Orange City, Iowa — November is National Adoption Month.
Kathy Alons of Bethany Christian Services, who serves as the Orange City Branch Director says that Bethany and other adoption agencies are trying — especially this month — to tell people all about the opportunities of adoption.
She says they also want people to know that they provide post-adoption services.
Alons says sometimes an adoptee will feel some trauma or grief for the loss of his or her birth family, especially as they get older.
She says that Bethany works with families for both domestic and international adoption in 16 foreign countries. She says they offer both traditional and open adoption.
Alons says they also have a new service available called Safe Families which is a voluntary placement of children when the primary caregiver is going to be unavailable, such as if they have to go in for surgery and a recovery period. Volunteer host families who have had all the needed background checks and training — take in the child or children for the needed amount of time, and when the goal is met or the time is up, the children go home.
Alons emphasizes that their goal is bringing families together and keeping families together.
