As 2024 comes to a close, Adoptions From The Heart is taking a moment to reflect on a year of amazing stories and resources that have been published through our blog. The small, but mighty, marketing team worked hard to create blogs that stood out and have an impact on the adoption triad community. Here are five of the top blog posts from this year that you won’t want to miss. These blogs are just a piece of the inspiration, helpful information and resources that provided heartfelt moments to make 2024 special. 

 

Maxine Chalker: A Trailblazer in Adoption

  • 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. Check out the full story on how AFTH came to be! 

Navigating The Unexpected: Morgan’s Path to Open Adoption 

  • When Morgan stepped into the hospital, she found herself in labor, completely unaware she was pregnant. While faced with the decision to parent her son, Morgan found strength, guidance, and support from Adoptions From The Heart (AFTH), alongside the hospital staff. Her journey went from fear, uncertainty, and confusion to a place of hope and confidence. Morgan’s experience provides a first-hand glimpse into the impact of compassionate adoption support provided by AFTH. Read Morgan’s story and you will see a woman of courage, bravery, and kindness.  

AFTH’s Birth Parent Scholarship- Keyur’s Journey

  • Every semester, Adoptions From The Heart awards a scholarship to birth parents who are pursuing a degree in higher education. Since the fund started in 2014, AFTH has awarded over 27 scholarships. This semester, AFTH selected birth father Keyur Adhyapak to receive the scholarship for a second semester. This award will help him build on last semester and further his degree in mortuary science. Adoptions From The Heart provides the Birth Parent Scholarship as part of its many services to support birth parents beyond their placement. Helping birth parents succeed is important to AFTH, and that’s why it prioritizes continuing to raise funds for the scholarship.    

Considering Birth Mothers on Mother’s Day 

  • As most people are aware, Mother’s Day is a time when many people are undoubtedly preparing to give their mothers the best possible day. After all, the holiday is meant to celebrate all that mothers do for their children. During this holiday, though, it is important to consider the feelings of birth mothers. Some birth mothers may still be experiencing grief from their decision to choose adoption. They may be grieving the different path their life could have taken with their children. Remember to reassure birth mothers in their decisions during this time. Choosing adoption just proves how much birth mothers care for their children. They are still parents and deserve to be recognized as such. At Adoptions From The Heart, we are here to support all members, from all sides, of the adoption triad! 

Meet Cat- Giving an Adoptee Perspective- National Adoption Month Series

  • November is National Adoption Month, and we decided to showcase members of the adoption triad community. In this article, we focused on Cat, a Nursing student and adoptee. This interview gave great insight as she dives into her story, gives advice to other adoptees, and more.