Who is working for these children??

128...that is the number of children currently listed on the Virginia Department of Social Services available children. A sad number. They are mostly older children who have lost all hope of getting a family. Imagine being 11, the age of my eldest child, and not having a home, a family, a bed of your own. They are bounced from foster home to foster home. 128...so if 1 child a day got adopted it would take until February 24, 2013 for them all to get adopted. Just think about that for a minute. My issue with this is that I have placed multiple calls to the Adoption Resource Exchange of Virginia and submitted an inquiry on the Virginia Department of Social Services website. The first action was taken on 10/5/12 and the second on 10/12/12...and here I am with no returned calls or emails. So my question remains...WHO is working for these children. We have taken the first steps to let them know we are interested, to let them know we want to adopt domestically and from the foster care system. One would think they would have us on the phone and get the ball rolling. Yet...I wait and wait and wait. It's maddening.
SO what am I to do?? I have started to consider going through a private agency as opposed to a state run one. That means $$$. But that is worth it. I can no longer stand stagnent, waiting for someone to do their job. The intially adoption application can be from $300-$500. The home study from $1000.-$3000.
So I see some fundraisers in the very near future. I am stoked that our adoption fund is up to $112.90. This is just a jar on our table that we put spare change in. Anytime I have any $1.00 bills I put them in there. I have an amazing friend who I volunteer to watch her daughter while she does volunteer work. Now when she picks her up she puts what I would normally charge for drop  in care into the adoption fund. It is a start...