Vision:
- Empowering women and families to build nurturing homes for children.
Mission:
- Supporting women and families through adoption, mental health services and parenting resources.
About Us
A Letter from Our Director
Dear Friends,
Thank you for taking the time to view our website and consider all the wonderful services that Hopeful Beginnings offers women and families. Since its conception, Hopeful Beginning’s vision has been that all children deserve a loving home. Hopeful Beginnings acknowledges that caring for those who care for children is the best way to ensure that little ones have all they need to grow and thrive in the world. In order to achieve this, the agency provides a plethora of services, including adoption services, case management, and access to free baby essentials, as well as free perinatal mental health counseling for birthing persons experiencing postpartum depression/anxiety, grief, and loss of a pregnancy and or difficulty adjusting to parenthood.
Hopeful Beginnings takes its responsibility to the community and to children very seriously and is committed to providing quality services. As a 501c3, Hopeful Beginnings is committed to serving all families without prejudice. This means we are proud of our history of being founded in 1887 by Sisters of the Episcopal Church, and we are still supported in small part by a grant by Episcopal Charities, but as a public agency, we are bound to our duty to serve children and families of all religions, income levels, races, and orientations.
Hopeful Beginnings staff is second to none in their wide range of experience and expertise. I encourage you to please contact us if there is any way we can be of service to you and your family or if there are any questions about our work.
Respectfully,
Natalie Rodriguez, Executive Director
Natalie Rodriguez, Executive Director
Our Vision & Mission
St Mary’s Services was founded in 1887 by the Episcopal Sisters who began assisting low-income women and children in Chicago’s south side. By 1894, the sisters moved to the west side and began to shelter orphans and children of ill and unemployed working women. Their vocation quickly evolved into foster care and became known as St. Mary’s Home for Children.Real Stories, Real Feedback
Insights from Birth Moms and
Adoptive Families
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!
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...
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...
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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....
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.
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St Mary’s Services DBA Hopeful Beginnings is a 501c3, registered under EIN #36-2167889.