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TRANSCRIPT
1. START-UP AND GROWTH PLAN The Birth Moms MissionCommencing: January 1, 2009 Prepared for the Management
and Staff of The Birth Moms Inc. LEGAL NOTICE: Thisdocument contains confidential and privileged informationintended only for the person named above. If you have received thisdocument in error, please report it to the person named below andimmediately destroy or delete this document ..................................0
2. The Birth .........................................................................................43. Mission............................................................................................44. The Situation ...................................................................................5
• Pregnancy .......................................................................................................... 5• Adoption ............................................................................................................ 5• Abortion............................................................................................................. 6
5. Distinctives......................................................................................66. OUR DISTINCTIVES ........................................................................6
• Provide the crucial means to develop networks and local support groups ofBirth Mother's. .................................................................................................. 6
• Evangelical outreach ......................................................................................... 6• Life-affirming adoption information ................................................................ 7• Church-based ministry...................................................................................... 7• Broad resource network .................................................................................... 7
7. Why We Exist ..................................................................................8• To Fight these for one..... .................................................................................. 8• 2. Pregnancy Centers......................................................................................... 9• 3. Welfare ......................................................................................................... 11
• Giving Life a Second Chance ................................................................... 14• Infant Adoption Awareness Training ........................................................0
• Infant Adoption Awareness Training in the News.......................................15• October 15, 2008.......................................................................................15
• How We Operate ............................................................................................. 16• What Makes Us Distinct.................................................................................. 16• Whom We Partner With.................................................................................. 16
8. Facts .............................................................................................. 169. Intention ....................................................................................... 17
10. The Market: ................................................................................... 1711. Milestones ..................................................................................... 1812. Management..................................................................................2213. Website Features ........................................................................... 2514. Goals & Objectives ......................................................................... 2715. Outreach........................................................................................2816. WAYS YOU CAN HELP ..................................................................28
• I want to volunteer with The Birth Moms. What should I do? ......................28• I want to become a The Birth Moms Friend. What should I do? ................... 29• I want to introduce The Birth Moms to my church or organization. What
should I do? ..................................................................................................... 29
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• I want to help my congregation become a Partnering Church. What should Ido? ................................................................................................................... 29
• I want to start a The Birth Moms Prayer Team. What do I do? ..................... 29• I want to pray for The Birth Moms. What should I do? ................................. 29• I want to make an in-kind or financial contribution to The Birth Moms. What
should I do? ..................................................................................................... 30• Become a Friend.............................................................................................. 30
17. BECOMING A FRIEND FAQs(Frequently Asked Questions).............0• Q: How do you find volunteers to become The Birth Moms Friends?...........30• Q: I don’t have any counseling experience. May I still become a Friend? .....30• Q: Does being a Friend take a lot of time?......................................................30• Q: How do you screen candidates? ................................................................. 31• The Team......................................................................................................... 32• The Birth Moms Team Model ......................................................................... 32
• Team Coordinator ....................................................................................... 32• Friend........................................................................................................... 32• Communicator ............................................................................................. 32• Recruiter ...................................................................................................... 32• Dedicated Friend to CPCs (pregnancy resource centers) ........................... 32• Coach ........................................................................................................... 32
18. THE The Birth Moms CHURCH TEAMS:THE HEART OF OURMINISTRY ..................................................................................... 33• The Birth Moms Church Teams at a Glance................................................... 33
19. PARTNERING CHURCHES............................................................ 33• Ways Partnering Churches Support The Birth Moms.................................... 33
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START-UP AND GROWTH PLAN
The Birth Moms MissionCommencing: January 1, 2009
Prepared for the Management and Staff of
The Birth Moms Inc.
LEGAL NOTICE:This document contains confidential and privileged information intended only for the person
named above. If you have received this document in error, please report it to the personnamed below and immediately destroy or delete this document
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The Birth
Birthmother Ministries, Inc. (Birthmothers) is a Christian, nonprofit, volunteer-based, para-church organization
dedicated to providing nonjudgmental assistance to any woman facing an unplanned pregnancy.
A concept/dream for the future of adoptionby a Birth Mother
Mission
Objectives
1. Save lives!2. Case Worker ReformOur solution, replace them with birth mother's!3.for themVan Kepple, Midford and Cicchini (1987, cited in Arthur & Jacobs, 1999) compare the loss ofa child by death to the loss of a child through relinquishment and contend that both aresignificantly traumatic. However, in the former case, there are established outlets for griefreactions; and in the latter, the birthmother "suffers in silence" (p. 17).
Economic ChangeReduce the amont of people dependent on welfare and in dire economic situations
Strong Women Generation
Change the misperceptions of adoption. T
he lack of knowledge or understanding obot the process is the main problem...and the adoptiocomunity is responsible thrmselvesReform
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The Situation
Pregnancy
• There are 6.3 million pregnancies a year in the United States.The Alan Guttmacher Institute
• 49% of pregnancies among American women are unintended.Henshaw, Stanley K. “Unintended Pregnancy in the United States.” Family PlanningPerspectives (Volume 30, Number 1)
• At 18 days after conception, the (baby’s) heart is forming, and the eyes start todevelop. By 21 days, the heart is pumping blood throughout the body.Randy Alcorn, Why Pro-Life? (Sisters, Oregon: Multnomah Publishers, 2004), 29.
• At 42 days after conception (6 weeks), a baby’s brain waves can be recorded, and thebaby’s skeleton is complete.Pro-Life America
• 79% of babies born at 25 weeks’ gestation in the U.S. survive.Allen, M., et al. “The Limits of Viability.” New England Journal of Medicine 11/25/93(Volume 329, Number 22) 1597
Adoption
• 2.5% of U.S. children under the age of 18 are adopted.U.S. Census Bureau
• Nearly 4 in 10 American adults (81.5 million) have considered adoption for their ownfamilies.National Adoption Attitudes Survey, as reported by www.adopting.org
• Since 1987, the number of adoptions annually (in the United States) has remainedrelatively constant, ranging from 118,000 to 127,000.National Adoption Information Clearinghouse
• An estimated 1.3 million couples are waiting to adopt a child — a figure that has heldfairly steady for the last 15 years.National Council for Adoption
• 48% of families considering adoption turn to their houses of worship for support andinformation.Shaohannah’s Hope
• A growing number of children are now placed through independent (private) adoption— with estimates ranging from one-half to two-thirds of infant adoptions.Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute
• 2% of unmarried women at any age place their children for adoption.National Adoption Information Clearinghouse and www.adoption.com
• In 1998, 56% of Americans held a “very favorable” opinion of adoption. Today, 63%hold this opinion.Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption®
• November is National Adoption Awareness Month.http://national-adoption-month.adoption.com
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Abortion
• The 3,733 abortions occurring every day in America are … more than all the lives lostin the September 11, 2001 destruction of the World Trade Center.Randy Alcorn, Why Pro-Life? (Sisters, Oregon: Multnomah Publishers, 2004), 16.
• Half of unintended pregnancies in America end in abortion; 24% of all pregnancies(excluding miscarriages) in the U.S. end in abortion.The Alan Guttmacher Institute
• 84% of women who have had an abortion say they would have kept their babies underdifferent circumstances.The Elliott Institute
• 8 out of 10 pregnancy resource centers (CPCs) report that abortion-minded womendecide to keep their babies after seeing ultrasound images.Vincent, Lynn. “Moving Pictures.” World Magazine April 23, 2005
• Only one-third of Americans find abortion morally acceptable; two-thirds find itmorally wrong.Gallup survey, May 5-7, 2003, LifeSiteNews
• An overwhelming number of teens find abortion abhorrent … maybe it’s becausemillions of other teens who would have been their friends and peers never made it outof the womb.Farah, Joseph. “Between the Lines”
Distinctives
OUR DISTINCTIVES
Provide the crucial means to develop networks and local support groups of Birth Mother's.
• A trained, volunteer Birthmothers Friend provides material, emotional and spiritual resources to each
expectant birth mom that seeks our assistance.
• In this special, personal relationship, the Friend offers consistent encouragement by her presence,
support and committed prayers, so that the pregnant woman can make informed, life-affirming
decisions for herself and her unborn child.
Evangelical outreach
• We aim to reflect God’s grace and praise Him.
• It is our hope that, through our ministry, a birth mother in need and anyone else willing to be involved
will experience God’s love first hand, grows in the knowledge of our Lord and learns to seek Him in all
circumstances.
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Life-affirming adoption information
• Birthmothers believes that all life is a gift from God. We are painfullt aware how difficult the decision
can be to make too.
• We are committed to providing life-affirming resources about adoption options, so that both human
families and the Church can together experience the joy adoption brings.
Church-based ministry
• Birthmothers believes that God has ordained the Church as the primary instrument of His reconciling,
adoptive love.
• We work within individual congregations to raise up volunteer Friends, support them with prayer, give
them guidance, offer them encouragement and provide them with material resources so they can
minister effectively to women.
Broad resource network
• Birthmothers works together with churches, faith-based agencies and social services providers to build
a web of resources for pregnant women.
• Our partners include (but are not limited to) pregnancy care centers (CPCs), adoption agencies, radio
stations, private adoption attorneys, counselors, medical professionals, housing and transportation
resources, cross-cultural and government services.
Psalms 139:14
I will give thanks unto thee; for I am fearfully and
wonderfully made: Wonderful are thy works; And that
my soul knoweth right well.
"Mother's hold their child's hands for just a little while,
but their hearts forever."
The Adoption Triad Site
Adoption Network/Forum
The Adoption Triad Shop
Birth Mom Blog
Adoption Network
Birthmomsday.com
Thebirthmoms.com
Birthmothersday.info
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Getting the word out early for next year!
Explanation of Birthmother’s day:
Birthmother’s day is a day to celebrate and honor our
birthmotherhood. Its a day to reflect on the choice we
made and the life we gave. Its a day to recognize, that we
are good mothers who made the ultimate sacrifice for our
children.
History on Birthmother’s Day:
Birthmother’s Day is celebrated the Saturday before
Mother’s Day. It originated in 1990 by a group of
birthmothers in Seattle, Washington. Most birthmothers
will agree that Mother’s Day is a very painful holiday and
these women wanted to create something that would
honor their birthmotherhood.
Celebrating Birthmom’s Day:
Birthmother’s Day unites birthmoms. A lot of agencies and
organizations are hosting birthmother’s day events and it
has become more recognized by the adoption community
as a day of remembrance for birthmothers. Check with
agencies, support groups, and adoption related
organizations in your area to see if they might be hosting a
Birthmom’s Day event. If not, then celebrate on your own.
Treat yourself to a special dinner or buy yourself a rose -
something to celebrate your birthmotherhood!
Why We Exist
To Fight these for one.....
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2. For the women post-adoption..the mothers or un-mothers...Gediman and Brown (1991) assert:
"The problem of what to call whom also reflects the anomaly of the post-reunionrelationship, which is often described as both a yes and no at the same time. 'I'mhis mother but not his mother,' one says. 'My daughter who's not my daughter,'another puts it. 'I won't be her Mom but she is forever my daughter,' according tosomeone else. Strictly speaking, such sentences don't make any sense, butsomehow because of the circumstances, they do." (p. 154)
2. Pregnancy Centers
By Frederica Mathewes-GreenPregnancy centers and the welfare trap
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"A story like this begins perhaps a thousand times every day: A woman's hand trembles as she
scans the big-city Yellow Pages. The ads for abortion clinics have flowers and birds and slogans
about caring, and one shows a pretty couple grinning at each other at the seashore. That makes
her start crying again. Her boyfriend never looked at her like that. But elsewhere on the page she
sees an ad showing a woman curled around a baby. The phone number ends with the letters H-O-
P-E. She hadn't thought about hope, but she feels like she really needs to talk to someone who
has some, right now. She dials the number. Half a year later, she is stepping out of the Hope
Pregnancy Center. It's her first visit since the birth. Her little boy fusses while everyone hugs
her. She stands for a moment in the spring sunshine. She's made it through these months after
all. It's taken courage, and it's been tough, but this precious child has been brought through
safely and given the gift of life. Without the love of the women at the center, this child would
have died. She looks down at his wizened face. He is all she has now. Tears prick her eyes again,
as she turns and walks to the bus stop. What happens to mother and child next? "It horrifies me
sometimes," says Pat Evans, the unpaid director of Birthright, a crisis-pregnancy center in
Annapolis, Maryland. "She's on the list for public housing, but that housing is invariably in bad
sections. But if she turns it down, she's off the list, or put back on at the bottom to wait all over
again." And how does she support herself? "She probably gets $225 a month on welfare, and
there's food stamps, WIC [nutrition aid to women, infants, and children], and medical
assistance," says Evans, who has counseled thousands of women in her 16 years there. "In all
these years, I've seen less than a half-dozen find a way to work. Once they have that baby, how
can they find a job that pays enough to buy a car to get to the job, and cover day care as well?"
Evans's center, which assists about 1,200 women a year, can help some with housing for a year
after the birth, but can't offer permanent housing or employment. "I don't see any answer to
that; it's almost impossible. When she has a child, everything gets very hard." America's 3,000
pregnancy centers have been rescuing women and their unborn children for 30 years now.
When we list the nonbureaucratic, grass-roots organizations that are doing the most to save
threatened lives, pregnancy centers must rank near the top. These privately funded, storefront
operations offer women material and emotional support free of charge, and they help hundreds
of thousands each year to have their babies. Perhaps more than any other institution, these
centers are shaping attitudes about abortion and the unborn--one person at a time--in a
decidedly pro-life direction. While conservatives debate the wisdom of a pro-life agenda for the
1996 presidential campaign, tens of thousands of volunteers are quietly keeping a candle
glowing through the darkest night of many women's lives. In the old joke, a grandmother
peevishly greets the exhausted hero who has just rescued her grandson from a frozen lake: "But
where are his mittens?" The pregnancy centers and their staff endure difficult, lifesaving work,
little or no pay, and obscurity occasionally alleviated by insult. It hardly seems right for those of
us who value these centers' hard work to punctuate our praise with grumbling about lost
mittens. But the recent evolution in society's attitudes toward welfare compel a closer look. For
all the good crisis-pregnancy centers do, 80 to 90 percent of their clients--about 200,000 a year--
eventually set up single-parent households. Most of these mothers and their children soon find
themselves on their own, with no reliable means of financial support. Many end up permanently
dependent on government welfare. Some even slip into homelessness. And we all know the
eventual outcomes for many of the children born into such households: poverty, low academic
achievement, susceptibility to crime. If pregnancy-counseling centers are to serve the best long-
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term interests of children, many of them will need to think beyond pregnancy and birth--to
finding each one a two-parent home. -Brooke 11/6/08 2:10 AM
3. Welfare
from article:To Evans and others like her, welfare is a necessity. Without it, the young women they servewould grow even more desolate and desperate. "We do put people on welfare," says Evans."We do create the single-parent homes, but at least the baby is alive. Someone has to help usif this is going to change. As it is, the volunteers are doing it all themselves--counseling, givingsupplies, taking women to live in their homes."
But it is important to acknowledge that welfare causes more crisis pregnancies. By makingsingle-parent households possible, welfare dollars remove the stigma of sex and pregnancyoutside marriage. Girls who grow up without a father are more than twice as likely to have ababy out of wedlock themselves.
It is time for the pregnancy-care movement to broaden its vision of how best to help unwedmothers. Such a change has already begun in the last six years or so. The movement oncefocused narrowly on saving unborn babies; now it emphasizes giving the mother practicalsupport so she can save her own child.
The movement's next step is to seek the best possible future for both mother and child. Toooften, the crisis mentality of the moment envisions only two possibilities: The woman willhave an abortion, or she'll "keep the baby," usually as a single mom. In reality, there are twoother options that merit pro-lifers' support.
A poll conducted by Family Research Council in 1995 asked respondents which course theythought would be best for an unwed, pregnant teen. Twenty-nine percent thought her bestchoice was to place the child for adoption. Slightly fewer, 24 percent, felt she should marrythe father of the child. Eleven percent thought single-parenting was her best course. Only 8percent recommended abortion.
Reality turns these numbers upside down. In 1991, 46 percent of pregnancies to unwedmothers ended in abortion. Most of the rest, 44 percent, were carried to term. (Miscarriagesmake up the difference.) Of those births to unwed moms, only 2 percent were placed foradoption; the remainder of the unwed moms kept their babies. How many of those alsomarried the babies' dads is unknown; pregnancy-care workers reckon the figure is quite low.
If the pregnancy-care movement could find effective ways to encourage women to chooseadoption, they could help give children a two-parent home and offer both the children andtheir moms greater security. By thinking beyond merely "saving that baby" or getting thewoman through pregnancy, counselors can help bolster the social institutions that undergirda healthy society and replace welfare bureaucracy with family-based alternatives.
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2. The adoption agencies do a great job, but it is impossible for them to not be biased in their advice to birht
mothers...Sometimes they are in fact .. We are advocates for woman being told the TRUTH all the time, whether
it be from the pr-choice or pr-life side, it should be accurate information which is told and ALL options must be
given. Even the adoption agencies have little respect for birth mothers "intelligence" as they assume their
rhetoric and obvious mm actually would be the deciding factor in such a huge decision as placing your child.
and we believe that the abortion clinics and centers by only telling of "some" options to pregnant woman are
thus directly lying to the woman by not providing all the aptions. areJust as we believe young women who are
not told "all" of the options available. The agencies also provide yu with a "counselor" when you first visit or
move into a pregnancy center/dorm. Wees later these counselors then turn into your "case worker" and
"counselor" (although they hardly ever mention the first) now they become the one in charge of making the
adoption happen..and know you and your deepest toughts. It's rather clever.
Sometimes in our opinion (two birth mom's) we think even the most reputable agencies try "too hard"sometimes. We may be pregnant, but we aren't retarted. Since counselors pretend to see onlytwo alternatives, aborting the child or giving it life, they may try to tip the scale toward life byawakening the maternal instinct. As the woman falls in love with her unborn baby, the centermay shower her with baby gifts, give her a handmade quilt or blanket, and introduce her toprevious clients who are now cuddling beautiful babies. Once her maternal emotions areignited, the mom might not be able to let her child go. (The 1991 study found that pregnantteens counseled in programs that introduced them to teen parents were four times less likelyto choose adoption.) I had my daughter for a full month and the more time I got with her..themore on uneasy they got! We would encourage the women the best out of anyone to adopt!
Many agenciesspend millions on seminars and training woekshops fro their case workers to learn
more ways to reach these women in their care. But while counselors target the client, the
counselors should be the ones we take a look at. Those who have had children may harbor an
unconscious bias against adoption, because many cannot understand how another mom could
"give up" her own child. "We find that one reason counselors are ineffective in presenting adoption
is that it's not settled in their own hearts," says Pierson. "They don't understand what it means to
be an adopted child of God; they don't understand Scripture." Pierson believes that a better
understanding of the biblical teaching about adoption--how it suggests God's unconditional
acceptance of people into his spiritual family--can help counselors present it more effectively. OR
you could recruit birht mom's! (Shh, once the secret is out, it will be out!) Even if agencies took our
idea to hire birt moms..I think they would still be at a loss because we have the advantage of being
young and recent birth mother's wo can appeal and befreind 30 birth mom's a day! They have
approach birth mom's as an agency worker, not a birth mom, who is tryng to maximize profits.
Maybe not all are though. Are main goal is to save lives so maybe theirs is too.
----An underlying ignorance about the damage these woman experience. It is not just that social-workers are not
able to assess the psychiatric syndromes or are ignorant in this area, but that they are dabbling in an area of
illness for which they are totally untrained. They ignore research about the nature of grief and the connection of
Pathological Grief to breakdown in Mental Health which has been known for decades. Their unawareness of
their own ignorance when dealing with the severely damaged is like taking lighted tapers into a gunpowder
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storage. Their use of groups when a distressed person requires extensive individual assessment and debriefing is
destructive.
How to Get the numbrs up..
At the LIGHT House maternity home in Kansas City, Missouri, 10 percent of the clients--well
above the national average--choose adoption. One reason is that the home strips away myths
about motherhood, adoption, and abortion. "We don't push one decision or another, but we do
help them make an informed decision," says Shirley Gibson, the director of residential services
and adoption. "We want them to have a realistic view of being a single parent--not only the
financial but the emotional cost." Residents talk frankly about the good and bad sides of any
decision, including the grief they may feel after an adoption placement. But it's hard not to be
starry-eyed over the prospect of cuddling a sweet baby.
Instead of a pink cherub, however, clients get to hold "Baby Jamie"--an electronic infant that
records such things as how long the girl takes to respond when it cries, how long to feed it, and
whether it's being abused. Girls who think they'd like to parent can take a turn with Baby Jamie.
They must carry a diaper bag and get up in the night for "feedings," while keeping to their regular
school schedule.
n addition to individual counseling, women contemplating adoption participate in an intensive, 20-week
adoption class. The course covers everything from legal issues like the birth father's rights to preparing for birth,
handling grief, and deciding whether to write a letter to the child that the adoptive parents can put aside for
later. (The LIGHT House does not encourage ongoing contact between the birth mother and the adoptive
family.) "The scariest part is these feelings you're having," Gibson says. "You think you're the only one having
them. It's reassuring to learn that [all] birth mothers feel the same way. After the birth, if you feel like changing
your mind, that might be an intellectual decision--or it might be an emotional decision. We ask them to think:
Are the reasons you initially decided for adoption still valid?
"Many girls are crying as they're being driven in," Bell says. "They're not joyfully exercising
some right to privacy; they are in trauma. Seeing that was very important in reinforcing my belief
that this is the approach we need to take." An approach, that is, that demonstrates pro-lifers can
stand outside an abortion clinic doing something peaceful, positive, and ultimately hopeful.
Among society's most pressing problems is the seemingly endless supply of pregnancies to
unwed mothers. Pregnancy centers have 30 years' experience in offering mothers the personal
support and encouragement needed to make a life-affirming choice. But once born, that baby
deserves a better life than welfare and single-parenting can offer. Pregnancy centers, which have
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already done so much to better the prospects of women and children, need to expand their vision
one more time. They should do far more to encourage mothers to consider adoption. This is less a
criticism of pregnancy centers' valiant work than a discovery. It turns out that we've found the
mittens after all. We just need to put them to use.
Spreading the Word about Adoption
To help the community we serve to understand and embrace the many facets and benefits of adoption, we have
created two educational programs that explore the subject in further depth: Giving Life a Second Chance
adoption awareness program in schools, and Infant Adoption Awareness Training for medical professionals.
Giving Life a Second Chance
This adoption awareness program for middle and high school students was designed to communicate the
realities and challenges of parenting as a teenager, and improve general attitudes about adoption as an
alternative for those facing a crisis pregnancy.
Because many teens do not know anyone who is adopted, they know only myths and stereotypes about
adoption. The one-hour Giving Life a Second Chance class presentation gives teens the chance to ask
questions and engage in conversation, and gives the presentation coordinator the chance to address their
misconceptions directly.
The curriculum focuses on several key points:
◦ The emotional/financial challenges and responsibilities of being a parent
◦ How adoption works today
◦ Parental rights in Texas
◦ Adoption laws
◦ The history of adoption in America
◦ Infant Adoption Awareness Training
Spaulding for Children & Harmony, along with adoption and pregnancy counseling agencies and health centers
like Hope Cottage, has developed a curriculum called Understanding Infant Adoption (UIA) and a national
delivery system called the Infant Adoption Training Initiative (IATI) that equips staff at public and nonprofit
private entities to provide better health and counseling services to pregnant women. Hope Cottage is the lead
agency in Texas responsible for implementing IATI statewide.
Specifically, the UIA curriculum trains healthcare professionals to give pregnant women adequate and reliable
adoption and referral information. It also provides participants with an opportunity to compassionately and
openly discuss the issues women with unplanned pregnancies face, while making them aware of service
providers in their areas. Understanding the different resources available for pregnancy counseling and adoption
services is essential for healthcare workers to make informed referrals consistent with client/patient needs and
preferences.
UIA training goals include:
• Creating an understanding of the adoption process
• Educating about state and federal laws governing the adoption process
• Exploring social and cultural issues that impact adoption
• Shaping adolescent development and attitudes toward adoption
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• Enhancing nondirective counseling techniques
• Promoting adoption resources and referrals
UIA training includes:
• Interactive experiences that promote skills development
• Exercises that promote awareness
• Understanding of birthfamily, adoptive family and adoptee experiences
• Resource materials to support attendees as they provide adoption information and make referrals
Infant Adoption Awareness Training in the News
October 15, 2008
The training program is designed to provide health care professionals serving pregnant women and teens with
the knowledge, skills and information necessary to discuss adoption as an option on an equal basis with all other
courses of action included in non-directive counseling to pregnant women.
Hope Cottage is the lead agency in Texas responsible for implementing this national curriculum through a multi-
year grant from Spaulding for Children.
-------------------------------------Books on "grieving a pet" are plentiful - yet there are almost no books on grieving the loss ofone's son, daughter or grandchild to adoption. Few counselors in North America are knowledgeable of the intense delayed suffering "disenfranchised grief" a mother mayexperience even long after losing her child to adoption. This makes it difficult to find a goodcounselor. In addition, counselors may have attended "Infant Adoption Awareness Training"in which some attendees have been told that mothers who have problems following the loss oftheir child to adoption are "few in number and mentally ill". One can only wonder whetherpeople who are grieving a death or divorce are also too "mentally ill" to be worthy ofcompassionate counseling.i cna't count how many times I heard from the adoption caseworkers to the birth mother tobe: "If you really love your baby, you'll "give" her up for adoption." sure, they may be correct,but we dont need to hear this from them. We wouldn't be here if we didnt already know that!
We propose a solution to this problem by developing a Birth mother run, Birth Mother's Dorm...possibly a chain
of them too. This is providing the one thing ALL 30 women in our dorm wanted to have...a birth mother for a
case worker! One to answer all thei questions! There were so many no one knew the aswer too, but the answer
would of so comforted us throughout the entire decision making process. The ones that dont go through with it n
the end....are usually the ones that had too many unanswered questions anyways, in my opinion.
The agencies come to us, not the other way around!
Birthmothers helps a woman facing an unplanned pregnancy overcome barriers to choosing life for her baby and
facilitates adoption when a woman concludes it is in the best interest of her child.
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How We Operate
Birthmothers identifies, trains, equips and nurtures volunteer “Friends” to provide caring, nonjudgmental
assistance for pregnant women and their partners — regardless of age, race, religion, income or marital status.
Click here to learn about becoming a Friend.
What Makes Us Distinct
Birthmothers is not licensed to provide medical or legal advice or to handle adoptions. Our sole focus is on
loving and helping the pregnant woman, providing one-on-one relational support and resource education she
needs to reach well-informed decisions about her pregnancy. Click here to read Our Distinctives.
Whom We Partner With
· Agencies. We aim to work hand in hand with pregnancy resource centers (CPCs) and other agencies to
meet a pregnant woman’s needs. This may include connecting her with a local CPC, clinic or adoption
agency and the resources they supply. Examples are free pregnancy testing, medical and legal referrals/aid,
counseling, peer support groups, housing, food, maternity and infant clothing, baby furniture and
equipment, literature and video resources, information on the risks of contraception, STD referrals,
parenting classes, post-abortion counseling, Hispanic services, abstinence programs and, in some cases,
ultrasounds. Birthmothers walks with each pregnant woman, as she chooses the services appropriate for her
situation, so that she does not feel alone.
· Churches. Partnering churches actively recruit congregation members to be involved in Birthmothers.
We make it easy to call God’s people to action since training is provided at no cost, and our organizational
support structure is already in place. The ministry shows churches how to host events, how to support the
organization financially and materially, how to sponsor Church Teams and how to open their arms to
hurting women and families. It’s a concrete way Christians can help save lives and be Christ’s hands and feet
in their local communities.
Facts
Each day, 3,300 women wake up in America believing abortion is the only realistic solution toan unplanned pregnancy. In this tragic decision, not only is a human life snuffed out, but awoman’s life is changed forever. Many have worked for years in the legal and public policyspheres to put an end to abortion. Care Net, however, seeks a more immediate route bysupporting one woman at a time, to spare her and her unborn child the sorrow of abortion.While legal efforts will continue for years to come, hundreds of lives are being saved everydayin and through the work of pregnancy centers.
According to TIME magazine, pregnancy centers are playing an important role in whyabortion rates have lowered in recent years: “That would seem to be evidence that the quietcampaign for women’s hearts and minds, conducted in thousands of crisis pregnancy centersaround the country, on billboards, phone banks and websites, is having an effect…” (Jan. 21,
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2008)The Reality of Abortion
Intention
This business plan was developed to introduce The Birth Moms of Adoption Mission (alsoreferred to as " The Birth Moms") to the prospective strategic partner, and assist in raisingspecialized knowledge and skills needed to get the business up and running and profit allconcerned. (Financial projections, which for planning purposes are assumed to commenceJanuary 1, 2009, are summarized ahead in this section. Fully detailed schedules with notesand assumptions are available on request.)
Business and Product Sector
The Birth Moms intends to operate as a non-profit ministry of and for Birth Mom's ofadoption. The ministry will just as equally touch lives of adoptees, adoptive parents, pregnantwoman at risk, and so on.
We provide a much needed and overlooked service to birth mother's post-adoption. Asupportive group (local and nationwide) of women who have been through the same thing.Also we provide a voice for the media to better understand our motives in giving up our childto another, we make young girls more aware of what adoption really and let them know it ispossible to do the best for your child, no matter how hard it hurts. The alterntives of abortionor raising a child alone with no money, hurt much worse for both. Eventually provide a birthmother run, pregnancy home.
Foundation and OwnershipAs at January 1, 2009, The Birth Moms will be legally formed as a not-for-profitorganization. The principals are Brooke, Bmom1, Bmom2, Bmom3.
Location
The Birth Moms's head office will be located at 2204 Wolf st. , Dallas, TX USA . Thesefacilities comprise approximately # square feet in a private residence situated in DowntownDallas. This location offers convenient access to local church's (with abortion support groups,but no birth mom ones), adoption, agencies, wholesale distributors, media outlets (Channel8), SMU business, . The Birth Moms's shop is located at The Birth Moms.Com and willhopefully expand to a shop of birth mother's products.
The Market:
their hidden market of millions
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These people in the adoption community do crave a means of expression for all the feelings theyexperience during an adoption and after. And many friends ofpeople in the adoption community alsocrave a way to provide support, love, and thanks to them. Many fear tey will say the worng thing or justdont know what to say. That's where we come in. First aspct we implement into our master plan..isproviding specialized cards and gifts for the MANY adoption holidays and events. We do this through auniquely interactive flas website providing an EASY TO USE e-card system. This cards would makeanyone's heart melt, even if they had no eperience with adption! We also offer hand-made custumproducts aswel! (We have pictures of some possibilities in appendix C) The best aspect of this is theprivcy and disclosure aspect. for example, if adoptive parents wanted to send a greeting card to the BirthMom on birth mother's day, it would go to I'd like to make it possible for people to come to a site,choose & send cards for adoption related events. (There are more holidays in the adoption world thanmany might expect) They need one especially for Birth Mother's Day, which I can't believe hallmarkhasn't seized on yet! I know the women would love it and the adoptive parents would love an easy way toshow they care. Right now there is only one site offering “snail” mail cards for birth mother's day (andthey are pretty uglyAdoption has been very hush-hush until the 1990's (before 1990, the agencies were horribleto and for everyone in the entire adoption triad. They couldn't ruin the true beauty that isadoption though!) now agencies have come a long way. Parents and Birth Parentscommunicte through letters and emails often. since people'a understanding of adoption, in general,is still very limited..the adoptive community is not actively expressing many feelings for fear of the socialstigma. Bt we intend to change that, and we WILL within the next ten years for sure.
Milestones
The Birth Moms has made good / excellent / remarkable progress to date. We have:
Begun / Completed this business / marketing plan.
Built our Web site and put it online. Done!in fact, in just a few months we have established a decent authority in the web community froour niche. This is because of several reasons. One possibly being that we are just that unique.The other influential factor is the deep seeded linking baiting between several sites we alreadyown (such as, birthmomblog.com, thebirthmoms.com, birthmomsday.com,theadoptiontriad.com, birthmothersday.info, thestoryofagirl.com, etc..) and articlessubmitted on other reputable sites explaining a Birthmother's heart. Community we siteswhich allow one to create groups, have been an excellent test of the willingness of people tojoin or show support for a "grass roots movement" such as this. I have tested out theories andtweaked the rhetoric of this business proposal so many times ove rthe past year, I feel I amaware of the best and worst possible reactions to our mission statement.
Put together a team of quality and results oriented people to manage initial demand createdby implementing our marketing plan.
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Built a network of strategic partners and advocates of adoption. Any friends, relatives, orcurrent aquaintences's donations or support will not be calculated into the business plan'sestimation of profits. They can only donate so much and for so long. This company is notworth beginning if it were to just end in two years, due to lack of funds and flawed research. Itis a company designed, so that it's presence will remain in the community. Even if it growsand merges or founder's die, the voice of the birth mother's is what we hope will remain. Inthis instance, the company will always do it's best in the marketing and PR department...butwe know the purpose of our ministry is much bigger than the company...and the need for thismission is the PR we can only hope to compete with! As long as we don't mess it up....I thinkwe are in for suprising ride with a company that will quickly expand beyond our expectations!
Used market research to verify market acceptance of our concept.
Begun product development.
Begun the process of registering our trademark.
Launched a marketing communications campaign consisting of facebook.
Begun to develop sales leads resulting from marketing communications activities.
Built up to # a week.
Goals & Objectives
NEAR TERM:
We are now poised to take the following steps:
Complete this business plan.
Obtain a start-up loan and line of credit to go forward with this plan.
Earn $100 a month from a commerce website. Earn $ 500 a month in membership dues (25$to join "The Birth Mother's mission"),
Complete market research to verify acceptance of our concept and long term goal. (Getfeedback from our members on directions they would be most pleased with company going).
Complete the final phase of product development (find supplier to manufacter the neededitems... the handmade adoption cards and gifts) and advance immediately into stage-1market rollout. (To begin campaign in January 2009, which is the 25th anniversary of Roe vs.Wade, and our purpose and impact will be most clear) (Also, may be after FOCA is signed,and many upset over values slipping away)
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We approach the public and every individual we come in contact with love and support, neverjudgemental or forceful. We will make no attempt to hide our Christianity or our beliefs whichthis mission is founded on, but we will not ocme across as far right-wing evangelists eithier.the intent is that God be seen and revelaed through our work, not through our words.
Staff up to manage growth.
Launch a marketing communications campaign consisting of contacting adoption agenciessuch as edna Gladney...the birth mother's are obviously a crucial part in theor business....Idon't see why they would not be hapy to refer every girl the comes through Gladney to joinour Support network. The goal is to refer more woman to them and vice versa.-Our adoption cards and awareness of adoption holidays (National Adoption Month, BirthMother's Day, etc..) an online e-greeting and highly customizable flash website serves as acommunication resource between birth mothers and adoptive parents, if they so choose tocommunicate (and everyone does, at least all 30 in the dorm during my stay did)-Facebook and Myspace and media sites such as youtube have already become a strongindicator of the interest in our service(s)-The Birth Mother Blog Network, My Birth Mother Story/Blog/Diary/ which let thecustomer/donator get to know the people behind the company-An adoption Children's Book (The story of my daughters adoption, written for her)-My diary during the pregnancy, pre-eclampesia, paper signing day, a month with her, andthen letting her go for 18 years.-Nicole Normande singing the Birht Mom's Song....-Local Radio and Birht Mother's Day Events!.Hold press visits to introduce The Birth Moms and its concept to the media.
Introduce the product at The Birth Moms.Com and the MANY locations available to list yournon-profit for donations (such as facebook)Participate in Adoption Venues and Events and show we are not ashamed or hiding. Again,encourage pro-life and what is best for the child ALWAYS!-Economic and political events, introduce it as a great asset to the welfare program boom andjob market today. Pregancy homes have mad dramtic changes in where our
MEDIUM TERM:
Within the coming # months, we expect to achieve the following goals and objectives:
Secure 2nd-round financing.
Staff up to manage growth.
Complete market research to verify acceptance of our advertising.
Complete the final phase of product development and advance immediately into .
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Launch a marketing communications campaign consisting of .
Create positive brand awareness in the marketplace
Hold press visits to introduce The Birth Moms and its concept to the media.
Introduce the product at .
LONGER TERM:
Going forward, we expect to reach the following milestones within # months / years:
Hire and train additional staff to handle increasing market demand and manage growth.
Complete the final phase of product development and advance immediately into .
Launch # new .
Obtain orders from # targeted prospects, representing $ # in sales.
Develop export marketing opportunities based on .
License rights to our proprietary
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Competition: Analysis & SWOT
Management
The principals ( resumes available on request) are uniquely qualified / positioned to managethis opportunity.
Mr. Marvin Garellek, cofounder, president and CEO of ICBB, earned a Bachelor ofCommerce degree (marketing major) from Concordia University in 1983. A bornentrepreneur, Mr. Garellek cofounded a marketing communications boutique that wasacquired by a major advertising agency, cofounded one software company and foundedanother, consulted independently with large and small clients, held top marketing posts atpublic corporations, and is on the executive committee of an important charitableorganization. More than a seasoned professional, Mr. Garellek is a natural "people person"with a gift for win-win negotiation and sales. Mr. Edward Shapire, cofounder and steering-committee member, is a 1960 graduate of UCNY, an award-winning veteran of MadisonAvenue, has supervised creative development for a great many major advertisers, and was acreative marketing consultant to ad agencies and private clients in Montreal beforecofounding ICBB, for which he manages product development, brand positioning andadvertising.
Management plans to consult with the following professional advisors, and would highlyvalue the participation of A lawyer or 2... on The Birth Moms's board of directors.Management will rely on knowledge provided by Market Research Reports, Pre-CustomerTestimonies to support, more than one Mother's intuition, and plans to consult with thefollowing .
MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT
Name: Brooke BidaFirm:Phone:Email:
Compensation will be Food and scrapbooking stickers would be fine until profits were wayover expectation..
MARKETING CONSULTANT
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Name: Samantha DecaurFirm:Phone:Email:
Compensation will be on an equitable basis to be determined.
ACCOUNTANT
Name: not ME!Firm:Phone:Email:
Compensation will be .
LEGAL COUNSEL
Name:Firm:Phone:Email:
Compensation will be monthly fees.
--------
The Birth Moms's think tank
Responsibility: Develop and forward plans that foster The Birth Moms's mission.
Tasks: Gather and process information; develop management, marketing, and moneystrategies.
The Birth Moms's board will initially be comprised as shown below. (by actual birthmother's).
Name: SamanthaFirm:Name: BrookeFirm:
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BOARD OF DIRECTORSName:Title: Chairperson?Name:Title: Treasurer?Name:Title: Secretary?
Responsibility: Oversee and optimize corporate governance, business direction andperformance, and shareholders' interests.
Tasks: Attend all meetings of the board and shareholders; elect officers; govern disposition ofcapital stock; declare dividends; develop annual report; review and advise on strategic plans;monitor business performance and advise management.
Management will take the following steps to minimize fixed expenses and reduce pressure oncash flow.
Limit management salaries until monthly cash flow is sufficient for two months' workingcapital including modest salaries.Form strategic partnerships with supply-chain partners in a revenue sharing arrangementthat defers our payments to them until sales revenues are collected.Work from home and network with associates and customers via email and phone, etc.Finance operations with our personal credit cards.Use our own vehicles for business travel.Use barter wherever possible for goods and services required to operate the business andproduce revenues.
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Website Features
• Flash graphics permitting interesting animated visual effects when our homepageopens. (A "skip intro" link will be provided for visitors that do not want to watch theshow.)
• Blog(s)• Online JAVA applications with a user-friendly program interface and secure filing
system.• Corporate identity, Mission Statement, About Us information, Privacy Policy
information, Contact Us mechanism, Feedback mechanism.• Pop-up windows to capture email addresses or show images without closing the
loaded page.• A Guestbook that visitors can sign. (We can find guestbook software listed at
http://www.overture.com/d/search/;$sessionid$AZDJIJIAAJ0IWCQCBGIAPUQ?type=home&tm=1&Keywords=guestbook+software.
• A link visitors can click to send our page to a friend.• A Bookmark link with call-to-action.• A link to our online auctions with call-to-action.• An autoresponder to immediately acknowledge page views, inquiries and orders via
email. (We can find autoresponder software listed at http://www.overture.com/d/search/;$sessionid$CHN102AABDUJNQFIEOOAPUQ?type=topbar&Keywords=email+autoresponder.)
• Brand identity and product information to support sales.• An F A Q page to support sales and service.• A product demonstration to support sales.• Product reviews, customer testimonials and press reviews to support sales.• Catalog and shopping cart with secure transaction mechanism.• FREE information content and other added value features intended to create
stickiness, including .• Cookies-type monitoring application to track visitors' page preferences and develop
visitor profiles for database marketing.• Space for banner ads to support our advertising revenue generation strategy.• Audio and Video streaming permitting real-time, face-to-face forums or A V I D
technical service.• Links to related resources at other sites.• Access counters to record page views.• Download links for .• A geographically organized list of to support sales-chain partners.
• Sign-up forms for prospective sales-chain partners.• Subscriber forms.• Investor Relations information.• Industry News.• Training course schedules.
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Goals & Objectives
NEAR TERM:
We are now poised to take the following steps:
• Complete this business plan.
• Obtain a start-up loan and line of credit to go forward with this plan.
• Earn $100 a month from a commerce website. Earn $ 500 a month in membershipdues (25$ to join "The Birth Mother's mission"),
• Complete market research to verify acceptance of our concept and long term goal.(Get feedback from our members on directions they would be most pleased withcompany going).
• Complete the final phase of product development (find supplier to manufacter theneeded items... the handmade adoption cards and gifts) and advance immediatelyinto stage-1 market rollout. (To begin campaign in January 2009, which is the 25thanniversary of Roe vs. Wade, and our purpose and impact will be most clear) (Also,may be after FOCA is signed, and many upset over values slipping away)
• We approach the public and every individual we come in contact with love andsupport, never judgemental or forceful. We will make no attempt to hide ourChristianity or our beliefs which this mission is founded on, but we will not ocmeacross as far right-wing evangelists eithier. the intent is that God be seen and revelaedthrough our work, not through our words.
• Staff up to manage growth.• Launch a marketing communications campaign consisting of contacting adoption
agencies such as edna Gladney...the birth mother's are obviously a crucial part intheor business....I don't see why they would not be hapy to refer every girl the comesthrough Gladney to join our Support network. The goal is to refer more woman tothem and vice versa.
• -Our adoption cards and awareness of adoption holidays (National Adoption Month,Birth Mother's Day, etc..) an online e-greeting and highly customizable flash websiteserves as a communication resource between birth mothers and adoptive parents, ifthey so choose to communicate (and everyone does, at least all 30 in the dorm duringmy stay did)
• -Facebook and Myspace and media sites such as youtube have already become astrong indicator of the interest in our service(s)
• -The Birth Mother Blog Network, My Birth Mother Story/Blog/Diary/ which let thecustomer/donator get to know the people behind the company
• -An adoption Children's Book (The story of my daughters adoption, written for her)• -My diary during the pregnancy, pre-eclampesia, paper signing day, a month with her,
and then letting her go for 18 years.• -Nicole Normande singing the Birht Mom's Song....
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• -Local Radio and Birht Mother's Day Events• Hold press visits to introduce The Birth Moms and its concept to the media.• Introduce the product at The Birth Moms.Com and the MANY locations available to
list your non-profit for donations (such as facebook)• Participate in Adoption Venues and Events and show we are not ashamed or hiding.
Again, encourage pro-life and what is best for the child ALWAYS!• -Economic and political events, introduce it as a great asset to the welfare program
boom and job market today. Pregancy homes have mad dramtic changes in where oursociety turns. (facts and stats at end).
• Launch # branch offices in Pennyslvania, New York, and wherever the next B Momleader is.
• Develop export marketing opportunities based on .• License rights to our proprietary brand name
MEDIUM TERM:.
• Staff up to manage growth.• Complete market research to verify acceptance of our advertising.• Complete the final phase of product development and advance immediately into .• Launch a marketing communications campaign consisting of .• Create positive brand awareness in the marketplace
LONGER TERM
• Hire and train additional staff to handle increasing market demand and managegrowth.
• Developed export marketing opportunities based on tax incentives.
Outreach
WAYS YOU CAN HELP
I want to volunteer with The Birth Moms. What should I do?
• Pray. Ask God to confirm your call to serve in this ministry.
• Contact The Birth Moms at [email protected] for information about volunteering.
• Share with the The Birth Moms staff your area of interest: hospitality, office help, computers,
communications, prayer, transportation or another specific ministry.
• Attend training.
• Join the The Birth Moms team in ministering to hurting women, babies and families.
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I want to become a The Birth Moms Friend. What should I do?
• Pray. Ask God to confirm your call to this ministry and to interceding regularly for birth moms.
• Contact The Birth Moms at [email protected] to indicate your interest.
• Attend an Orientation Meeting with other potential Friends to learn more about the Friends
ministry, share personal stories and determine that you feel called to proceed.
• Attend Friends Training, where you will receive a Training Manual.
• Be matched with a birth mom.
• Attend periodic in-service trainings to continue learning about pregnancy, childbirth, services,
resources and issues associated with expectant women and their families.
• Meet regularly with other Friends and Team members for encouragement, support and prayer.
I want to introduce The Birth Moms to my church or organization. What should I do?
• Arrange for a speaker. Contact the The Birth Moms office at [email protected] to arrange
for a The Birth Moms representative to speak at your church or organization.
• Distribute The Birth Moms’ literature. request a packet by email of The Birth Moms’ promotional
materials for your information racks at your church or organization.
• Pass out Birth Mom Mission cards. Give one to every Christian you know. Tell them about The
Birth Moms. Ask them to share the card with someone who is pregnant — or keep it until the time is
right.
I want to help my congregation become a Partnering Church. What should I do?
• Pray. Ask God to confirm your call to mobilize your congregation for this ministry.
• Contact The Birth Moms at [email protected] to indicate interest.
• Arrange to meet with The Birth Moms’ staff. We’ll explain our vision for the ministry, show you
ways churches can help and give you informational materials to help you proclaim the beauty of
adoption.
• Meet with key congregation members to determine how your church should be involved with The
Birth Moms.
• Obtain approval from your church board to become a The Birth Moms Partnering Church.
• Begin recruiting interested church members for ministry with The Birth Moms through
announcements, information sessions and networking.
• Foster your congregation’s involvement with ministry updates and presentations.
• Conduct yearly fundraisers and celebrate adoption holidays.
I want to start a The Birth Moms Prayer Team. What do I do?
• Pray. Ask God to confirm your call to participation and regular prayer intercession for this ministry.
• Contact The Birth Moms by email at [email protected] to indicate your interest.
I want to pray for The Birth Moms. What should I do?
• Join our weekly prayer call every Wednesday @ 1:45. For more details on joining our call..
send an email to [email protected] put "Join our Prayer Call" on the subject line.
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• Pray for The Birth Moms with your prayer group or on your own. See our prayer list for the
latest list of prayer updates and requests for The Birth Moms.
• Sign up for The Birth Moms’ e-mail list to receive regular prayer updates and requests in your
inbox. Indicate whether you are a birth mother or other...
I want to make an in-kind or financial contribution to The Birth Moms. What should I do?
• To make a financial contribution (choose your payment method):
• To make a secure credit card donation online today via Pay Pal, click here.
• Become a The Birth Moms Monthly Partner by choosing a membership category
• Contribute by check (made out to “The Birth Moms Ministries”).
The Birth Moms is a proud member of the ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial
Accountability), which holds its members to strict standards of financial stewardship.
Financial Disclosure
The Birth Moms, Inc. is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501 (c)(3), non-profit corporation. As a
Christian organization, we hold ourselves accountable to donors, supporters, churches and foundations to use
the resources they contribute wisely, responsibly and in service of our mission.
Become a Friend
(Frequently Asked Questions)
The Birth Moms Friends are the lifeblood of our ministry. Potential volunteers often ask us what it means to
serve in this capacity.
Q: How do you find volunteers to become The Birth Moms Friends?
A: Many people are surprised to learn that we don’t actively recruit. Potential Friends find out about us on the
web, through their churches or through acquaintances. Each one has a personal reason for her interest, and
contacts us to find out how she can get involved.
Q: I don’t have any counseling experience. May I still become a Friend?
A: Of course! Birth moms’ number one need is for someone to listen. We’ll give you tools you can use to be a
compassionate listener, no matter what your confidence level or skills are right now. You can be sure we know
what were talking about too!
Q: Does being a Friend take a lot of time?
A: It’s up to you to decide. One benefit of being a Friend is that you can meet with your birth mom at your
convenience, and at a place that suits you both. You can also support her through phone and e-mail. Many of our
Friends are moms of young children, working women or parents of teenagers.
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Q: How do you screen candidates?
A: We have an Orientation Meeting with four to six potential Friends. The group is purposely small to facilitate
intimacy.
President Jim Wright outlines The Birth Moms’ mission and tells the story of why he started the ministry. Then,
each candidate has the opportunity to explain her interest in The Birth Moms.
Many have placed a baby for adoption themselves, have experienced abortion, have been abused, have struggled
to conceive, have their own adopted children or simply have a heart for those in difficult circumstances. Sharing
their experiences in an atmosphere of love and acceptance brings participants release — especially when they
realize that they can use those experiences to help other women. Tears, hugs and affirmation are common
during Orientation.
Afterwards, we ask candidates to consider whether or not they feel called to this line of service. We encourages
them to pray about their potential role, and tell them to contact The Birth Moms within the next week with their
decision
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The Team
The Birth Moms Team Model
An effective Team needs people in key positions. In some congregations,
one person may take on more than one of these responsibilities.
Team Coordinator
• builds Team community
• supervises and encourages Friends
• arranges meetings and social events for Team
Friend
• ministers directly to birth mom
• routinely attends in-service trainings to continue learning about pregnancy, childbirth, services,
resources and issues associated with expectant women and their families
Communicator
• keeps The Birth Moms in front of the local congregation
• distributes ministry information to church and Team members
• makes sure pictures are taken at appropriate events
• extends appreciation to Friends’ spouses and supporters
• encourages and expresses gratitude for congregation’s financial support
Recruiter
• sales-type personality who brings energy to the Team
• recruits volunteers, Friends, prayer partners and supporters from the congregation
Dedicated Friend to CPCs (pregnancy resource centers)
• cultivates relationships with area CPCs
• offers Team support and trained Friends to CPCs as needed
Coach
• sponsoring church staff member who has a passion for The Birth Moms
• regularly presents The Birth Moms to church staff and board as an opportunity for community
outreach
• seeks to use the church’s The Birth Moms team in ways that would not automatically be seen as a
mission
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THE The Birth Moms CHURCH TEAMS:
THE HEART OF OUR MINISTRY
A Church Team is a group of congregation members
who have a heart for children, women and families
and are called to ministry with The Birth Moms.
The Birth Moms Church Teams at a Glance
• Church Teams are comprised of up to 12 volunteers and Friends.
• Team members recognize that God uses intercessory prayer, combined with action, to accomplish His
work in ministry.
• Teams meet regularly in small groups for prayer and mutual encouragement.
• Teams keep shared information confidential.
• Teams can be formed between churches if there are not enough participants at one church.
• A church may field several Teams.
PARTNERING CHURCHES
A Partnering Church is a congregation
that is committed to the The Birth Moms ministry
and fosters ongoing, growing support for hurting women, babies and families.
Ways Partnering Churches Support The Birth Moms
• Active volunteers. A congregation with two or more active volunteers is a Partnering Church.
• Church Teams. A congregation that sponsors a The Birth Moms Church Team is a Partnering
Church.
• Financial support. A congregation that provides financial support to The Birth Moms, or encourages
its members to contribute to the ministry, is a Partnering Church.
• “Approved Ministry” designation. A congregation that designates The Birth Moms as a ministry
endorsed or approved by its board is a Partnering Church.
• Intentional networking. A church that intentionally seeks out and welcomes women and families in
crisis pregnancies with love, acceptance and compassion, and provides them with a network of support,
is a Partnering Church.
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