| about us |
After You Adopt (AYA) was founded in 1997 by Christopher and Paula
Montes, parents of two children through adoption. Chris and Paula felt
that there was a need for support and education for adoptive parents,
that wasn’t being met by adoption agencies. So, they began
gathering in their home with a small group of parents, to share and
discuss parenting and the special issues that adoption brings. AYA has grown to over 50 families in our
membership. In 1999, Paul and Bunny Lewis, parents of 3 children
adopted internationally, joined Paula and Chris in facilitating the
group.
AYA Board of Directors
Paul Lewis......................... President
Keith Hughes..................... Vice President
Beth Kandrysawtz............. Treasurer
Margaret Glinn Fontaine... Secretary
Bunny Lewis
Trish Hablutzel
Michele Gnazzo
Diane Lipari
AYA's Goals
The goal of the After You Adopt Support Group is to assist parents who
have adopted with parenting/adoption issues for both domestic and
international adoptions.
AYA's Objectives
- To provide families formed through adoption.
- Support, education, information and resources.
- To provide an opportunity for children to meet one another.
- For children to make a connection with others from their native country.
- To draw from each person in the AYA group so that all persons have equal opportunity to share information that is helpful and positive.
- To enlighten adoptive parents regarding developmental issues and specific milestones concerning both birth and adoptive children.
- To recognize a healthy balance between adoption issues and basic developmental issues.
AYA’S Philosophy
We believe that interaction with other families formed through adoption is a benefit to us as parents, as well as to our children, both today and in the future.
We believe that children who are available for adoption should be permanently placed in loving and nurturing families.
We believe it is important to have fun and enjoy each other. Humor and good times are essential to all.