Guest Blog: Tapestry Adoption Services

by Clarity Cares | Oct 2, 2024 | Adoption, Clarity, Uncategorized

Adoption Options in Indiana

Adoption is a deeply personal and loving decision that allows birth mothers to create a brighter future for their child. Clarity of Central Indiana is dedicated to advocating for birth mothers, offering them the necessary support and resources to make informed choices. By providing accurate information, dispelling myths, and promoting adoption as a positive option, Clarity aims to reduce the stigma often associated with this decision.

The Benefits of Choosing Adoption

Pregnant women facing an unplanned pregnancy or unexpected pregnancy often find themselves asking difficult questions. The decision to pursue adoption can be complex, but the benefits of choosing adoption are numerous for both the child and the birth mother.

When a birth mother chooses adoption, she is making a powerful decision to give her child opportunities she may not be able to provide at that moment in her life. Adoption allows her to select a family that will raise her child, ensuring that the baby will grow up in a stable, loving environment with the resources to thrive.

Additionally, adoption offers the birth mother the chance to continue pursuing her own goals, whether that means furthering her education, advancing her career, or focusing on her own mental and emotional well-being. She can move forward knowing that her child is in caring and capable hands.

Should I Give My Baby Up for Adoption?

One of the most common questions that pregnant women ask is, “Should I give my baby up for adoption?” While it’s natural to feel uncertain, it’s important to reframe the language we use when discussing adoption. You are not giving up your baby. In fact, by choosing adoption, you are making an incredibly brave and selfless decision that prioritizes your child’s future.

The decision to place a baby for adoption is profoundly personal and emotional. It is ultimately up to the birth mother to decide what is best for herself and her baby. Although challenging, adoption can be a healthy and loving option, and it is important to consider several key factors:

Readiness and Capability: A birth mother should reflect on whether she feels prepared to take on the responsibilities of parenting, which require emotional, physical, and financial resources. If she feels unable to provide the stable, nurturing environment the child deserves, adoption might be a loving alternative.
Long-Term Well-Being: A birth mother should consider what is best for her child’s long-term well-being. Adoption offers the opportunity to provide the child with a loving family, a stable home, and the resources necessary to thrive.
Support System: Evaluating the available support system is crucial. If a birth mother lacks the support or resources needed for effective parenting, adoption provides a pathway to ensure the child is well cared for.

Adoption as a Healthy and Loving Choice

If a birth mother concludes that parenting is not the right choice at this time, adoption is a positive and loving option. Adoption empowers birth mothers by allowing them to make a decision that prioritizes their child’s future, while also enabling them to pursue their own goals. Modern adoption agencies, like Tapestry Adoptions, offer comprehensive support through the entire process, from counseling to medical care and legal assistance.

Choosing adoption creates opportunities for the child to be raised in a loving, stable environment. Birth mothers can find peace in knowing that their decision was made out of love and responsibility, securing a bright future for their child.

Choosing a Licensed Adoption Agency in Indiana

For those considering making an adoption plan, selecting a reputable, licensed adoption agency is one of the most important steps in the adoption process. Working with a licensed agency ensures access to legal, emotional, and financial support throughout the journey. Licensed agencies are held to high ethical standards, follow state regulations, and prioritize the well-being of both the birth mother and the child.

For birth mothers in Indiana, there are many adoption agencies that offer a range of services, including counseling, medical care, and post-placement support. A good agency will guide you through each step of the adoption process in Indiana, helping you understand your rights, as well as the various types of adoption available (open adoption, semi-open, or closed). Birth mothers are also able to choose the adoptive family that best aligns with her values and wishes for her child’s future.

Clarity partners with trusted agencies like Tapestry Adoptions to ensure that birth mothers receive high-quality care and guidance throughout the adoption process. From creating an adoption plan to understanding pregnancy options, Tapestry Adoptions offers compassionate, non-judgmental support.

Reducing the Stigma Surrounding Adoption

Despite the benefits, adoption still carries a stigma, which can make the decision more challenging for birth mothers. Clarity is committed to breaking down these barriers by offering education and advocacy. Adoption is a valid, loving choice that deserves respect and understanding.

The notion of “giving up” a baby for adoption contributes to feelings of shame or inadequacy, but adoption is not about loss. It is about creating possibilities for the child. By choosing adoption, a birth mother gives her child the gift of a loving family, stability, and a promising future. Adoption is a choice rooted in love, aimed at opening up possibilities and providing a child with a stable, nurturing family and a hopeful future.

When a birth mother chooses adoption, she is not giving up but rather giving a profound gift—a life full of opportunity and care. Adopting positive language is essential in reshaping the narrative, recognizing the strength and selflessness of birth mothers who, out of love, make this choice to offer their child the best possible life.

How Clarity of Central Indiana and Tapestry Adoptions Support Birth Mothers

Clarity collaborates with Tapestry Adoptions to support birth mothers throughout their adoption journey. Tapestry Adoptions is a full-service, licensed adoption agency who provides compassionate counseling, resources, and access to experienced professionals. Birth mothers have the option of open or closed adoption, depending on their personal preferences. The birth mother remains in control of the process, choosing the adoptive family and determining the level of contact she wishes to maintain.

Adoption Is a Choice, Not a Sacrifice

While the decision of whether to place a baby for adoption can feel overwhelming, it is important to remember that adoption is not a sacrifice. Instead, it is an empowered decision that creates a bright future for the child. By choosing adoption, birth mothers are making a decision rooted in strength and love.

For those considering adoption, Clarity and Tapestry Adoptions are available to provide support, answer questions, and guide birth mothers through the process to ensure they make the best choice for themselves and their child.

Learn More About Choosing Adoption in Indiana

To learn more about the adoption process in Indiana, Clarity and Tapestry Adoptions offer valuable resources and non-judgmental guidance. Adoption is a beautiful choice, and these organizations are committed to supporting birth mothers every step of the way.

Tapestry Family Services Adoption

Call or Text: 317-529-7322

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A New Danger: At-Home Abortions

by Raegan Smith | Jun 27, 2024 | Abortion, Clarity

On September 15, 2022, with Senate Bill 1, Indiana was the first state since the reversal of Roe v. Wade to ban abortion with few exceptions. It is considered one of the most restrictive bans on abortion to date. Men and women in Indiana experiencing unplanned pregnancies have felt panic and fear. With abortions unavailable to them in their home state, they look for abortions online.

Online searches often lead individuals to the option of the abortion pill, easily purchased from over 80 online sites. The selling of the abortion pill is not monitored outside of the United States. It is shipped to anyone in any state, often without a doctor’s appointment, ultrasound, or even a pregnancy test. No questions asked. Individuals are being sent what they believe are abortion pills; with no instructions, no medical information, no side effects or physical risk warnings, and no follow-up instructions. The devastation is unreal.

According to the FDA, abortion pills are considered safe and effective for pregnancies up to 10 weeks. However, with no questions asked and the availability of online purchasing, women are taking the pills past that time and into their second trimester. Pills are being purchased by women who are not yet pregnant “just in case” and by women with ectopic pregnancies in dire need of medical attention.

Clarity centers have received calls from emotionally traumatized women who have taken abortion pills incorrectly resulting in failed abortions; from women who are hemorrhaging and have no idea what medical interventions are available to them; and from women who have recently experienced a traumatic at-home abortion who are in desperate need of immediate emotional support.

With the majority of abortions resulting from the abortion pill, and with Indiana’s current law regarding abortion, there is no doubt Clarity’s call volume and client visits will continue to increase. A rising number of women will be seeking answers for their unplanned pregnancies and help due to the destruction caused by the abortion pill. Join with Clarity in helping these women understand how much they and their babies matter.

Angie Burton

Director of Client Services

From Banquets to Home Gatherings

by Clarity Cares | Mar 1, 2024 | Clarity, Fundraiser

Dear Friends,

We are eager to share the exciting transitions at Clarity! With our historic growth in serving 12,000 individuals in 2023 at Clarity, it is essential that our focus be on providing care for those needing the hope of life! Our mission and hope at Clarity is for every single individual and family that connects with our services to know, You Matter! As we consider those needs, we can see a significant barrier in the time needed from staff and the ever growing expense required by our large fundraising events. To regain our focus on Clarity’s mission, the need to shift away from our annual banquets and large events has become evident.

These events have long been a favorite way for those of us at Clarity to connect with you and bring the community together. However, we are confident our many ministry partners do not support us because of an event, but because of the impact being made daily in real lives! We want to ensure we are the best possible stewards of your support.

Your support is more important now than ever. We’ve seen a 175% increase in the demand for our services, highlighting the importance of our work. If you usually donate at our banquets, we kindly ask that you maintain your pledge from last year. If you’re used to writing a check at the event, we ask that you consider donating that amount to us this year. Your support is critical to our success, and we appreciate every donation we receive.

We’re also introducing a new way for you to get involved! We’re looking for hosts to throw small, cozy home gatherings. You provide the space, and we’ll bring the conversation and opportunity to interact first hand right in your living room while supporting a great cause.

If you’re interested in being a host, please give us a call to schedule a gathering. We can’t wait to hear from you and work together to spread love and support in our communities.

Thank you for your continued support. Together, we can continue to make a difference!

Sincerely,

Eric Allen

CEO

P.S. Check out a short video message about this change here: https://vimeo.com

Fundraising Events: The Heritage of and Transition from Banquets

by Clarity Cares | Dec 19, 2023 | Clarity

For the past 20 years, fundraising events such as our annual banquets and golf event have been a rich part of our heritage. Our great Clarity staff did an outstanding job putting on top quality events, which consistent attendance gave testimony to. That level of quality didn’t just instantly happen, but grew over years as dedicated staff, volunteers, and partners committed an abundance of hours planning and organizing. Preparations began as much as eight months before the crowds ever showed up. If just one great banquet takes that effort, imagine what seven or eight banquets over six weeks require! The wonderful attributes of such great events are the festive celebration of individuals coming together for the cause of life, an opportunity to connect with those seldom seen since the prior year banquet, the chance to hear the tangible impact each dollar of support was able to make, and the opportunity for us to let our many supporters know, You Matter! All are attributes of merit.

With the many positives of an event like a banquet, our partners and supporters may have been surprised at our annual Clarity Impact meeting to hear that 2023 is our final year for our traditional fundraising events. There is an old adage coined by author Jim Collins in his book, Good to Great, “Good is the enemy of great.” That is especially true when the good things grow to be distractions from the great mission we exist to accomplish. For 40 years, Clarity has existed to provide the opportunity of life for women and their unborn babies by helping them understand that they matter. Fundraising events have been our Good thing and played a key role in our development at a time when they were crucial, but those events are not why Clarity exists. Why we exist is our Great thing: to offer the hope of life! With the increase in the number of banquets, along with the quality to meet today’s expectations, came challenges: specifically, the growth of staff time, focus, and costs to accomplish them, as well as time and focus away from individuals we exist to reach with the hope of life. The time required grew until almost our entire marketing effort focused on people attending our events, rather than to those needing the hope of life. For several years, the Clarity board and executive staff had realized good had become a detriment to the great. They also realized that getting off the perpetually busy and fast merry-go-round of events is no easy task.

Despite these challenges, it still brings the question: if we don’t do events, where will the funds come from? The good being the enemy of great is even more true when the results of the good are not as good as they appear, namely raising funds. One aspect of fundraising events for all ministries and organizations is celebrating the total amount raised by them, but unfortunately, the total celebrated is usually the amount before the cost to carry out the event is deducted rather than the actual profit. Those expenses include things such as food, space rental, and the many other tangible amounts. In addition, expenses also include the often-overlooked cost of every hour paid to staff involved from the first minute of planning, beginning as much as 8 months earlier. That unfortunately significantly reduces the profit remaining to provide care to those we exist to serve. However, the cost of an event does not end there. Also included in the total cost is the amount of funds that would be given even if the event didn’t take place. At Clarity, we are convinced our many partner churches, individuals, and businesses do not give because of an event. They give because of the impact we make, and that they believe in! When all aspects are considered, if only half of those who give at the event would do so without it, the actual amount raised is about the same as that given by a single event sponsor, at the cost of extensive effort of staff and distraction from the core reason we exist.

Some obvious questions are, how will we raise funds without banquets and fundraising events? How will new donors be introduced to Clarity? How will we communicate to our partners the impact their support has made? Each is a good question we likewise have asked. The amount of staff time freed up by no longer doing fundraising events is significant. First and foremost is freeing up time to market to those most in need of our education, pregnancy care, STI, and restoration care to know they matter and that we are here to serve them! Second is time to use the opportunities afforded by today’s technology to provide more ongoing communication to our partners of the impact, needs, and vision their partnership is vital in helping accomplish. Third is the time for our development team, and me, to build direct relationships and interactions with our partners not afforded by one-way communication from a stage. We will be carrying out an intentional communication and connection plan to stay engaged with current partners, as well as developing new ones. In addition, our Annual Impact Meeting held each fall will continue as an excellent opportunity to receive firsthand insights from Clarity Board members and myself. Rest assured, Clarity still needs your crucial support to meet the larger-than-ever needs! Rest assured, we will have things to learn along the way. And, rest assured, to both those we serve with the hope of life and those who make it possible, You Matter!

Sincerely,

Eric Allen

CEO

P.S. Check out a short video message about this change here: https://vimeo.com

Exciting Announcement!

by Clarity Cares | Sep 30, 2022 | Clarity

We are excited to announce the merger agreement of Clarity of South Central Indiana and Care Net of Central Indiana, effective September 30, 2022. Together, with all current Board & Staff, we will join as Clarity of Central Indiana!

Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the services we provide our communities are needed now more than ever! This merger will allow for the expansion of our organization’s footprint to create even greater impact.

Click here to read our message to Clarity stakeholders.

Click here to read our message to Care Net stakeholders.

Already, so many lives have been changed because of our donors, partners, volunteers, staff and board. We are incredibly thankful for each of you! When you give of your time, talents, and treasures, you are making a difference.

These are exciting times for our growing organization! Clarity remaind ready to serve you and our communities with hope, help and healing. Because YOU matter, and we CARE.

What Types of Donations Does Clarity Accept?

by Clarity Cares | Oct 30, 2019 | Clarity

Clarity is a non-profit organization completely funded by local individuals, businesses and churches who support our mission to compassionately engage, educate and inspire our communities with the truth regarding holistic sexual health and the value of human life. One of the many services offered by Clarity is material assistance, some of which is donated by our supporters. This is just one way our supporters can become involved in the work of Clarity!

Donations we do accept:

Maternity clothes (new or gently used)
Diapers, pull ups
Wipes
Baby Food and Formula (not expired or opened)
Strollers (new or gently used)
Baby clothes (summer & winter, new or gently used)
Baby gates (new or gently used)
High Chairs (new only)
Breast pumps (new only)
Baby Wash and lotion
Baby bottles
Pacifiers
Kids clothes (Columbus Pregnancy Services location only)
Diaper bags
Toddler beds
Car seats (new only)
Pack n Plays (new or gently used)
Baby bath towels and washcloths
Burp cloths
Small gifts for Mom to place in Baby-Shower-in-a-Bag (new)
Socks and Shoes (new or gently used)
Bassinets
Sleep Sacks
Pack n Play sheets
Crib sheets

We do not accept:

Cribs (New or used)
Used Car seats
Baby powder
Tylenol, vitamins or other medications
Cotton Swabs
Walkers
Johnny Jump-ups
Bicycle carriers
Used stuffed animals or any stuffed animal with a potential choking hazard
Lavender fragranced wash and lotion

The above items are not accepted as they potentially present liability issues and for some items, safety issues. We want to use caution as we share what is donated to us.

Clarity has the opportunity to share many items with our clients because of the generosity of our communities and donors. In 2018, we were able to share 4,144 items with our clients throughout our six counties. (One dozen diapers would count as one item, as well as multiples of clothing would be one, but actually may be 10 pieces.)

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