Hope Cottage
Hope Cottage focuses on building a village to support adopted and foster children
One of the organizations doing important work here in Dallas is Hope Cottage. Originally founded to help children orphaned by the Spanish Flu, the non-profit has over 100 years of experience serving the community.
The agency has become known for facilitating infant adoptions and foster placement. But they take a much more modern approach than what we traditionally think of.
Hope Cottage works with both birth and adoptive families to find the right match for a child. A birth mother chooses the family her child will go to, with the goal of both families working together as the child grows. This ensures there will be a village of people to support the child.
While not an LGBTQ-only organization, Hope Cottage makes a point to be affirming in all it does. The agency’s hiring practices ensure no one will discriminate against members of the community. They have worked with many LGBTQ couples in adopting infants and becoming foster families. And all their parenting services are open and inclusive for everyone, including single parents.
“A loving family is a loving family is a loving family,” said Stephanie Bohan, CEO of Hope Cottage. “All families can create a loving environment for children to be raised.”
Over the years, Hope Cottage has grown to be more than just an adoption agency. They meet many familial needs, offering educational programs for parents as well as relationship programs for youth that are specifically LGBTQ-affirming. Everything is all centered on the family, and helping children find safe environments to grow up in. And they’ve had great success in helping LGBTQ-families.
While it is not legally challenging for LGBTQ couples to adopt, it is all about finding the right match. While this might take some time, it is completely worth it.
Just recently Hope Cottage placed an infant adoption with a queer couple that was a perfect fit. At the annual Christmas party, both the couple’s extended family as well as the extended birth family were there to celebrate. Bohan recalled getting to hold the baby and seeing the joy on everyone’s faces.
“That’s where the joy of our job really comes from, getting to see such beautiful families come together to support these kids,” Bohan said.
In addition to adoptions, Hope Cottage also works to place kids in the foster system in safe, loving homes. With the high percentage of LGBTQ youth entering the foster care system, it is important to have affirming families licensed to care for children. Of course, the goal is usually to reunite the child with their birth family, but many times couples foster to adopt.
Hope Cottage works not only to facilitate fostering but also offers parental support and education.
As the organization continues to expand to meet the needs of the community, Hope Cottage, in collaboration with HHM Health, opened a maternal health clinic earlier this year. CeCe’s Place offers maternal health services from the diagnosis of pregnancy to the first post-partum appointment. Patients are able to deliver at a hospital with the doctor they see at the clinic.
In addition, the clinic can also point patients towards other social service resources for food and housing insecurity.
“We don’t want to lose more people to pregnancy-related deaths,” Bohan said. “Our goal with this clinic is to get people connected earlier and maintain that connection throughout the pregnancy.”
Even though the focus is put on mothers, anyone experiencing a pregnancy is welcomed and served at the clinic, no matter their identity.
While Hope Cottage helps the community, it also needs the local community’s support. Governmental assistance alone does not allow the organization to adequately help their clients. Supporting families involves more than adjusting fees with a sliding scale, but providing diapers, food, and high-quality medical care.
Anyone who wishes to support its mission with a financial contribution can do so on the website. One can also host a diaper drive or volunteer directly with Hope Cottage and the families it serves.
For LGBTQ+ couples or individuals looking to adopt, foster, or for pregnancy support, there is a place for them at Hope Cottage.