Open Adoption Blog

IAC Launches Open Portrait for Adoption Awareness

By IAC | Published 11/01/2011

The Independent Adoption Center (IAC) is excited to launch Open Portrait, a Tumblr blog celebrating lives touched by open adoption.

This idea formed when we asked our Facebook fans to post pictures of their favorite captured moments of their children. The photos were heart warming and seeing them in succession painted a wonderful portrait of open adoption.

We want to continue painting this portrait by allowing everyone (birthparents, adoptive parents, adoptees, family & friends) to share memories made possible through open adoption. We’ve also created an events calendar with this year’s celebrations across the U.S. for Adoption Awareness Month.

Starting November 1st, we invite you to visit Open Portrait and contribute an image, a video, a quote, a keepsake of any kind that helps paint the portrait of open adoption.
Open Portrait is a great new way for the open adoption community to come together and spread awareness. You can get involved by:

  • Checking us out! Visit Open Portrait frequently and see what people are posting.
  • Sharing! Post photos, videos, and quotes from your own open adoption.
  • Spreading the word! Post links to Open Portrait on your Facebook, blogs and other websites.
  • Tweet! Tweet! Tweet! Link to Open Portrait with the hashtag #openportrait.

If you have questions please don’t hesitate to contact Amalia: agratteri@adoptionhelp.org

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It Takes a Village to Raise a Child…and Encourage a Couple Hoping to Adopt!

By cbedwell | Published 10/26/2011

An old African proverb states that it takes a village to raise a child. In many African villages, raising the children in the community is everyone’s responsibility. We love the idea that none of us is alone and that we have others to turn to on our life’s journey. No matter the situation, there is absolutely no need to be an island:  alone and isolated. The same can be true for couple’s hoping to adopt. It is very common for their family and friends to come together to encourage and support them during their adoption journey.

From the moment we decided to adopt, we have been blessed with the support of our family and friends (and their friends and family). From the very beginning our families were thrilled for us and, along with our closest friends, were the first to volunteer to host home-based jewelry shows for me, with all the earnings going into our adoption fund. I became one of the top sellers in my area, which shows just how much everyone we know wanted, and still wants, us to have a child!

Additionally, we have many friends who were adopted or have adopted their own children who have been invaluable resources to us by answering questions, offering advice, and providing us with knowledge from their experiences with adoption, be it the use of lawyers, agencies, or the foster system. With their stories in mind, we began our 10 month search for an agency that best fit our needs. We found IAC this past January, and respected them for their lack of bias and their focus on one’s ability to parent versus their age, religion, sexual orientation, and marital status along with the long-term needs of their clients.

The support continued through the approval and marketing processes. Friends and coworkers graciously wrote letters of reference, while family members insisted on helping prep the house for our home visit. Once approved, another friend, an adoptive mom and photographer took our main photo picture for our birthparent letter. One of my cousins created our beautiful video, while Rob’s cousin, who owns a marketing firm, and her team enhanced our words with a beautiful tree-themed birthparent letter that very much reflects our extensive support system. Continue reading »

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IAC Introduces Tomasa Duenas, Open Adoption Counselor

By IAC | Published 10/26/2011

My name is Tomasa Duenas and I am an Open Adoption Counselor (OAC) in the Pleasant Hill office. I have always had an interest in adoption and have been fascinated with the vast amount of love that is present within the entire process. As an OAC I have the privilege of working closely with both birth and adoptive parents and take pleasure in assisting them throughout the process.

When I am not fulfilling my work duties, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I also enjoy trying new foods. One of my favorite things to do is visit new restaurants. I love sushi, Vietnamese food and anything spicy.

I also enjoy walking my dog, going to flea markets, learning about new cultures and visiting San Francisco.

I am very excited about joining the IAC team and look forward to working with such great people.

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Adoption for Gay Couples Increases

By IAC | Published 10/21/2011

The Associated Press quoted IAC Executive Director, Ann Wrixon, in an article released today. The story focuses on the increase in adoptions by gay male and lesbian families (http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-gay-adoption-20111021,0,4860124.story). According to census data analyzed by the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, the number of adoptions by same sex couples tripled from 2000 to 2009.

The article highlights a recent research report released by the Evan B. Donaldson Institute (http://www.adoptioninstitute.org/index.php) finding that California, Texas, New York, and Massachusetts have the largest number of gay and lesbian family adoptions. It is important to note that California, Texas, and New York are also the most populous states, which may explain the larger number of adoptions in these states regardless of the sexual orientation of the adoptive parents. Florida is the fourth most populous state, but does not have a large number of gay or lesbian adoptions because of a 30-year ban on the practice that the courts overturned last year. The Evan B. Donaldson Institute report also found that 60% of the agencies they surveyed accept applications from gay male and lesbian families seeking to adopt.

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IAC Food Drive Supports Local Nonprofit

By Amalia Gratteri | Published 10/19/2011

Our office in Pleasant Hill, CA is currently helping out the Bay Area Crisis Nursery by organizing a Food Drive to further support the efforts of this local organization. The Bay Area Crisis Nursery (located in Concord, CA) provides a place to support families who are in stress or crisis due to the abuse and neglect of children. They offer a warm, loving, homelike environment for children birth through eleven years of age by offering 24 hour residential care. All services are free, confidential and voluntary.

From now until November 7th you can stop by the Pleasant Hill office to drop off any non-perishable food items you’d like to donate. We are hoping to collect: baby food and formula, canned soups, dry box meals (i.e. Hamburger Helper), grains, fruit juice or canned fruits/vegetables.

For more information on the Bay Area Crisis Nursery Center visit their website: http://www.bacn.info/

Stop by our office and lend your support! We’re open from 9am-5pm.
391 Taylor Blvd, Suite 100, Pleasant Hill, CA 94109

 


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Redbook Magazine & RESOLVE Raise Awareness About Infertility

By Amalia Gratteri | Published 10/18/2011

So many women face infertility issues and suffer in silence as they deal with the reality of their struggles to conceive. Now is the time to speak up. Redbook and RESOLVE have partnered to raise awareness about the common infertility issues women face by hosting a tweet chat at 11am PST today and showcasing videos by real women talking about their infertility struggles.

Redbook has invited all women battling infertility to speak up and talk about it by posting videos on their You Tube Channel. Their November Issue also features an article titled, “The Invisible Pain of Infertility” which states that 12% of women suffer from infertility. Fortunately, with organizations like RESOLVE, and with adoption as an option, infertility is not a dead end.

See what other women are saying: Infertility Stories from Women and Celebrities Like You
Share your story: http://www.youtube.com/redbookmag

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“Birth Stories” Open Adoption Magazine, Fall 2011

By Ann Wrixon | Published 10/13/2011
Open Adoption Magazine, Fall 2011

Click image to download

Letter From the Editor: The articles in this issue of Open Adoption are warm and inspiring, helping us welcome another holiday season. We celebrate IAC’s newest families on page one and announce holiday party dates and new staff on page two. The holiday season at IAC also includes our annual holiday break and Adoption Awareness Month and that is detailed on page two and 16 respectively.

On page three an adoptive mother writes a letter to her son, Jared, recounting the events that formed their family. On page four, we introduce Gia, and the series of events that brought her adoptive mothers and her birthmother together. Both stories reveal tiny details that lead to miraculous outcomes, and how fate plays a role in open adoption.

Our feature article is a birth story told from three perspectives. It’s not often that all sides of a story are told, but on page seven, the birth of Chloe Star is recounted by her adoptive mother, her birthmother, and her birthfather. Respect, admiration, and friendship are common themes in all three stories, proving the strength of their open relationship and the immense amount of love that brought Chloe into the world.

In our Staff Profile, you will meet Lauren Favorite, our Adoptive Parent Intake Coordinator in Atlanta, Georgia. Aside from welcoming perspective adoptive parents to the IAC, she has quite a few interesting hobbies. Learn about these hobbies and more on page 13.

On page 14, hear from resident expert Kathleen Silber as she addresses a unique situation your child may encounter in school. As always, the final pages contain up-to-date birthparent statistics and upcoming support group dates. Happy Holidays!

~ Ann Wrixon, MSW, MBA, Executive Director

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Meet Elena Ricks, Birthparent Outreach, Southern California

By IAC | Published 10/12/2011

Nice to meet you! I am a 23-year old from Los Angeles, California. I grew up here with my mother, father, younger sister and younger brother. I graduated with honors and a B.A. in Psychology from UC Santa Cruz in 2010, then moved back to Los Angeles, where I live with my family. I also have a cat named Ziggy, whom I adore. I have raised her since she was a week old, and she is my pride and joy! I love every aspect of psychology, and I am most definitely a “people-person!” I plan to attend graduate school in the fall of 2012 and would like to get a MFT or MSW.

Elena Ricks works in Birthparent Outreach covering Southern California. She is acting as a liaison between the Independent Adoption Center and healthcare professionals, to provide information and resources on open adoption. If you are a healthcare professional and would like to request brochures or an in-service, please contact her at (310) 215-3180 ext. 201.

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Kicking Off Adoption Awareness Month with GALAA & MEGA

By Erin Grimm | Published 10/07/2011

The IAC is ushering in Adoption Awareness Month by attending two wonderful events that celebrate adoption. Both events are taking place in Georgia on Saturday, November 5, 2011.

The Annual Adoption Celebration, hosted by GALAA, is a fun event for the whole family. This year the celebration offers games, entertainment, a mobile petting zoo, and food to keep you satisfied all afternoon. For adoptive families, it’s a great opportunity to mingle spend time with people of all ages in the adoption community. For families considering adoption, there will be adoption professionals, including the IAC, in attendance to answer your questions. Mark your calendars — this is an event you don’t want to miss!

The Who/Where/What/When:
Who: The Georgia Association of Liscensed Adoption Agencies (GALAA)
What: 2011 Adoption Celebration
Where: The United Methodist Children’s Home Campus
500 South Columbia Drive, Decatur, Georgia 30030
When: Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011 from 11AM to 2PM


The MEGA Family Conference, put on by MEGA Family Project, is an all-day conference for LGBT prospective parents, parents, and their children. Adoption professionals will be handing out information and prizes and hosting workshops. There will be plenty for kids to do as well, with a healthy mix of learning and playing. This is the greatest event in the South for families and perspective families in the LGBT community. Registration ends October 12, so sign up today! For adults, admission is $30, and children are $15. Please stop by our booth and, “Hi!”

The Who/Where/What/When:
Who: MEGA Family Project
What: MEGA Family Conference
Where: Unitarian Congregation 1911 Cliff Valley Way, NE, Atlanta, GA 30329
When: Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011 from 8:30AM to 5PM

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E-Zine, MasalaMommas, Interviews IAC Waiting Family

By Amalia Gratteri | Published 10/06/2011

Don Paul & Preetha Bhat are an IAC family pursuing open adoption.  Don and Preetha were recently interviewed by an e-zine for South Asian mothers, called MasalaMommas. The interview touches on their challenges with conceiving and their decision to adopt.  They offer advice on infertility, a closer look into their parenting philosophy and why it was important to them to wait to have children.

Read the full interview by Anjum Choudhry Nayyar, “Conceivable Dreams: One Couple Makes the Case for Open Adoption”

Congrats to Don & Preetha for being featured!

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