The forgiveness of child support arrears in exchange for consenting to the adoption does happen - frequently. If you want to move forward with the adoption, agree and move on.
I would just take the deal and move on assuming your lawyer says it is legal. He is indigent, cannot afford an attorney, and has not bothered to pay child support in 8 years. The chances of you ever seeing that $10,000, deal or no deal, are next to nothing.
Likewise, if you make a separate agreement for donations to a shelter, the likelihood of him actually paying it are next to nothing. He had a court order to pay child support and he didn't, so what makes you think he will honor your deal? The guy is a deadbeat.
Don't waste any more time and money on him. Sign the deal and go on and enjoy your new family secure in the knowledge that you were man enough to step up to the plate and raise this boy when this deadbeat wasn't.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.