Options in Adoption: Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee
African American couples in the United States are often underrepresented in adoption programs, leaving African American birth parents who wish to make an adoption plan with limited options for selecting adoptive families from their own race and culture.
Catholic Charities in Milwaukee is working to address this gap by providing African American birth mothers with the option to choose adoptive parents who share their race and culture, as well as live locally, supporting the possibility of maintaining family connections, if desired. We are actively seeking African American couples who are open to adopting, minimizing cost barriers and offering comprehensive support for both birth parents and adoptive families throughout the adoption process.
Javon and Stephanie became the first adoptive parents through our Options in Adoption program, welcoming Heavenly Marie into their family in early 2024.
Heavenly Marie was born on January 9, amid a snowstorm that shut down schools and businesses across southeastern Wisconsin. Although Heavenly’s birth mother already had children, this was her first experience with a support person by her side during delivery. She requested that Erika, her Catholic Charities pregnancy support case manager, be with her in the hospital. Erika was unwavering in her support, braving the storm to be there. “We prepared for this day for over four months,” Erika said.
Having faced significant challenges with substance use, Heavenly’s birth mother previously saw her older children placed in foster care. When she became pregnant with Heavenly, her counselor recommended adoption to help reduce the trauma that can come with foster care placements. Together, they reached out to Catholic Charities and learned that the adoption program would allow her to choose her child’s adoptive family and maintain a relationship with her daughter, if she wished.
Upon meeting Stephanie and Javon, an African American couple ready to adopt through Options in Adoption, Heavenly’s birth mother knew she had found the right family for her daughter.
For Stephanie and Javon, the journey to adoption began with their dream of building a family of their own. While they had previously served as foster parents, they longed to adopt. Catholic Charities provided the guidance and support they needed to make this dream a reality. When they were chosen by Heavenly’s birth mother, they felt a renewed sense of hope and joy. “God always provides and makes a way,” Javon said.
At Heavenly’s adoption finalization hearing in a Milwaukee County courtroom, Stephanie and Javon honored her birth mother’s choice by keeping her given name, Heavenly Marie, while adding their family name as her new last name. Surrounded by her new family, Heavenly’s grandmother spoke through joyful tears, telling the judge, “This is just the happiest day.”