Inspired by her own story as an adoptee, Ardmore’s Maxine Chalker founded Adoptions From the Heart to provide a more personalized adoption experience, writes Gina Lizzo for the Main Line Today.
She set up a process where a birth mother could select the future family for her child and stay involved if she wanted to. In four decades, the organization has placed over 7,420 infants and toddlers and currently has nine offices across six states.
When she began, open adoptions were not yet recognized and faced strong opposition.
“They thought adoptive parents weren’t going to be willing to do this but I believed people should have a choice,” said Chalker, adding that open adoption has many benefits.
“Children don’t have to go through the search to find their birth parents,” she said. “Plus, parents can choose where their child is going, and they get to know how they’re doing as they grow up.”
She began her work inspired by a deeply personal experience.
“I always wondered who my birth parents were,” she said. “I was lucky that I actually found my birth family – but it’s not easy.”
Read more about Ardmore’s Maxine Chalker in the Main Line Today.
