Lawrence County couple selling puzzle pieces to raise funds for adoption

Whitney and Tyler Hinton are always working to move one step closer to their dream. They have taken classes, created portfolios, gone through background checks, and done all the paperwork to assure that they are right for the job they want more than anything: Mother and Father.

The next step is paying a $12,000 placement fee before they can be shown to potential birth families.

With the help of fundraisers, the Hintons had raised around $5,300 as of Sunday, Jan 20. In their latest fundraiser, Whitney and Tyler are selling puzzle pieces for $2 apiece with the option to donate more. The name of each donor will be written on the back of a piece of the adoption-themed puzzle.

All money from the fundraiser will go directly into the Baby Hinton adoption account.

Once every piece is purchased, the puzzle will be placed in a double-sided shadow box where both sides of the puzzle will be displayed.

"We'll be able to tell our child about all those people who helped grow our family and helped to bring them home to us," Whitney Hinton said in a video on the Adopting Baby Hinton Facebook page.

In the four days since starting the fundraiser, the Hintons have raised over $2800.

"God has truly blown our minds with this one. We had hopes of raising $500 by asking for $2 donations for each piece," Whitney said.

"Everyone is donating and only asking for one piece so that we can continue to ask for donations and sell more pieces. It’s unreal. Tyler and I are blown away by the kindness and generosity of not only our friends and family, but complete strangers willing to help us grow our family. It’s been a humongous blessing."

The Hintons have gone through many difficulties on their journey to parenthood, along with some triumphs. In addition to adopting a baby, they are currently in the process of adopting their foster son, Ashur, which they hope will be complete by spring.

As of Jan. 24, the Hintons have raised $8,134 total, toward their placement fee, with just under $4,000 to go. Anyone who is interested in donating can contact Whitney or Tyler Hinton through their Facebook page or can directly donate to their PayPal account.