Stefanie Dziedzic is Director of Fund Development for The Cradle Foundation, shared some of the many achievements at this amazing facility just blocks from where we meet each week.
Located at 2049 Ridge Ave. in Evanston, The Cradle began in 1923 and since that time has helped to find loving homes for more than 14,500 children. Their commitment is to serve as a partner in creating and sustaining nurturing families. To do this The Cradle offers a wide range of services for birthparents, adoptive parents and adopted persons. Stefanie outlined The Cradle's services and their outcomes:
Birth Parent Services-- In fiscal 2008, 822 expectant women contacted The Cradle to inquire about adoption services; 35% of those women met with a Cradle birthparent counselor to discuss their options. In addition, birth parent counselors travel throughout Illinois to meet with women in their own environment.
Adoptive Parents Services -- Last year The Cradle provided education, counseling, and home study services for 370 prospective adoptive families in its Domestic, International, and Family Placement & Support Services programs.
The Cradle Nursery -- Last year, 121 newborns and infants were voluntarily placed in The Cradle Nursery. The Nursery is a one-of-a-kind resource, and is pivotal in The Cradle's approach toward adoption counseling. It provides a safe haven for children up to the age of two, while the adults in their lives receive the counseling they need to make the best possible decision for themselves and their child.
Special Needs Placements -- The Cradle provides services for all of the babies entrusted to its care. In 2008, nearly half of the babies admitted into The Cradle Nursery were at risk for some level of special medical need.
Post Adoption Services -- Last year The Cradle's Post Adoption Services department assisted more than 1500 individuals through counseling, outreach services, research of non-identifying medical and social background information, assistance accessing the mutual consent registry, and educational and mental health workshops.
Adoption Learning Partners -- To help improve adoption outcomes for Cradle families as well as adoptive families across the country - and around the world - The Cradle launched AdoptionLearningPartners.org (ALP) in 2002. In 2008, ALP logged a record 27,727 total course enrollments. Because of its success, over 180 other agencies now require their families to take ALP courses as part of their adoption process.
For more information, go to their website: http://www.cradle.org/
or e-mail Stefanie at: mailto:sdziedzic@cradle.org