Search Angels

Welcome

NC Coalition for Adoption Reform

"This is, in fact the 21st century and I believe it is time to add maturity to this 20th century legislation"

[NC General Statute Chapter 48 - Adoptions] by L. Gibowski

NC Search Angels

NOTE: Recently on some of the forums there has been discussion regarding certain search angels charging. One of the search angels accused is one of NCCAR's board members. Since this topic was brought up, NCCAR felt it only right the cost's some search angels incur is posted on our page with our search angel information. As someone who searched in another state, I automatically sent my search angel money, because I knew she was using her own expenses to do my search. Our search angel has provided the costs of databases, groups such as classmates, etc. Also please take into consideration a search angel uses printing materials, which means ink and paper. Also they go to court houses which may not even be in the county they live in. Please take all of this into consideration when you ask a search angel to do a search for you. They do it because they want to help. But in today's world, costs do add up. Keep this in mind and donate when you can to them and keep them going.

The Cost of Being a Search Angel

A membership to Ancestry.com costs approximately $190 a year depending on the type of membership you have. With this you get birth, marriage and death indexes, but not the actual certificates. Ancestry alone can help solve some searches, but not all. It can definitely be used for the preliminary phases of all searches.

Most counties allow you to view the certificates on site in the register of deeds office. Libraries and schools are also great resources for certain types of searches. Depending on how far you travel to get to your research destination, it will cost you gas and sometimes parking for the larger cities. I spend at least two tanks of gas a month on searching; $40 a tank.

Copies and other miscellaneous fees (stamps for mailing) are seemingly inexpensive, but do add up if you do a lot of research. I average about $20 a month on copying and mailing expenses.

Printer cartridges aren't cheap and if you are printing off indices for process of elimination work, you can run through a black cartridge in no time flat. I usually go through 2 black, 1 color a month that I contribute to searches. The cost to me is approximately $60 a month. I probably print off complete indices 6 months out of the year for research purposes.

Peoplefinders is also a tool which can run anywhere from $19.95 for an individual search or $39.95 for a monthly membership. If you use this each month, it can add up.

Other tools which are useful in search work are memberships to Classmates.com ($35 a year), to alumni associations ($40+ a year) and the Ameridex Lists (which cost $20).

This comes out to be $2425.00 a year and this is an average. This searcher spent over $5000.00 this past year on searches.

NC Search Angels

Here is the beginning of our Search Angel page for North Carolina. If you live in NC and are a Search Angel, please contact me and give me the counties and your name and email address to be added.

Thanks

Western NC

Henderson or Buncombe Counties

Mona - Monanix@charter.net

Lincoln, Mecklenburg and Catawba Counties

Tricia - jayhope@aol.com

(only asks for reimbursment of gas and document fees)

Mecklenburg County

Charlotte

Al - ALMADSEN77@aol.com

Mecklenburg

Loretta - nyclore@aol.com