For almost forty years, Adoptions From The Heart (AFTH) has been dedicated to changing the face of adoption, in hopes of better serving the needs of women, children, and families. The woman behind this mission is Maxine Chalker, LSW/MSW. Chalker has personal ties to adoption, as she herself is an adoptee. Not knowing much about her background, she wanted to transform how adoption was done, and The Adoption Agency was born in 1985 from Maxine’s Ardmore home. Nine years later, The Adoption Agency’s name was changed to Adoptions From The Heart, which was built on the premise of open adoption, pioneering the concept in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. Open adoption allows birth and adoptive parents to select each other, meet, and have ongoing relationships. Considered a rare and controversial concept at the time, open adoption is now standard practice. It was the first of numerous efforts that established Maxine as a pioneer in the adoption field, and an advocate for understanding and unity among all members of the adoption community.
Maxine Chalker, Founder of AFTH
Chalker’s Story
Chalker graduated from Temple University Summa cum Laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work and then received advanced standing for a Master’s Degree in Social Work. After her education, she became an adoption social worker at a public child welfare agency, where her experience led her to realize the adoption system did not always serve the needs of the “adoption triangle” – birth mothers, adoptive parents, and adoptees. And, as an adoptee herself who experienced a difficult search for her birth family, Maxine was uniquely aware of the issues adopted children face growing up. This personal insight fueled her determination to improve the overall adoption process. In a field that was then dominated by closed adoption, she was inspired to make a change and start her own agency founded on the belief of open adoption.
Over the years, Maxine grew AFTH’s services and its footprint, significantly changing the face of adoption with its trendsetting programs. Today, the agency has eight locations in six states and is one of the largest placing agencies for domestic adoption on the East Coast. Under Maxine’s leadership, AFTH has placed over 7,200 infants and toddlers in loving homes. In 1995 opened an office in Pittsburgh, followed by offices serving New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, and Connecticut. In 1997, the agency purchased the current building in Wynnewood where we still are located.
In 2008, all international programs were terminated and the agency, once again, focused attention on the domestic program which is where Maxine began her work. In 2011, the agency reached the exciting milestone of 6,000 children placed. Running an organization for 40 years has shown many ups and downs and changes which has always kept Chalker on her toes, allowing for continued growth. Adoptions From The Heart is now one of the leading agencies in the country placing domestic infants and non-newborns for adoption. Chalker has grown from an in-home operation to a multi-state foundation with no financial investments.
Worthy of Recognition
A devoted mother and grandmother, Maxine has been featured on NBC 10’s “Moms on the Move” segment as a “real and inspiring mom who is making a difference in her home, community and the world.” In 2003, Maxine received an Angel in Adoption Award from the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, which recognizes individuals who have made a difference in the lives of children and families through adoption. For her commitment to professional excellence and community involvement, the Philadelphia Business Journal and the National Association of Women Business Owners selected Maxine as one of their Women of Distinction in 2005. She is also a past recipient of a Woman of Vision award from Montgomery County Community College. Chalker’s efforts have also been recognized by Smart CEO Magazine as she has been named a 2016 winner of The Brava Award, which celebrates successful and influential female leaders who are CEOs, Executive Directors of Nonprofits, and C-suite executives.
Maxine Chalker comforting a child
“When I began, my dream was to build an agency focused on open adoption to better serve all members of the adoption triad. I never would have guessed I would be standing where I am today with the amount of success the agency that once began in the basement of my home now has. I am proud to see how far AFTH has come and looking towards the future how it will continue to impact the world of adoption.”
Chalker’s daughter, Heidi, has worked at the agency for the past 26 years and is now the Executive Director, and will continue the AFTH legacy as Chalker moves into retirement.
