The process of adoption can often be an emotional rollercoaster for both the birth mother and adoptive parent(s). A Chosen Child offers comprehensive support for all involved, ensuring that the child is placed in a forever home full of love and stability.

Nestled in downtown Orlando, A Chosen Child has been making a difference in the lives of children and families for over 20 years. Now in her sixth year as the executive director, Ashley Filimon takes a great deal of pride in the personal attention and service she and her team provide to birth parents, children and adopting parents. You won’t usually find them in the office: They prefer to spend their time out of the office where the most need exists. The primary passion and values at A Chosen Child are to meet needs and impact lives. They are not content to simply “place children for adoption.” A Chosen Child goes beyond the traditional role of many adoption agencies by balancing the needs of birth parents and adoptive parents while focusing on the baby.

Birth mothers choose to place their babies for adoption for a multitude of reasons ranging from social, family, economic and health reasons. Regardless of the circumstances, Filimon and her team at A Chosen Child ease the minds of birth mothers by helping them meet basic needs and find a solution through adoption. They personally assess each birth mother in order to create an individual plan for support during the pregnancy. This plan often involves securing housing, food, transportation, clothing and medical care. A Chosen Child also presents birth mothers with profiles of waiting families so they can choose the family best suited for their baby. The review and selection of a family brings a birth mother peace of mind early in the process so she can be settled in her choice and work with the case worker at A Chosen Child on her own needs and improvements with the comfort and confidence that she has made a selfless decision to give her child the best future possible.

While serving the needs of the birth mother, A Chosen Child also works to make prayers and dreams come true for adopting families. A Chosen Child serves as a much-needed bridge between birth parents and adoptive parents by delivering health and social updates to the adoptive parents throughout the pregnancy. They routinely work with adoptive parents to prepare for their little ones by aiding them in the legal and social journey of adoption. This interaction ranges from connecting the birth and adoptive families, to assisting with post-placement needs and giving a detailed explanation of the adoption process. A Chosen Child makes the impossible a reality for both sides of the adoption.

The primary focus of the adoption journey is the child. Through the choices and connection of two families, a child obtains broader horizons, more opportunities, love from two families and a life full of promise. Filimon derives great joy and satisfaction as the executive director. She and her team transformed A Chosen Child from a traditional adoption agency to a more modern approach, where birth parents receive electronic updates with pictures and information long after the placement of their child. The families on both sides of the adoption have a resource to rely on beyond their adoption plan.

Adoptions come in all shapes and sizes. Whether the adoption is a newborn adoption, child adoption, step-parent adoption, relative adoption or assisting with an international adoption, the family is greeted by Nicole Read (a paralegal registered with the Florida Bar and certified by the National Association of Legal Assistants), who has extensive knowledge on serving families. Birth parents are assisted daily with their birth plans through the resources and talents of Karen A. White-Evans (certified life coach and birth parent liaison) and Cathy Daly (records specialist). Filimon assists with the daily functions of the team and provides legal guidance as a Florida licensed attorney.

There are many opportunities to participate in and to support the adoption work of A Chosen Child. For those who are not placing children for adoption or adopting, they can help others by giving the gift of adoption to a waiting and worthy family. A Chosen Child is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation and welcomes the donations of others to help with the cost of adoption, which is increasing due to societal pressures and increased living costs. A Chosen Child takes the use of its donations and support very seriously and strives to be an excellent steward of its resources. Parties interested in making a difference in the lives of children and families are invited to contact A Chosen Child to find out where your time, talents and money are best applied.

When asked what makes A Chosen Child different from other agencies, Filimon states, “We love and value all of our families in the adoption journey and not just one side over another. We love our birth mothers, we love our adoptive families and we love our babies. We are focused, passionate, dedicated, independent and loyal. We fulfill our promises, provide personal and individual attention, and leave nothing to chance. We honor our word because it is the core of who we are. We save babies.”

A Chosen Child, Inc.
1524 E. Livingston St.
Orlando
(407) 894-1599
AChosenChild.com