Holt International Children's Services: Difference between revisions

In 1954, Harry (1904&ndash;1964) and [[Bertha Holt]] (1904&ndash;2000) were busy raising their six children on a farm near the small [[Willamette Valley]] city of [[Creswell, Oregon|Creswell]]. In addition to farming, Harry ran a lumber company. Bertha, trained as a nurse, was a homemaker and mother.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.holtinternational.org/about/|title=Holt International - Holt International|website=www.holtinternational.org|language=en|access-date=2018-07-23}}</ref>

After seeing a documentary film about [[Korean War#.22G.I. Babies.22 and U.S. immigration law|"G.I. babies"]] of the [[Korean War]] in orphanages in [[Korea]], the Holts, acting upon their Christian faith, decided they would adopt some of the orphanschildren who needed families.<ref name=Companion>{{cite book |last= Engeman |first= Richard H. |title= The Oregon Companion: An Historical Gazetteer of The Useful, The Curious, and The Arcane |url= https://archive.org/details/oregoncompanionh0000enge |url-access= registration |year= 2009 |publisher= [[Timber Press]] |location= [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]], [[Oregon]] |isbn= 978-0-88192-899-0 |page= [https://archive.org/details/oregoncompanionh0000enge/page/179 179]}}</ref> Harry began preparations to go to Korea, and Bertha asked a friend how to go about adopting eight children from another country. Learning that it would be possible only if both houses of [[United States Congress|Congress]] passed a law allowing it, Bertha said,Holt "Thendecided that'sto whatpush we'llfor dosuch a law."<ref>Aeby, John (1999). "A Grandma for Thousands." ''Her Children Arise and Call Her Blessed'', p. 2</ref>

Two months later, the "[[Bill for Relief of Certain War Orphans|Holt Bill]]" was passed, and in October 1955, Harry Holt and eight children arrived at [[Portland International Airport]]. The resulting publicity stirred interest among many families in the United States. The Holts set about helping others to adopt, andleading whatto beganthe ascreation aof smallthe operationfoundation. run<ref>{{cite from Berthaweb|url=https://www.mk.co.kr/news/society/view/2021/11/1045324/|title='s kitchen table in Creswell (and Harry세계봉사상's에 hip빛난 pocket홀트아동복지회 in최악 Korea)불명예 soon직면|publisher=MK became a major movement.News}}</ref>

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* [httphttps://www.nytimes.com/2000/08/02/us/bertha-holt-96-a-leader-in-international-adoptions.html Bertha Holt's obituary] from the ''[[New York Times]]''