A big "congratulations!" to Ronda Collier, who graduates this weekend from the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business. As part of her masters in nonprofit management studies, Ronda conducted an intensive research project to help AOCM's fundraising efforts. We are very proud of her and grateful for her work!

We need 100 sponsors to get these books printed and out to Minnesota pregnancy counseling centers. Cost - only $40. Put the truth about adoption into the hands of those who need it. Become a sponsor today!

Sponsor A Scrapbook - Adoption Option Council of Minnesota

www.aocmn.org

How many times have you thought: “If only they knew about adoption?” Today, you can make that thought a reality by sponsoring a beautiful hardcopy of the Minnesota Loves Adoption scrapbook, which has previously been available only online.

Thanks to Como Senior High School for inviting the AOCM Speaker Panel back for the second time this term. The panel presented adoption stories to more than 170 students during five class periods. The students asked many great questions and were very respectful! Pictured is health teacher, Mary Claire Bade, Caitin Moodie (pregnancy counselor), and David and Susan Mowen (adoptive parents). Hal Kaufman (adoptive parent) and Colleen Tronson (birth parent) also shared their stories with the students.

http://youtu.be/wzzz4_8YEpc

A Birth Mother's Story

www.youtube.com

Thanks to Kate, a birth mother and AOCM speaker, for sharing her powerful adoption story in this video and in our Minnesota Loves Adoption scrapbook!

http://minnesotalovesadoption.org/?p=581

Virtual Scrapbook

minnesotalovesadoption.org

Thanks to Anne, a birth mother who supports the "Sponsor A Scrapbook" campaign and shares her story online today. She writes: "I wish I could afford to personally hand your scrapbook to every woman who is faced with unintended pregnancy. Your book WILL have an impact... What better way for women to ...

Check out this amazing story of a couple pursuing adoption - http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/video/7163670-after-4-miscarriages-minn-family-turns-to-an-open-adoption/

It is nice to see more people considering an open adoption as an option.

After 4 Miscarriages, Minn. Family Turns To An ‘Open Adoption’

minnesota.cbslocal.com

It's always been Jamie and Heather Thompson's dream to have a big family. So when their son, Griffin, was born, they thought it was just the beginning, John Lauritsen reports (3:02).

We are pleased to invite you to join AOCM's Sponsor A Scrapbook campaign, an effort to put the truth about adoption into the hands of those who need it. Become a sponsor today by visiting http://adoptionoptionmn.org!

Check out the new Facebook custom URL - http://www.facebook.com/AdoptionOptionMN

Adoption Option Council of Minnesota

Adoption Option Council of Minnesota is a nonprofit with a long tradition of promoting adoption. Each year, our volunteers equip thousands of people with accurate information about adoption and provide Minnesota birth parents with much-needed affirmation and support.

Minnesota Loves Adoption
Celebr...

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Thanks to teacher Danielle K. at Armstrong High School, for having the Adoption Option Speaker Panel in for two classes this week. The panel of two birthmothers and an adoptive mother shared their stories about adoption with the students. Thanks for this great opportunity!

New Life Family Services hosts a Birth Mother Dinner each year to celebrate and honor birth mothers who have made adoption plans for their children. If you are a birth mother, a support person for a birth mother, or an adoptive parent who has a relationship with your children's birth mother, this is a wonderful event for you to attend together. The event is May 11 at Calvary Baptist Church in Roseville. RSVP by May 4 by calling 612-623-8378

This Associated Press article gives a national perspective on openness in infant, domestic adoption. Thanks to Sarah H. for sharing it with us this morning.

This is a beautiful article about adoption!

Hawksfords prove adoption can work at any age | Hudson Star-Observer | Hudson, Wisconsin

www.hudsonstarobserver.com

When Mary and Tom Hawksford first welcomed their sons Kolya and Dima into their Troy home back in 2004, they thought it would just be for a visit before the boys, Russian orphans, found another permanent home in the area.

The Adoption Option Speaker Panel has been invited to speak with two classes at a metro-area high school on Tuesday, April 24. If you are interested in volunteering as a member of the panel, please drop us a note at colleen@adoptionoptionmn.org. Thanks!

The Adoption Option Speaker Panel is educating and inspiring 210 high school students today in Roseville. Thanks to our awesome volunteers who make this a very successful program in Minnesota!

One of the ways Adoption Option Council of Minnesota honors the courage of birth mothers is through our college scholarship program. The application deadline is March 1. Please help us spread the word to women who could benefit from this support.

Adoption Option Council of Minnesota

adoptionoptionmn.org

AOCM awards scholarships to applicants who have chosen adoption and wish to pursue secondary and higher education during the upcoming academic year. Download a scholarship brochure, which includes an application form.

A woman made a financial gift to AOCM this week in honor of herself -- she lived in 11 different foster homes growing up. The security and permanency of adoption is invaluable to children.

We extend our condolences to the family of Deedee Hedrick, a longtime board member and dear friend of AOCM.

Deidre Baker Hedrick Obituary on Star Tribune

www.legacy.com

Online obituary for Deidre Hedrick. Read Deidre Hedrick’s life story, offer tributes/condolences, send flowers or create a Deidre Hedrick online memorial.

By passing along this note we received from a social worker, we extend a big "thank you" to everyone who supported AOCM's annual appeal. You make birth parent grants, along with statewide efforts to build a stronger culture of support for adoption, a reality!

"Thank you so very much for giving my client a grant. It will help her out a ton! Adoption Option Council of Minnesota is such an amazing thing for women who have placed. It helps them to have a chance on getting back on their feet. Thank you for all you do!" - Amanda

One of AOCM's supporters has a connection to this story and we thought you'd like to read it, too!

Mom reunites with biological child 77 years later

news.yahoo.com

"It has been such a surreal, amazing experience that I still think sometimes that I will wake up and it will just be a beautiful dream," the 82-year-old Lee said.

If you get the chance watch Channel 4, WCCO tonight 7PM CST for A Home for the Holidays with Martina McBride - A Tribute to Adoption Stories - http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/program-guide/

Program Guide

minnesota.cbslocal.com

Program Guide News, Sports, Weather, Traffic, and the Best of Minnesota

Today our Speakers Panel is off to a Bloomington high school to talk with sophomore and juniors about adoption. We are grateful that these volunteers are taking time out of a busy holiday schedule to educate young people about this loving choice!

AOCM's Speakers Panel is educating hundreds of St. Paul high school students about adoption today. Thanks to all our speakers who volunteer in this way -- changing minds and opening hearts!

Congratulations to David and Susan, winners of our drawing for a $100 gift card to Archivers! Their story was originally posted on Nov. 2.

Thanks to each and every participant in AOCM's "30 Stories in 30 Days" campaign to celebrate adoption in November! We hope you share the scrapbook with your friends -- every story is unique and beautiful.

Minnesota Loves Adoption

minnesotalovesadoption.org

The most darling baby girl ever born in the whole world was given to us when she was only one day old!

We've reached the last day of Adoption Awareness Month and the last day of our special campaign to collect stories for our online scrapbook. Thank you for joining us along the way. And, please, keep sharing your stories in the scrapbook. Stay tuned -- the winner of the $100 gift card will be announced tomorrow!

As we close this month, we look to Kyle's story. He sums it all up perfectly!

Virtual Scrapbook

minnesotalovesadoption.org

My birthmother wrote me a three-page letter before I was born 17 years ago. She began, “I want you to first know that I love you very, very much and I believe with all my heart, that giving you your parents is the best gift I could give to you.” Further down she added ” …I know I needed to do not wh...