Here at Adoptions From The Heart, we have recently welcomed three new staff members to help us in our mission to build beautiful families. We asked the three ladies a little bit about themselves, why they were excited about working with AFTH, and what they didn’t know about adoption before starting here.
Meet the new staff!
Meet Halle!
Meet Halle! Halle is the Assistant Office Manager at AFTH and she began in February. She studied Anthropology at Kutztown University and is originally from Wynnewood PA. In addition to being on the front line of the organization fielding inquiries, her job also entails a lot of behind the scenes work managing all of the needs of the office and helping out social workers and the marketing department wherever she can. She helps ensure effectiveness in the office and coordinates with the different offices to ensure they always have what they need to succeed!
Meet Jenna!
Jenna is the Events and Marketing Coordinator at AFTH and she began in April. She studied Psychology at Cabrini College and is originally from Long Beach Island, New Jersey. Jenna is a Certified Professional Fundraiser and is currently pursuing her M.B.A. at Villanova University. Her role involves putting together events such as the annual picnic and our new Casino Night, as well as contributing to marketing efforts, and expanding the agency’s fundraising and donor base!
Meet Michelle!
Michelle is the Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator at AFTH and she began in April. She was a dual major in Public Relations and Film at Temple University and is from Lansdale, Pennsylvania. At AFTH, Michelle is involved with social media, marketing efforts, and gathering newsworthy stories about the organization (such as family success story or adoption news that we can contribute to) and taking them to the local media to position AFTH as a resource for helping the community better understand adoption.
Now learn more about what the ladies are excited about, their misconceptions, and why they love working with Adoptions from the Heart!
Question 1: What did you want to be when you grew up and how has that changed as you’ve gotten older?
H—I wanted to be Barbie basically. I wanted to be a chef, an artist, a real estate agent, own my own restaurant I wanted to be everything. But I think as I got older and continued my education there was kind of a way to mix all of my passions together and I found that anthropology mixed my love of history, art, psychology and people, and why people think the way they think and how their culture shapes their world view.
J—When I was little I wanted to be a teacher or a veterinarian so that I could help those who couldn’t help themselves. Now that I’m somewhat of a grownup [laughter] I’m really happy to see that as a professional fundraiser I can help these great organizations that empower those who are in need of support.
Question 2: What excited you about a job opportunity at AFTH?
M—For me, one thing that has always been very important to me is women’s health and women’s rights. It was also important to me to work for an organization that was mission focused. After looking more into the company when I saw the job opening, I found that they really provided information for all women, birth mothers, adoptive mothers, and everyone in between, and made sure they had the support they needed both medically and emotionally. In a time when women’s health is a very hot-button topic, that was really impressive to me that while the main goal is to have children adopted into happy homes, the organization is making sure everyone is healthy and knows their options, even if it doesn’t result in adoption.
Question 3: What are some misconceptions, or some things you didn’t know about adoption before working here?
H—I didn’t know that not all adoption agencies are created equal. I’m learning that other agencies don’t educate expecting mothers the way that we do, and I think that’s so important. Some agencies cater more to the adoptive parents than the birth parents. I think we do a really good job here of making sure all parties involved are really being taken care of and are being educated properly about the laws, and offering counseling, support, classes, scholarships to birthmothers. I think that’s so important and the fact that there are so many agencies that don’t do that is really surprising to me and it makes me just t hat much happier that I’m working for this one.
M—Personally, I had been influenced by the media’s portrayal of this “cookie cutter” adoption situation. I believed some of the stereotypes that birth parents are young and come from lower income backgrounds or broken homes, adoptive parents from high-income backgrounds who, for whatever reason, cannot conceive, and children who must be traumatized because they are being raised by someone other than their biological parents. Now I have seen that this can be the case for some adoptions, but it’s certainly not the case for the majority of situations. There are adoptees who feel so blessed to have the experience through adoption that they’ve had. There are birth parents who raise other children, but decide, for whatever reason, they are unable to raise another child. Adoptive parents may have no problems with fertility, but adopting a child is the path they want to take. The things in the media about adoption do sometimes happen, but they are in no way the only reason or situation to pursue adoption.
Question 4: What is the most interesting thing about adoption that you’ve learned since working here?
J—The most interesting thing to me is the concept behind the prospective adoptive parents’ profile that are shown to expecting parents and the dedication social workers put in to help them form a compelling story and pour their heart out in ten pages. Also, the process of how expecting parents go through those profiles and what they look for when choosing a family. I had the pleasure of sitting in on a support group and there were second time adoptive parents there, and they had mentioned that they have a great open relationship with their daughter’s birthmother. They had the opportunity to ask her, “what made you pick us as the parents of your child?,” and she said “well there was a picture of you two in a really funny costume on Halloween and I thought you guys would be great and have a great sense of humor.” That small picture on the fourth page of their profile is what made her feel that connection and I think that’s wonderful and very interesting.
H-The most interesting thing that I’ve learned or just educated myself on more, maybe from my anthropological background, is everyone’s story involved. The background of the birth parents, and their stories are so interesting. What compels someone to place a child for adoption, to choose a particular family, and unfortunately this does happen, but what causes a birthmother to change her mind. All of those factors; her socioeconomic status, life experiences, culture, the area she lives in, what led her to become pregnant, are all really important and impact the whole adoption situation in itself, and I find that to be very interesting. Learning more about the psychology behind adoption just in general has been very interesting to me.
Question 5: What is your favorite project, or project you are most looking forward to working on with AFTH?
J—I’m most looking forward to Casino Royale Night, it’s going to be a fabulous evening of celebrating our local community and making new connections and reconnecting with adoptive parents and birth parents. We’re going to have a great night of dancing and hoping to win big all in the name of a great cause with proceeds going to AFTH’s Birthparent Scholarship Fund.
M—My favorite project is the Birthparent Scholarship Fund and I’m excited to work more on that. I think it’s really important. Both Halle and Jenna have touched on the agency helping the triad of the adoption process which includes birth parents, adoptive parents and the children. In the cases where birth parents are struggling financially or are trying to go back to school or getting back on their feet, we are able to help them do that with the Scholarship Fund. I think that’s really meaningful and shows that AFTH isn’t just trying to educate the triad, but trying to help the triad.
H—I’d have to say my favorite project so far is going through all the old correspondents. Since we’ve been an agency for over 30 years, I’ve had the privilege to go through some files from the early 90’s and late 80’s and literally watch people grow up through pictures and letters. I might be looking at a picture of a baby in 1992 and knowing that now they’re in their twenties, that’s been really cool to see how much of an impact the agency has had and see how many people we’ve helped. Also to the history of the agency and how we’ve grown.
Question 6: How do you think AFTH is helping build beautiful families?
J- I see the beauty when I have the opportunity to spend time with the adoptive parents and connecting with them and seeing them have a great time and being themselves. When I walk through the hallways of our office and see the beautiful babies in our calendars, just seeing everyday and working with these families, and seeing the courage of the birth parents. I think it’s beautiful that they think about their child before themselves. It’s a beautiful partnership and a wonderful place to be. So I see the beauty just about every day just being here.
H-I think the beauty is found in stories that are created not only by the children that are placed but also from the birth parents and their story and how they came to make the courageous decision to place their child for adoption, and also what led the adoptive parents to choose adoption as a route to build their families. Also the relationships between the social workers and the adoptive families and birth parents. The word “family” this day in age no longer means blood relative. It means friends, adoptive families, extended families; the family that’s created through friendship. I think that’s what’s really beautiful. The fact that we build families a little unconventionally and the stories that come from that…I think is what is most beautiful.
M-I think AFTH is helping build beautiful families by setting precedent of open adoption by setting standards for openness in all of the families we serve. During the first six months of the child’s life, if the birth parents want, the family raising the child is required to send monthly updates and photos, and after that, once a year around the child’s birthday. If the birth parents want to, AFTH also requires that the families coordinate a visit once a year, maybe even at our organization’s annual picnic which is happening this June! I think by requiring that little bit of openness, it encourages more openness. Some families even invite birth parents to spend holidays with them! It just builds great relationships and helps child not feel abandoned, and understand how important their adoptive families are in raising them while still having a great relationship with their birth parents. Not all agencies do that, and I think that’s what sets us apart and builds beautiful families.
We are so excited to see what these wonderful professionals will bring to the table to help Adoptions From The Heart grow and to help you build your beautiful family. Meet the rest of our staff here!
