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Adoption Circle - May 2025 Newsletter
Posted on June 09, 2025 by Adoption Circle Staff
May is behind us, and hopefully all the rain that May brought is too! We are looking into stepping into June, and hopefully more sunshine. Before moving into the summer months and the activities, let’s take a look back at May activities, events and news.
In May, we recognized Mental Health Awareness Month. The month is about raising awareness about mental health and reducing the stigma associated with mental health conditions. It aims to educate the public, promote mental wellness, and encourage those in need to seek support
Hope Love and Dream, Inc. was established in 2020 as a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families impacted by the justice system. The comprehensive suite of services that Hope Love and Dream, Inc provides includes: complex trauma-informed mental health services, personal and professional development programs, and specialized consultation for family engagement. Hope Love and Dream, Inc's mission is to empower individuals and families impacted by the justice system and other public systems. This includes child welfare, housing, and behavioral health. Hope Love and Dream, Inc supports people from the onset of system involvement through successful reintegration, offering mental health services, life skills training, and social supports that foster resilience, healing, and opportunity. Hope Love and Dream, Inc. is committed to providing mental health services to those in need and can be reached at the following website Hope Love and Dream, Inc.
Adoption Circle Services
Adoption Circle is not just an agency that facilities infant adoptions. We provide a variety of services that range from birth mother assessments (collaboration with attorneys) to home studies for families adopting outside of our agency. We also have the honor of completing step parents home studies. These home studies are for the stepparents, already parenting their (step) children in the home, and they are seeking to legally adopt them. It’s an honor to go into these homes, and play a small role in making these families adoption dreams come true by approving them as adoptive parents. As stated, the (step) parents in most cases have parented their (step) children for a number of years; but for a variety of reasons never formally adopted them. A couple of our families we assisted in the stepparent adoption process finalized their adoptions in the month of May. Although these families were already families without an adoption decree, they were thrilled to complete this legal adoption process.
Mother’s Day
May 11th we celebrated Mother’s Day. On this day, some women may grieve for either the child they do not have yet, or the child they are not able to parent. Adoption at the core is based on loss. The loss or grief that a birthmother may have for the child they placed for adoption. Adoptive mothers realize their dreams of becoming a mother because another mother unselfishly made the decision to complete an adoption plan for her child. The following was written by an adoptive mother who recognized her children’s birthmothers:
Today is the day before Mother’s Day, and today more than any other day I acknowledge that the only reason I get to celebrate Mother’s Day as a mom is because of the two selfless Mommas who made a heart-wrenching and seemingly impossible decision.
One of them will see this and immediately text me that made her cry. The other will most likely never read these words.
One of them I spent endless hours with at her doctor appointments and long lunches afterward. The other has never seen me face-to-face.
One of them has laughed and cried with me as we celebrated birthdays, weddings and more babies. The other has never heard my voice.
One them changed my life completely and became a member of our family forever.
And so did the other.
The adoption process can occur in many different ways.
End of School Year
And just like that, the school year is over. We were excited to see all of the end of the school year photos, and congratulations to our graduates! We also would be remiss if we didn’t should little Miss Ever who turned 5 years old. Happy Birthday Ever!
A NOTE FROM THE BIRTH PARENT SERVICES DIRECTOR………..
With the recent collaboration between Adoption Circle and On Your Feet, I had the opportunity to attend the webinar for adoption professionals: Echoes Through Generations: The Legacy of Birthparent Experience, presenting Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard and Vicki Twomey. The focus was on the two birthmothers whose parents, grandparents or siblings also placed a child for adoption and how their extended families’ experiences affected their experience and process. The information was interesting, but what really captured my attention was when the conversation transitioned to openness in adoption and what each party’s responsibility was. At Adoption Circle we strive to offer the most emotionally healthy adoptions through child centered adoptions. We know that openness in adoption, with healthy boundaries, creates the most emotionally healthy experience for all involved. The agency has the responsibility to educate expectant parents about their role in their child’s life after they complete their adoption plan. It is problematic when an agency uses open adoption as a marketing tool enticing expectant parents with choosing the adoptive parents for their child. Open adoption is NOT co-parenting; it IS a collaboration. Birthparents have a responsibility for their child to be their authentic self. Breaking the bond between a biological parent and a biological child for wealth is unethical. Adoption is not a guarantee of a better life – it’s a different life. Adoptive parents have the responsibility to learn about their child’s birth parents. They are humans, they have a history. Understanding why your child’s birthparents do things and meeting them with respect helps to foster a healthy connection. Adoption Circle has always acknowledged that adoption is a lifelong process. We are always available to assist in navigating relationships among the adoption community. PLEASE reach out and share any concerns or questions you may have so that we can support you in parenting your child to be their best, most emotionally healthy person! Kim@adoptioncircle.org
We are looking forward to June events If you don’t already feel free to follow us on social media. FaceBook, Instagram, Twitter