Reviews

Hopeful Beginnings Client

I had a great experience at Hopeful Beginnings. Allyson was amazing! She helped me throughout one of the toughest times I have experienced with my mental health. Not only was she there for me for our in person sessions but she would actively reach out in a proactive way if she had not heard from me or just to provide me with some words of encouragement and reassurance. She treated me like a friend. She is an amazing counselor, friend, and support for any women going through a difficult time. I am very happy to have met her. She has helped me beyond words. Thank you.

Hopeful Beginnings Client

We could not be more thrilled to have been able to grow our family with the help of Hopeful Beginnings of St Mary Services! While it was a long wait for us, and what felt like forever, the Hopeful Beginnings team was so there at every turn with support and words of encouragement. We did experience a spectrum of emotions during the waiting period, but our social worker, Julia, was able to help us navigate these feelings into productive outlets. Then, out of nowhere, we got the phone call we never thought possible… a beautiful baby boy who was 4 days old and excited to meet us! We rushed to the hospital to meet him and it was the most surreal experience imaginable. This little bundle of was ours! Even after placement, both Julia and Allyson were able to able to help sort through all the emotions and logistics of bringing this newborn home after a few days in the hospital. Fast forward, our son Aiden is thriving. He loves playing with his dog brother and can’t get enough of his favorite food, peaches. Being a local organization, we can easily share Aiden’s smiling face all the time. We cannot thank Hopeful Beginnings enough for what they have done for us. Their services are invaluable in helping families feel whole.

Hopeful Beginnings Client

I can’t speak more highly of the staff at Hopeful Beginnings. I was considering adoption for my baby and found hopeful beginnings after working with another adoption agency. It was clear from my first call with Hopeful that they just want to be supportive and empowering for whatever I felt was best for me and baby. They were always there when I had questions and were with me along every step of this journey. I could not have gone through this hard time without their support

Hopeful Beginnings Client

Hopeful Beginnings allowed me to receive therapy when I would not have been able to if I had to pay for it outright. Removing the financial strain to help get mentally straight was life changing. I was able to feel supported postpartum and did not have to go weeks without speaking to someone. They are very accepting and don’t make you feel like a burden who needs help. If I did not have access to my social worker, I’m not sure were I’d be today. So, I am very grateful they are an available resource in our community.

Hopeful Beginnings Client

Miranda was faced with an unplanned pregnancy and contacted our agency to make the selfless decision to place for adoption with a family that could provide the life she wanted for her child. A few months away from her due date, Miranda found out she was pregnant with twins, solidifying the fact that adoption was the best option for herself and her children. She was working hard to get on her feet when COVID-19 began, and she was unable to find a job. Hopeful Beginnings was able to help Miranda with rent, and she was also referred to a variety of community resources to help her get back onto her feet. Miranda delivered two health babies in February 2021 and was happy to bless a family. A few months after delivery, Miranda was excited to visit with the family and her children and see how wonderfully they are doing. This visit was facilitated by two social workers from Hopeful Beginnings, proving that we provide ongoing support and counseling for our clients. Miranda communicates with her social worker periodically and was happy to report she has recently found a job.

Hopeful Beginnings Client

The adoption process has been an amazing process for us. That a birth mother is trusting us and giving us the opportunity to raise their child and welcome them as part of our family is something for which we are not only extremely thankful, but that we also are reminded of every day. We’ve always known we wanted to have children, and we knew that that the gift of adoption would be our path. We have two daughters, one adopted through DCFS and one through Hopeful Beginnings. Our experience with Hopeful Beginnings was wonderful. Our caseworker, Allyson, was a joy to work with and all of the Hopeful Beginnings staff were helpful and supportive. We have recommended Hopeful Beginnings to others and believe that it is the best adoption agency in the Chicago area!

Hopeful Beginnings Client

When we decided we wanted to adopt, one of the things that was incredibly important to us was to find an agency that was there not just during the adoption process, but during all the time after – for questions, concerns, education, and support. We’ve found that in Hopeful beginnings – from their annual parties for their families, to the way our social worker is still just a phone call or e-mail away when we have an adoption question or concern, or need to connect to another resource. And this doesn’t just go for adoptive parents and kiddos – We’ve seen the care Hopeful beginnings takes with birth families as well, making sure they get support and resources too. Adoption is for life – and so is our relationship to Hopeful Beginnings.

Hopeful Beginnings Client

Where do I even start?! A simple thank you doesn’t fully convey how I feel. While I’m proud of myself for seeking help and showing up, I would not have done so if I didn’t trust or value the work you do. Your calm demeanor and ability to help me reframe behaviors is what kept me coming back. I am so thankful for the services Hopeful Beginnings provides. It took me asking for help to finally realize how low I felt. I can’t believe how far I’ve come this past year. I am finally enjoying motherhood (most of the time…) and my anxiety is much more under control. Thank you for your part in all this. I can finally say without hesitation, that I am a good mom. Part of the reason I can say that is because I chose to get help. Thank you!

Hopeful Beginnings Client

I just completed a year with Hopeful Beginnings and it has been a year full of growth for me. Angie has helped me so much since the first day I started talking to her. She’s helped me with learning how to live with so much grief, overcoming depression, and how to cope with anxiety. I’ve became the mom, wife, and woman I always strived to be.

Kelly

Hopeful Beginnings is a truly remarkable organization that is making a real difference in the community. Their commitment to helping women and children is inspiring, and they approach their work with passion, dedication, and integrity. The agency is incredibly professional, compassionate, and driven to help those in need. I’m proud to support their mission and encourage anyone looking to make a meaningful contribution to get involved. This nonprofit is truly making a lasting difference!

Shawn M.

Hopeful Beginnings of St. Mary’s is a remarkable organization that truly makes a difference in the community. Their dedication to supporting families through various life challenges is inspiring. From offering counseling and parenting support to providing adoption services, they seem to offer an incredible range of resources for those in need.

While I haven’t personally used their services, I’ve heard nothing but positive things about the compassionate care they provide. It’s clear that they are deeply committed to helping families thrive and offering hope to those who seek it.

If you’re in need of support or guidance, Hopeful Beginnings of St. Mary’s is definitely worth considering.

Brett L.

We adopted 2 children through St. Mary’s in 2014 after waiting less than a year. We had looked at 2 other agencies and felt the most comfortable with them. They really looked at us as people and not just another waiting family or a number in their pool. Out of all the agencies, we felt they had the most heart then and still do to this day. Their staff is wonderful and was with us every step of the way – through up’s and downs. They were easy to work with and made the process as easy as it could be. They are not the largest but we like that. It made us feel a personal connection and that we mattered. We continue to recommend them to those who are exploring adoption as an option.

Conrad D.

Over the past few years I have referred many clients to Saint Mary’s Services. Everyone that I have referred to them always has the utmost praise for their professionalism, counseling services and heartfelt desire to help. Saint Mary’s is more than an adoption agency. They provide options counseling for women with unplanned pregnancies, emotional support for birth mothers and adoptive families, parenting classes, postpartum depression counseling and a host of other community related services. They open their hearts and arms to everyone.

Joanne B.

A wonderful group of professional women who counsel and work here with heart and compassion. You will always find open arms to all and a listening ear.

Nick M.

Wonderful people and a wonderful cause. Very helpful to birth mothers through tough times, also great for couples looking to add to their family. Love them.

Jill H.

As a board member for St. Mary’s Services for 8 years, I have had an excellent view of the growth of the agency. The staff is passionate about the mission, “Every child deserves a good home”. Our executive director is a visionary. She has created an environment that encourages inventive solutions and programs to support the women, children and families in the community. From the volunteers to the board of trustees, the focus is always how best can we help create loving, caring and stable families.

Anonymous

There couldn’t be a group of more passionate, caring people as there are at Hopeful Beginnings. They all truly love what they do. Everyone who comes in contact with this team can really feel it.

Chad B.

They offer numerous services for birth moms as they navigate the adoption journey. The attention they give and care they provide for waiting families is wonderful. My wife and I chose them in late 2011 because they were smaller and really felt comfortable. Personal touch is paramount during this process for both birth moms and families waiting. St Mary’s provides this on an ongoing basis. … I will forever be thankful …. to this organization for fostering the unconditional love my nearly 7 year old daughter provides my wife and I since we… brought her home at 3 days old. There is nothing that brings more joy. The match between birth mom and our family could not have been better.

Gary C.

In the past ten years, I’ve reconnected and am proud to now serve on the board. The caring staff are true to the founding sisters’ vision that every child deserves a good home. In addition to adoption, outreach to high school teens, workshops for parents, and many types of counseling for women continue to provide listening and guidance with dignity and compassion for women, children, … and families. … Hopeful Beginnings of St. Mary’s continues to make an enormous positive difference in many people’s lives as it has in mine.

Angie is amazing! Very happy that I got the chance to find this place. I really made a huge progress with my mental health.

So glad I found Rachel during my PPD. She helped me tremendously! I’m so happy with the experience, and grateful for all she helped me accomplish.

Rachel is a wonderful person who has helped me a lot in my journey from miscarriage, to getting pregnant again, even at the time where I was in the hospital having contractions, she was there (over the phone) helping me, and now at postpartum, always listening and giving encouraging words to help me cope. I am truly grateful to have met her and will be forever thankful for her kindness, generosity and compassion.

I truly can’t say enough good things about Hopeful Beginnings. The referral to Hopeful Beginnings came at a time when I absolutely needed it most in my life and they have helped me so much to deal with my own emotions and to give me the tools to live a happier and healthier life moving forward. This was the best counseling experience I have ever had.

My therapist, Julia, taught me a lot about how to cope with postpartum, and therapy has truly helped me a lot.

Rachel was great to work with! She really helped me overcome my PPD. I’ve come a long way with her help.

Realmente recomendaría, Connie realizó un excelente trabajo, aumentó mucho mi confianza y el poder dejar mi nivel de pánico y lo que sentía ansiosa .!! Me ayudo bastante a tener confianza con mis problemas y con mis emociones, me ayudo a buscar soluciones cuando me sentía en ataque de pánico.! Me gusto mucho su colaboración, y realimento no quería dejarla pero tenía que hacerlo.!