34th Annual Family Picnic: AFTH Celebrates Open Adoption.

Adoptions From The Heart staff and families enjoyed a day at the park this past Sunday to celebrate open adoption. AFTH hosted the 34th annual Family Picnic for families from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Some staff and family traveled over state lines to attend the event. Overall, more than 225 people attended the days event!

The day ended up being the perfect weather for a park outing despite the morning showers. From newborns to seniors, everyone found something to enjoy. The Picnic, hosted at Lukens Park in Horsham, PA, had many activities that were sure to attract everyone. Attendees had the choice to play on the playground, stop by the arts and crafts tent, dance to DJ Rambo’s toons and enjoy some ice cream from the ice cream truck.

Billy and Heather H with their daughter, Abby, and their AFTH social worker

Embracing the Adoption Triad: Fostering Bonds Through Open Adoption

One of the unique aspects of the Family Picnic is that it allows opportunities for reunions. Adoptive parents can invite their child’s birth parents to attend the picnic as well. This allows all points of the adoption triad to enjoy the day. Opportunities for reunions are one of the many benefits of open adoption and the bonds it can create.

For birth parents, the picnic is a bittersweet experience that brings feelings of both joy and melancholy. Birth mom Kelli Gunning shared how it took her five years to attend her first picnic, and once she did, she struggled in the weeks after it. Now, she sees it as a day of celebration.

“I had the greatest picnic of my life, and then a week later I couldn’t get out of bed for a week,” Kelli shared. “But it was my first picnic. Now I’m going down slides like a crazy person. I would have never done that four years ago.”

Giving Back: Supporting AFTH’s Expecting and Birth Parent Support Fund

The day also provided opportunities to give back, with attendees generously participating in raffle baskets curated by AFTH’s marketing team. All proceeds were donated to AFTH’s Expecting and Birth Parent Support Fund. There was something for everyone, with baskets ranging from self-care to Philly sports to a romantic date night get-away. In total, $1,400 was raised to help pregnant women and those who have previously placed for adoption through AFTH who are struggling financially. This raised the highest amount since 2017, so thank you to all who donated!

Reflecting on Journeys: Stories of Hope and Resilience from Adoptive Families

The picnic not only served as a day of fun, but also as a moment for families to pause and reflect on their unique adoption stories. While the process can be unpredictable and frustrating at times, it leads to beautiful moments that wouldn’t be possible without that process. Alex Andrews and Theo Christov traveled from Washington, D.C. with their baby Olli and reflected on their journey with AFTH.

“We didn’t know all the ins and outs until we met [our social worker] and the agency, who all collectively helped us through the 2.5-year wait, which had its ups and downs,” Alex explained. “It all happens for a reason. We’re super happy to be where we’re at, but it was a journey for us.”

It was truly a beautiful day celebrating the bonds open adoption can create, and AFTH thanks everyone who was able to attend. Thank you for sharing the day with us and our beautiful families!