A Day in the Life of a Gladney Intern

Hey everyone! So, this past week I was busy researching other adoption agencies. Not because I was looking for a new place to work, but because I was checking out what they looked like. What do I mean? Well, Gladney is going to revamp their website. We have been comparing our old website to other agencies to see what look and feel people are attracted to most. My question to you is: what do you like the most when visiting a website? An attractive color scheme? Ease of navigation? More pictures? Streamline buttons and a contemporary design? What do you like and dislike about some of our competitors? Take a look: American World Adoption American Adoptions Adoption ARK Adoption Network All God's Children Look at one, or look at them all, but we would really appreciate any or all of your feedback!

I hope everyone had a great Holiday and a Happy New Year! I sure did. Now I'm back to work helping the Outreach department get prepared for another year filled with adoptions and happy families! Yesterday while I was waiting for my computer to load a video from the Today show popped up and caught my attention. It is a video describing a school in Memphis, Tennessee that has 90 pregnany teens. The reporter goes on to say that one out of every five girls at the school has either had a baby or is pregnant. It couldn't but make me wonder how many of those girls, who are 16 and 17 years old, had ever considered adoption. For many girls that age it is difficult and near impossible to attend school while raising a child. Unfortunately, Gladney does not have a current caseworker working in Tennessee that could help the school by educating their students on adoption. But, check out the video for yourself!

It is amazing to see the impact one individual can have on his or her peers and a community.  Recently, Kaitlyn, a high school senior, was required to complete a year-long project including a research paper. She wrote her paper about why she believes adoption is a better choice than abortion. She said it is not only better for the children, but also for the adoptive parents and birth parents.  She wants to raise money for the Gladney Center for Adoption and make a donation to the Gift of Family Annual Campaign. She plans to sell t-shirts that promote adoption and host a Zumba class. She said she wants to do these things because supports a wonderful cause. She also felt it was a way to help her peers realize "that adoption is a better option than abortion, which is definitely relevant for teenagers now and will be for years to come." What have you been doing to make a difference? We would love to hear your stories!