Taking Stock of Our Accomplishments
Thanks to you, we’ve achieved incredible milestones in empowering birthparents on their paths toward healing, growth, and connection. Together, we’ve provided transformative support through our Case Management and Retreat programs, helping birthparents achieve goals they once only dreamed of.
Our Birthparents’ Stories of Growth and Achievement
Birthparents in our community have made remarkable strides. Here are some of the ways they are creating change in their lives:
- Reconnected with her daughter after years of no contact; they now text regularly, strengthening their relationship
- Developed job application skills, including resume writing and cover letter drafting, and started applying for jobs
- Secured stable housing, gained full-time employment, advocated for birth mothers, reconnected with family, and began drafting a book on her experience
- Attended a retreat, connected with an adoption-competent therapist, and began therapy
- Attended her first ConnectCall, connected with other birth mothers, and began seeing an adoption-competent therapist
- A transgender birthgiver expressed gratitude for the inclusivity and acceptance he found with On Your Feet
- Established better communication with her son and adoptive parents, planned engaging FaceTime activities, and attended her first in-person visit with her son in three years
While these milestones inspire us, there is still much work to be done.
The Hidden Struggle: Untreated PMAD in Birthparents
As many as 1-in-3 birthparents live with undiagnosed and untreated Postpartum Mood and Anxiety Disorder (PMAD)—a complication affecting more than 20% of women who give birth in the U.S. each year. Pediatricians conduct PMAD screenings during well-baby visits, but birthparents—who are at a higher risk due to the trauma of a crisis pregnancy and adoption placement—rarely receive this assessment or care. This leaves birthparents with an impossible task: to show up in healthy ways for their child while battling untreated PMAD. We see this every day, and it underscores the urgent need for accessible, competent mental health care for birthparents.
A New Vision for Support in 2025
We’re excited to launch a groundbreaking program that will allow birthparents to be assessed and treated for PMADs through a HIPAA-compliant smartphone app. PMAD is treatable when diagnosed, and this app will enable birthparents to connect with a PMAD-competent therapist within an average of four days. By removing barriers to care, we hope to end the silent suffering of birthparents and provide accessible, compassionate support at no cost to them.
How You Can Help
This pioneering project, along with our ongoing programs, is only possible through the generous support of donors like you. Donate today so we can continue empowering birthparents to achieve their goals, foster community, and provide critical PMAD diagnosis and treatment—making a lasting impact in their lives, and the lives of every member of their adoption constellation.
In 2024, On Your Feet Foundation:
- Served 703 birthparents — a 21% increase from 2023 — including 99 new clients, in 46 states and 3 countries.
- Hosted 88 BirthmomsConnect Calls, providing support to over 368 birthparents
- Connected more than 371 birthparents through closed Facebook groups, including our birthfathers support group
- Had over 20 participants in our Birthmom-to-Birthmom Mentoring Program
- Sent over 1,330 birthday card emails to our clients for both their birthday, and for the birthdays of the children they placed, providing them connection, recognition, and community on difficult days
- Provided 21 birthparents with grants for counseling, education, retreats, and more
- Gave Kintsugi hearts to more than 24 birthmoms and hosted a virtual gathering to honor them on Birthmothers' Day
- Hosted special events like Palentine’s Day and a holiday party for 54 birthparents
- Welcomed 31 birthmoms at either an in-person or virtual retreat
- Provided gifts for 52 children through our Holiday Assistance Program. Since 2020, this program has provided over 300 gifts for the children placed by our birthparents, along with children they are parenting
- Supported the adoption community by providing ethical adoption education via Activism in Adoption to over 375 participants. Over 50 agencies and organizations utilized this education.
We are optimistic about the positive impact our work will have on the adoption constellation in 2025. Your support of our work is greatly appreciated.
