With a heart for children, Jerry, a Registered Nurse – Acute Care at Prisma Health, and his wife, Kelly, knew they wanted to grow their family. When circumstances prevented them from having biological children, they explored other options, including adoption.
Through a mutual connection, Jerry met an adoption attorney, who had adopted his son. Upon learning more about the process, Jerry and Kelly pursued infant adoption.
Unfortunately, the couple experienced the grief of several failed adoptions. Though their faith was tested, they held onto the belief that they were meant to provide a permanent family for children in need.
At last, Jerry and Kelly brought their baby girl home.
“I would best describe it as a roller coaster ride, many highs and lows,” said Jerry. “But with the highs always outnumbering the lows!”
Five years later, their home still had room for more. That is when they adopted their second daughter.
Throughout their adoption process, the couple leaned on Jerry’s employer, Prisma Health, for support. The company’s adoption benefits, which include financial reimbursement and parental leave, brought the couple peace of mind.
“We spent several days in the hospital bonding with both our new daughter and her sweet birth parents, a relationship that we continue to have and cherish to this day,” said Jerry.
Now a family of four, Jerry and Kelly decided to open their home to another child. Their third adoption experience was lengthy and required the family to travel across the country to meet and bond with their son. Thankfully, Prisma Heath’s adoption assistance program supported the family once again as they spent a few weeks away from home.
Today, Jerry and Kelly’s family is complete. Just as the attorney had offered support and guidance to Jerry as he explored paths to parenthood, Kelly now walks alongside other couples in their own adoption journeys.
“Adoption is not for the faint of heart, but it is such a blessing,” said Jerry.
Thank you Prisma Health for being an Adoption-Friendly Workplace.
Through its Adoption-Friendly Workplace program, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption promotes the importance of providing adoption and foster care benefits and offers employers a toolkit to help develop their policies. Each year, the Foundation also recognizes organizations across the U.S. leading the way in making adoption and foster care supported options for every working parent.
You can start the adoption and foster care benefits conversation in your organization by downloading the Foundation’s free Adoption-Friendly Workplace toolkit. For organizations already offering these benefits, register to participate in our annual survey.
