Adoptions From The Heart Interview
01/10/2018
Non-profit Interview in Bensalem: Adoptions From The Heart
Recently we contacted Maxine, CEO and Executive Director at Adoptions From The Heart (AFTH), a non-profit open adoption agency. Being an adoptee herself, she wanted to discover her biological family, and that’s is what lead her to start AFTH. Today she has an exceptional agency that helps people beautiful families and lives.
A family is the most beautiful thing in the world, and everyone has a need to be accepted, understood and loved. Your best roofers from Bensalem, Fortified Roofing, support amazing organizations just like this one. Here, we bring you an interesting interview with Maxine. Remember to take care of your family, and cherish one another, this will lead to a happy and fulfilling life.
Introduction
To begin with, we would like you to briefly tell us a little about your organization.
Adoptions From The Heart is a non-profit adoption agency in the northeast (PA, VA, NJ, DE, and CT). Since 1985, we have been building families through open adoption.
- What do you do exactly?
I am the CEO and Executive Director at Adoptions From The Heart. I am an adoptee myself and started off working in a public agency. What inspired me in starting AFTH was my own search for my birth family. I was involved in a closed adoption, and I wanted more openness in the process. I started in a small office, as one of the only open adoption agencies in the area. From there, it only grew.
- What motivates you?
AFTH has been very successful at creating beautiful families. For over 30 years, I have watched us grow from a single office in Ardmore, PA to eight offices in the northeast. We are always expanding our reach. The most rewarding part of our work is hearing the stories – both from adoptive families and birth families.
- Tell us about your goals
We are constantly trying to adapt to technological changes and keep up with the trends. This applies to both our agency-wide and marketing strategies.
- What was the hardest/toughest moment you had to deal with?
One of the most challenging parts about starting this agency was the financial aspect of it – it is a lot more intricate than I thought.
- What was the most fulfilling moment that happened to you?
One of the most fulfilling moments was seeing the first open adoption placement at our agency. The adoptive parents and birth mother came into the office at the same time (each for a different reason), and the birth mother ended up choosing them in the end. It was very heartfelt.
- What separates you from the rest? Why you?
Adoptions From The Heart prides itself on being open in our adoption process. We strive to emphasize the relationships in the adoption triad (adoptive parents, birth parents, and adoptee) throughout the child’s life. This is very important to us, as many adoptees will grow up not knowing their biological roots. We also have a strong connection to adoption – I was an adoptee myself. Lastly, we have a high presence on social media, which definitely sets us apart from the rest. We love to engage with our community.
- Do you have any upcoming events in the forthcoming months?
We have our 6th Annual Find Her Footing 5k on Sunday, April 15th at Delaware County Community College in Media, PA. This event raises funds for our Expecting and Birth Parent Support Fund, which helps birth parents who are struggling financially. We can provide support with anything from monthly rent to transportation costs. This is one of our funds at AFTH.
- What is it that you love most about what you do?
Hearing all the success stories solidifies my love for this type of work. Adoption can be a bumpy road, but it certainly has its ups. It’s another way to build a beautiful family, and the number of letters and thank yous we get is overwhelming. People love sharing their stories.
- What is the biggest challenge you’re faced with today?
I think the biggest challenge is keeping up with the technological advances. Things are always changing, and we try our best to stay on top of the new trends.
- Anything else you would like to add?
We are so grateful for our work here at AFTH. If you ever have any questions about adoption, the process, or any upcoming events, do not hesitate to reach out.
- Contact: How can people reach out to you?
Adoptions From The Heart
(610) 642-7200
30-31 Hampstead Circle, Wynnewood, PA 19096;
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AdoptionsFromTheHeart
Twitter: @AFTH_org
