The year ahead, 2023, is bringing some wonderful things to Adoption Support
Alliance and some hard changes as well. Much like experience of adoption, we don’t have the luxury of focusing only on the positive things- the reality is much more of a mixed bag of emotions, unable to be separated.
One difficult change is the elimination of the Operations Manager position and the loss of Erin Bost as a member of the ASA team. Erin Bost has served as the organization’s Operations Manager since March of 2021 and has impacted our community in countless, positive ways. She will be missed and the loss of the position for the organization will create a gap we are hopeful our community will fill.
As Operations Manager, Erin Bost, led our community building efforts. With the elimination of this position, we will rely on you, our community, to organize and plan for events that would be beneficial to your family. So, be on the lookout in the coming here for how you can volunteer and (relatively simply) plan a community building event for Adoption Support Alliance. If you know you have interest in this, please complete this interest form and let us know!
With the shift in organizational resources, ASA will be able to eliminate one of the barriers that prevents adoptive parents and adoptees from registering for the classes and connection groups- the money. We are pleased to say that, in 2023, all of Adoption Support Alliance’s Connection Groups and Classes will be offered to our community on a pay-as-you-can basis. While we will continue to communicate the general costs of these programs, payment in full will not be required for participation. And, you won’t have the added step of requesting a scholarship. When you register, just pay what you are able!
In order to make this change, we will be limiting the number of Connections Groups and Classes in 2023 to the following:
Adoption 101 (twice!)
Talking to Your Kids About Adoption
Be the Bridge (a group for transracially adoptive parents)
Being With: Parent Course
Summer Kids Camp
Monthly Connection Group for Adult Adoptees
Monthly Connection Group for Foster-to-Adopt families (in partnership with Foster Village Charlotte)
We will also create a menu of classes that can be offered for organizations interested in equipping and supporting their communities, clients or employees in adoption. Stay tuned for additional details.
Our counseling circle of support, the one that appears to be the most needed in our community currently, will continue. And, if the demand for these services continues to grow, ASA will be looking to add adoption-competent therapists to our team. Our partnerships with other adoption-competent therapists in the community continues as we strive to make our dream of an Adoption Clinician Alliance a reality.
Thank you for engaging with us in this work of helping adoptive families through the unique challenges of building their forever family. We look forward to continuing to serve you in 2023!