Compassion
Photo by Khadeeja Yasser on Unsplash
In February, we honor Black History Month. Mid-month is Valentine’s Day and maybe some of you celebrate “Galentine’s Day” on February 13. As my five-year-old granddaughter told me, “It’s my favorite because hearts are everywhere, and hearts mean love.”
It’s no secret that across our country people can use love. And each week at Bellis, we work with women from all over who long to feel loved and who long for their children to know they are loved. We offer support for families and individuals with an adoption or foster care connection, whether by intention or circumstance.
This summer, Bellis will celebrate 40 years of offering love, compassion, support and education for adoption. It is work that has evolved to meet the needs of the time. What a small group of visionary women – mothers – began in 1983 as education and support for birth mothers, expanded to community and classroom outreach to increase awareness, and monthly gatherings for those with adoption connections. More recently, as adoption from foster care has grown, we recognized a need to address foster care experiences in our programs.
Our 10-year model of birth mother retreats is the basis for our newest program. From the retreats, we know the power of the Bellis Stronger Together™ approach. Bringing women together who have a shared experience provides comfort and healing. They find compassion, hope and resilience in each other.
Then in 2020, in that pandemic time, we learned of another group of birth mothers that society discards and neglects. In April 2021, we began our Stronger Together Grief Support Program™ for mothers who have lost legal parental rights. Their hearts hurt, they feel alone and unloved, they feel shame, and they have grief so deep it nearly drowns them.
By April 1 this year, we will offer a Stronger Together™ Support Line for these mothers. It’s another exciting new initiative for Bellis and requires trained volunteers to staff it. This isn’t easy work, but it is highly effective. Click here to volunteer. Volunteers must complete mandatory in-person training on Saturday, Feb. 25, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Bellis office in Minneapolis.
The innovative work we’re doing today aligns with the vision of Bellis’ founding mothers. We are proud to continue to carry out their legacy.
Click here to sign up as a volunteer in an area of interest to you.