER adoption search registry might look like and how it could work.

So we have been talking.. a lot. About what does work and what doesn’t work and how to fix the issues that make so many of the adoption search registries  a big black hole. And I have to say, Bob not only knows what he is talking about, but hasn’t just found the problem, he has created a solution.

It’s called iReunion.

So What’s Different about This Proposed Adoption Search and Reunion Registry?

A whole bunch.

For one it is using technology. It’s an App based program which is taking advantage of the sheer numbers of mobile users. And the facts are that MORE people use their mobile devices than a desktop these days. While very often a person might not have a computer in their home, they DO have a smart phone. As of 2012, 116 million Americans owned smartphones. This figure is up from 93.1 million just a year earlier. 2013 will prove to be the tipping point as smartphone usage is expected to reach nearly 60%. This figure alone should justify moving off the typical ” adoption search registry” and onto a mobile app device.

Second, this will be a paid registry. Now granted that might make some folks bristle, but no one is making buckets of money. The purpose is to keep the registry running without ads (which are ALWAYS from adoption agencies and the big paid search companies as they are the only ones who can afford to advertise!) However, paying for an adoption registry also has another purpose. The amount will first off be like $20.00 which really should be affordable for anyone even if they have to save up some pocket change. The other thing that it does is make sure that people are actually invested in the information they provide and are more ap to keep the information current.   I quote Bob directly below:

Free means no effort, no commitment, no follow through.  Consider this registry entry on adoption.com, or the below are examples of posts on a free site I frequent to find candidates I want to help.    

SILVERMAN : Birth mother and father …GORDON : My daughter who I gave up for adoption … 

The only additional information is they posted on a Cook Couny, IL page. It’s evident these people are not serious.  If these were pay sites, entries like these would not exist.  Pay means no clutter, no BS, no spammers.  Pay means privacy from trolls or predators, and security that your info is safe.

Unlike the other typical adoption search and reunion registries, iReunion doesn’t require you to  update your contact information, a common cause for missed connections. So you do it once and that’s it. Because it is attached to your phone, it knows how to contact you! And it also means that you get notified  of a match no matter where you are!

But it gets better. It is designed to search FOR YOU! Once you register and if no internal match be found, the software will search web-based sources for a potential match.   It will actually network with over half a million other registries entries beyond the internal listings. It searches 24/7 on your behalf and gives you back any potential matches. Better yet, you can review those and if none of them are matches, then you eliminate those from your search.

But whenever a NEW entity is on any of the other sites, this system will check it as the program is designed to continually update. And this is all part of the registration with no additional fees or anything. It’s just how it works.

And it keeps on going until a match is made. It is made to keep doing this  internal/external sourcing  thing non stop!  A confirmed match will be the only way to be eliminated from this adoption reunion search registry.

My geeky girl self LOVES the idea and I really do think that it could help TONS of people searching. It will also free up our amazing adoption search angels to work on the hard cases and be a good tool for those in states without OBC access.

An App to Reunite Those Separated by Adoption

So yes, I am super impressed with the development ideas and programming of iReunion. In addition, I have to say, I really DO trust Bob on this one. It’s not a fly by night concept. It’s not something he dreamed up to make money off anyone. He hasn’t ripped apart every other registry attempt except to look at the flaws in those systems. And he is willing to not just do the work, but really put himself out there. The day he told me that he was going to sell his beloved Harley Davidson to make it happen, I KNEW he was 100% legit and that this was a project to believe in.

Even Apple is considering featuring the app for the novel use of push notifications. THAT’S super impressive (and will also bring many new eyes to the issues of adoption)

Help Make it Happen!

So right now, there is a  iReunion Kickstarter fund underway to get the start up funds for this project. Of course, if you can give, please do consider it, but even if you can’t just sharing can help.

Please spread the word. Share the link. Share the fundraiser. Share the idea.

Let’s go!