ADOPTION PLACEMENTS AND TESTIMONIALS FROM ADOPTIVE PARENTS, BIRTH PARENTS AND ADOPTEES

---

We would just like to say a huge Thank You to all the staff at ACF. From the time we had our phone conference with Stacey we had every confidence that you would help us complete our family although it was a wonderful surprise it happened so quickly. It was a stressful time for us when we were in Miami but the ACF staff were always available to advise and support us above and beyond our expectations. We would have no problems recommending you to any prospective adoptive parents. In fact we would be happy to speak to anybody in the UK about our experience.

Finally we know that ACF is a non profit organization so we hope that the donation endorsed helps you to continue your good work. Ben is a wonderful litle boy. We could not imagine life without him. We will forever be grateful for the part you all played in creating our forever family. With love and thanks, Clare & David From the UK

---

We are the second family who adopt via ACF. Everything was new for us, but also for Child and Future and I think also for you. But the contact between ACF and Child and Future went very well. When we were in Miami, we felt very welcome. You have helped us with all our questions and took your time for us. We hope to see you for a second adoption! Best regards,

Eduard, Aniek & Daniaya

From the Netherlands

---

Throughout all of our dealings with ACF you were open, honest and responsive. We never doubted that you were doing everything within your power to find the right match for us (and you did!) When other agencies were telling us "no way" you were reassuring us that it would happen. But above and beyond how great you were with us, you were amazing with our baby's birthmom and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for that. You have helped make our family complete and not a day goes by that we aren't grateful for the role you played in our lives. Stacey was always there to answer questions and concerns. Everyone was amazing! Please let us know if there is ever anything we can do for you! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you to everyone at ACF for bringing the sweet, perfect, charming, smart, gorgeous Charlie to our lives! Fondly, Adam, Sara, Cooper & Charlie

---

We are so happy with the results and the process of our work with ACF. Everyone on the staff was responsive, patient, thorough and caring throughout a stressful (and exciting) time. We feel so fortunate to have been recommended to ACF and chose them not only because of their history, but because of their commitment to supporting the birth mother through the process to best ensure a good outcome for all. We felt taken care of and guided through every step - and had access to having any questions answered along the way honestly and directly. We highly recommend ACF to others and are happy to do so. Karen & Jay

---

Dear ACF family,
We just wanted to thank you all for the wonderful support, the great work you do, and you did for us with the adoption of both our daughters, Camila and Sophie. It is not so easy to express in words how we feel, but we feel so fortunate to have met you in this journey. Thank you for your words, your listening "ear", your advice, your understanding and humanity. Thank you for having helped us create our family and for caring about the way we felt all the way. During all the process you've gone a little far beyond, that extra distance that makes you so unique and special. That made us feel all the time so lucky to have met people like you in such special moment in our lives. It is not just the kind of work you do, but mostly the way you do it. I will always remember the first day I called your office and talked on the phone for sooooo long with Yaki and Yazmin who patiently answered every single question I had with so much care and understanding. That was the first "door" that opened and introduced us to the possibilityof fulfilling our dream to become a family.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Karina and Isaac

---

We couldn't say enough and couldn't be happier with our adoption process. The entire staff made our dream a reality. We have recommended the agency to several families. We Thank all of You!

Debra

---

ADOPTION TESTIMONIALS FROM BIRTH MOTHERS*

Dear Stacey,

I wanted to write you and say Thank You for everything you have done for us. I am so happy that I found your agency because all of you are so wonderful and I don't think that we would have been able to get through all of this without you and everyone there at ACF. This is the hardest thing we have ever had to go through and I appreciate knowing that all of you are there for us if and when we need you. Words cannot express how thankful I am that you brought Anna and Ben to us because I know in my heart that they are the best parents for Colton and that they will love him unconditionally. I started reading the book you lent to me and I feel like it's going to help me through this. Also I recieved an email with a couple pictures that I am so grateful for. If you talk to them please be sure to let them know I said thank you for that and that I cannot wait for the first month pictures and letter. After reading some of the book, I am going to work on writing a letter to Colton, explaining my reasons for choosing adoption so that when he is old enough, he can know what happened so he doesn't think that I didn't love him. I think that's my biggest fear is for him to think that I didn't want him or love him because that's not true, I wish things were different so I could have raised him and held him and loved him every day, but just like a letter in the book says, you can't get by on love alone. Please let everyone at ACF know that you are all in our prayers and we are so thankful for people like you.

Liz

---

A little bit about my experience with ACF.  I signed the papers for adoption 8 months ago and I still don’t regret it.  The best thing I’ve ever done was dial 305-653-2474 when I found out I was pregnant.  I have nothing but excellent things to say about them.  My caseworker, Stacey, has gone way above and beyond for me. Like a family member they treat me still. I have the BEST adoptive parents; better than I ever could have imagined.  I encourage any mother who is not in the position to give their child all they deserve to call Advocates for Children and Families.

Melissa

---

Dear Stacey,

You've been such a good friend to me...just by being your wonderful self.

Just want to send a little note to thank you & the staff for everything you have done for me. Not only have you been a great comfort to me but you have really been a shining light for me throughout this whole process. As you know this is a difficult time with many hard decisions but you have made this all very easy for me & my family. Thank you so very much! I hope this note will bring a smile to your face & know you are amazing! Thanks again,

Ashley

---

I was adopted through Advocates for Children and Families’ founder in the late 1980s.  My parents brought me home from the hospital when I was two days old.  I often wish that I could remember it because it was the happiest day of my life. 

I can confidently say that both of my parents are my best friends. I feel like I have a different kind of love for my parents than the average person.  Obviously, I love them unconditionally like biological children love their parents, but I think it goes deeper than that. 

When I was 18 years old, I got in contact with my biological family.  It was interesting because I finally got to compare and see how I felt about people who share my genetics.  Although I do love my birthmother, and always have and always will, my love for her doesn’t compare to the love that I have for my real mom.  I use the term “real” mother to refer to my adoptive mother because that is what she is.  I grew up with a strong understanding that your parents are the people who take care of you when you are sick, teach you skills to excel in life, be there for you when your first love breaks your heart, and so on.  My parents know me inside and out, and part of the reason for that is because, even though we don’t share the same DNA, part of them resides in me. 

There have been times where I have sat and have contemplated my situation, and it has made me break down and cry. But they were tears of joy.  They were grateful tears. I will never be able to effectively articulate the way that I feel, but when I think about my parents, I am overwhelmed with gratitude and respect. I feel insanely lucky because they chose me. They saved me.  They are my angels.  When I contacted my biological family, I felt so guilty.  I felt like I was betraying my parents and I was torn because I wanted so badly to learn about myself and my history, but I was so scared that my parents would be hurt.  That was the last thing I wanted to do because they had spent my entire life trying to make sure that I never felt unnecessary pain.

I feel that in reaction to meeting my biological family, my love for my parents grew.  I got a glimpse at what my life would have been like and that’s when I started to feel like the luckiest girl in the world.  They went out of their way to be my parents and their effort didn’t stop there.  It was the little things in my childhood.  I remember when I was a competitive swimmer and my Dad would be up at 4 in the morning on the day of my swim meet, cutting up fruit for me to eat between my races.  Or when my Mom used to travel frequently and my dad would put on a French accent and make me feel like I was in an upscale salon while he did my hair.  He didn’t stop there.  My dad used to make my sandwiches for school while my mom was gone and he would always cut them into different shapes.  I was the coolest girl in the cafeteria with a sandwich shaped like a house that had a door that swung open.  And of course, when my mom got home, she would always be accompanied by a new stuffed animal friend for me.  It is things like this that make me refer to them as my real parents.

I cannot deny that being adopted hasn’t been a constant obstacle for me, even now.  However, I would never ever want it any other way.  My parents are everything to me, and I constantly strive to do well in everything that I do to try to repay them for being so amazing.  They would say that just being me is enough, but I would have to disagree.

Dara

---

Dear ACF,

I'm so blessed for being led to you guys and to the adoptive parents. Sometimes I wish I could do it all over again. I wouldn't change anything. I would just take time out to fully take the experience in better. But I'm so happy the baby is truly loved by her adoptive parents. That's the true gift of life and love. I want to thank you for finding them for me. Make sure they know I'm still sending my love. I'm sure they love their new daughter so much. Surprisingly I’m doing well. It’s been rough, but God is there.  Take care and continue to spread the gift of life and love across the world. You all are amazing people. Love always,

Hope

---

Dear ACF,

This whole experience has been so hard for me and I was unsure if I could go through with it.  But anytime I had a concern or even just wanted someone to talk to “ACF” was there. They made me feel I could trust them.  They were there for my best interest and with any choice I made.  I would say if it was any other agency I wouldn’t have been as comfortable as they made me feel, as they were my friends.  I know my baby girl will always be taken care of.  Thank you so much. God bless,

Cathie

*Birth mother names are pseudonyms

---

They say "with age, comes wisdom." For me it was a little different. With experience came my wisdom and all the little lessons my mother has been trying to pound into my head for the first 20 years of my life. I went through the life altering experience of getting pregnant and choosing to place my daughter for adoption last year.

Being a student in college and away from my parents and family I chose to keep it a secret. I kept myself cooped up and felt so lost. I was extremely depressed and didn't know what to do. I was given a phone number to an agency from my nurse to get the adoption underway seven months into my pregnancy.

My mind was fried and my heart under arrest. I finally got the courage and spoke with a wonderful woman named Yazmin. She made everything sound so simple and calmed my nerves. 24 hours later I received a phone call from one of the sweetest voices and dearest people I could have met at that time. Someone, who I will always consider to be a friend, Stacey Levine. This woman is so wonderful, from that moment on, I had my emotional back up handy. At the touch of my cell phone I could stop tears from coming and doubts from entering my mind. She was my therapy, my support group. She reminded me of how strong I am and the courageous decision I was making.

Being young and getting pregnant is an extremely difficult thing. Making the choice to give your child up for adoption after you carry her is even harder. When the big day finally came and my beautiful daughter was born and the papers had to be signed, I fell into a black hole. I felt lost all over again and like I was back at the beginning, alone and confused, sitting there while I heard my baby's life being read away destroyed me.

With the help of the wonderful crew at ACF I got the courage to lift my pen and give my beautiful angel a second and fair chance at life. She was placed into the arms of the most amazing and deserving family I think I have ever met. I couldn't have been happier with their decision in a family for my daughter. I still speak to them frequently and see pictures of the most gorgeous creature God ever placed into my arms. It been almost a year and I look back on my life and I'm so happy with myself. God puts some pretty heavy tasks into our hands at times. But he will never give us an obstacle we can't over come.

For me growing up and realizing the true value of life was long overdue. I can't say I would ever wish this upon anyone, but if you are faced with the same decisions I was, I would advise that you think twice and talk to someone. As a birth mother, ACF was my saving grace. I found the strength within me to move mountains and change my life and a few very special people's out there as well.

Nancy

*Birth mother names are pseudonyms

 

More Testimonials » 1  2   3   4 

10 Things You Should Know If You Are Thinking About Adoption , click here.