Our agency is Holy Family Services (hfs.org/) in Los Angeles, California. Here's a little overview of our experience with them:
We attended a Saturday morning orientation meeting in September 2019, and found the agency director, Julie Brown, to be incredibly warm and personal. As we learned about HFS’ philosophy and practices, we immediately loved their priority for caring for birth mothers; not just during the adoption process, but before delivery and long after. We love that they offer unbiased counseling so expectant mothers would never feel coaxed or pushed into any decision one way or another, that rather, she would feel total freedom to choose what’s right for her, and that she would have the support she needs, should she decide to place her child for adoption. In addition, we loved the ethos and history of HFS. They are the second oldest adoption agency in Los Angeles with a great reputation, and have long-lasting positive relationships with many of the families they’ve worked with.
We left the orientation that day so excited and ready to officially partner with them. After submitting our first round of paperwork, we were introduced to our social worker, Lisa Espericueta (lisa.espericueta@hfs.org). She’s wonderful. Lisa has shepherded us through the entire process of paperwork, interviews and the home study. We’re now officially certified and home study approved. HFS is very instrumental in matching birth mothers with adoptive families, and they are also very supportive of adoptive families being proactive and utilizing services like PairTree. Whichever way a match may come, they’re ready and waiting to support us and our birth mother through the process.