Birthparent Support Alliance

This year we are challenging the entire adoption constellation to Gather Momentum for birthparent care. Our organization provides the comprehensive case-management, support, and services birthparents need, for as long as they need it, without geographical constraints, and at no cost to them, and we are the only organization in the country doing this. And we do this at no cost to birthparents, so that every birthparent who needs us can access our community.

As a primarily donor-funded organization, we can't do any of this without you. If you believe that birthparents may need support after placement, consider donating just $25 in honor of our 25 years of service so that the work we do in service to birthparents can continue. https://f.mtr.cool/xmvcn2yccz

This session is free to attend but registration is required in advance. https://activisminadoption.org/upcoming-zoom-sessions.html
Adoption is treated like a one-time event that happens in infancy, instead of what it actually is: the catalyst for a lifelong experience woven into the lives of birthparents, adoptive parents, and adopted people. Adoption trauma starts with a birthparent’s crisis pregnancy, continues through the separation of a child from their biological mother, and extends into an adopted child’s growing awareness of that separation, while their adoptive parents bear witness to how typical childhood milestones can trigger unexpected grief, anger, and confusion in the children they love.

This session teaches every member of the adoption constellation how to anticipate triggering experiences and milestones before they happen, giving them the tools necessary to improve outcomes for everyone in their own adoption triad while centering the needs of adopted people. The act of adoption is trauma, trauma doesn’t just go away on its own, and it cannot be healed by love alone, making it vitally important that everyone in the adoption constellation understand when, how, and why trauma may manifest in both birthparents and adopted people throughout their lives, in order to build a personal toolkit that supports healing.

Our panel of experts are members of the Birthparent Support Alliance: Hope Helder (birthmother and BSA board co-chair), Danielle Kist (adopted person and BSA board member), Katy Finn (adoptive mother and Shared Journeys case manager), and adoption-competent therapist Billy Kaplan, LCSW (BSA board member), who join us to explore one question: If I knew then what I know now, what would I do differently?

As the only organization in the country working to address Postpartum Mood and Anxiety Disorder (PMAD) in birthparents, we are challenging the entire adoption constellation to Gather Momentum for birthparent care by supporting us in this critical work.

PMAD is treatable when diagnosed, but the screenings for it are done by pediatricians during well-baby visits, which means it is adoptive parents, not birthparents, being assessed.

Maternal mental health matters, and that is why we are developing ways to screen birthparents, and subsequently connect them to adoption-competent mental health providers. It is a monumental task, and we cannot do it without your support. Can you help us Gather Momentum for birthparent support by donating $25 today, in honor of our 25 years of service? https://f.mtr.cool/sm81b8ns1p

We are back with the Fire! Tickets going fast - don't miss out! Chicago Fire FC acquired global Football icon Robert Lewandowski - Poland’s all-time leading goal scorer - and on October 6th, you can Gather Momentum with us at Soldier Field to watch him play AND help support for the comprehensive services and community we provide for birthparents! https://www.gofevo.com/event/Birthparent2
With every ticket purchased through this exclusive offer, we receive an incredible 20% back, funding direct support for birthparents. It's more than just a game; it's a chance to come together as a community for birthparents, cheer on Chicago Fire , and spend a gorgeous autumn evening building memories at iconic Soldier Field in Chicago.

Thank you so much to Chicago Fire for Gathering Momentum for birthparents!

Now streaming on-demand at: https://f.mtr.cool/ebb7zdobtd Echoes Through Generations: The Legacy of Birthparent Experience, featuring and Vicki Twomey, both of whom need no introduction - Kelsey is a co-author of and a long-time advocate for ethical reform in adoption, and Vicki is one of the founders of Birthmoms Empowered.

Whether you're an adopted person, birthparent, adoptive parent, or professional working in adoption, this conversation offers invaluable insights into the complex emotional legacies that adoption creates across generations. Join us to expand your understanding of adoption's lifelong impact and the profound connections it forges through time. Adoption is a lifetime commitment; your adoption education should be, too, and now it's easier than ever to find the exact content you need, exactly when you need it. https://f.mtr.cool/uoltl5tbst

Please join us in congratulating our 2026 Create! Birthparent Arts grant winner, .abby.hasberry, whose forthcoming docuseries, Adoption Narrative Shift, centers the voices of the people adoption most affects, but who are rarely/never given a platform in which to speak. Her lived experiences as an adopted person and a birthmother, coupled with her knowledge as a skilled, adoption-competent therapist, allows her to approach the subject with a level of nuance and understanding rarely found in adoption media, and we think that her work will move the needle on shifting the narratives in which the world thinks about adoption. We sat down with Dr. Hasberry this week to learn more about her body of work, and this project: https://f.mtr.cool/8clo4qonbp

Make 2026 the year we all join together and Gather for Birthparents! From Memorial Day weekend to Labor day, we invite our community to join us in ensuring that every birthparent in need of support can access our comprehensive services and community.

By joining Gather Momentum, you can turn almost anything you already love to do into a fundraiser for the Birthparent Support Alliance: a walk with friends, a swim challenge, a birthday fundraiser, a yoga class, a neighborhood gathering, a book club, a pickleball tournament, or simply a goal that matters to you.

Every mile, every gathering, and every act of support helps us provide critical resources, community, and mental health support for birthparents and families navigating complex journeys.

No event is too small. No idea is too simple. If it brings people together, it can create change.

It couldn't be easier: join Gather Momentum here: https://f.mtr.cool/e3s454ani8
Then create your own fundraiser, based on whatever activities you already enjoy. Invite your community. Build momentum for families who deserve to feel seen, supported, and never alone. Together, we can turn passion into impact.

Not sure where to start? Visit the Gather Momentum website, where we've curated a quick list of ideas to spark your creativity! From karaoke night to yoga in the park, boardgame tournaments to pickleball, there is no end to what you can do to raise the funds necessary to ensure that every birthparent in need can find the support they deserve, without financial or geographical restraints. https://f.mtr.cool/qhoxv0hkb5

Please join us in congratulating our 2026 Create! Birthparent Arts grant winner, .abby.hasberry, whose forthcoming docuseries, Adoption Narrative Shift, centers the voices of the people adoption most affects, but who are rarely/never given a platform in which to speak. Her lived experiences as an adopted person and a birthmother, coupled with her knowledge as a skilled, adoption-competent therapist, allows her to approach the subject with a level of nuance and understanding rarely found in adoption media, and we think that her work will move the needle on shifting the narratives in which the world thinks about adoption. We sat down with Dr. Hasberry this week to learn more about her body of work, and this project: https://f.mtr.cool/3yfyrmv28o

Now streaming on-demand at: https://f.mtr.cool/sw0ww9kh25 Relinquishment, Grief, and Healing: a Birthparent Panel Discussion, featuring Marcia Lane-McGee, author and co-host of the podcast, Plaid Skirts and Basic Black; Sarah Schmidth, adoption education advocate; and Muthoni Gaciku Kittredge, co-host of the podcast, Birth Mothers Amplified.

When we talk about transracial adoption, it's often through the experiences of transracial adoptees, or adoptive parents. Muthoni and Marcia are birthmothers through transracial adoption, offering a perspective on transracial adoption that is very rarely heard. Sarah is a birthmother to two adult adoptees who were placed with the same couple, now divorced. She brings a unique insight into adoptive relationships that change over time. This panel of birthmothers is an incredible opportunity for everyone in the adoption constellation to come together in a safe space and gain a better understanding of adoption through the eyes of birthparents.

Adoption is a lifetime commitment; your adoption education should be, too, and now it's easier than ever to find the exact content you need, exactly when you need it. https://f.mtr.cool/gan2h1soo6