| Organizations by State: California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Texas, Washington Regional Organizations: Midwest |
National Organizations & Resources |
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Families Like Ours is a national nonprofit adoption exchange providing adoption support and education to pre/post adoptive families and professionals that provide permanent families for adoptable children in the US foster care system. While our emphasis is with gay and lesbian adoptive families, we welcome and encourage the diversity of all family structures. |
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The Family Acceptance Project (FAP) is a community research, intervention and training initiative to study the impact of family acceptance and rejection on the health, mental health and well-being of lesbian, gay and bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth. Results will be used to help families provide support for LGBT youth, to develop appropriate interventions, programs and policies, and to train providers to improve the quality of services and care they receive. The project is funded by the California Endowment. Additional funders include: the Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Casey Family Programs. |
Family Pride is the national non-profit organization committed to securing family equality for all loving families, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer parents, guardians and allies. Our work consists of strategically linked initiatives—broad in scope, but simple in vision—love, justice, family, equality. We make change. We share information. We build community. We are visible.
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Parents Of Gay Children
You're Not Alone Hi, my name is Debbie and my husband and I are parents of gay children. 
If you are a parent that has just found out your son or daughter is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender and are now feeling shocked, unsure, isolated or many of the other emotions we parents feel when we first discover our child’s sexual orientation or gender identity, (that is different to ours) then this site will be invaluable to you. We as parents who are heterosexual and have been brought up in a society with a low level of understanding of homosexuality (whether because of society in general or perhaps of our religious upbringing) often have a very hard time in coming to terms with news that our very courageous and honest children have given us...(More) |
| Gay Fathers and Their Children Are you a gay dad? Would you be willing to answer some confidential questions about your life and about your family? The purpose of this study is to examine the many ways families headed by gay fathers have been created, explore how families function, and learn about the relationship between partners. The study consists of an online survey and will take approximately 25- 35 minutes of your time. To qualify for the study you have to identify as male, a father, and gay, bisexual or homosexual and have a least one child of any age; this child can be biological, adopted, foster, step, or other child. You do not need to be the child’s legal parent to participate. This study has been approved by the University of Virginia IRB #2008-0407-00, and I am working with Dr. Charlotte J. Patterson who is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia. If you and/or your partner are interested in participating or want further information please contact Samantha L. Tornello (Principal Investigator) via email GayDadsStudy@gmail.com. She will send you a web link that you can use to access the study. |
Gay and Lesbian Family Values The purpose of this website is to provide support to the growing number of Gay and Lesbian couples or single parents who have children through a previous marriage, adoption. or by other means.
We know that in today's society it is becoming more and more difficult for Gay and Lesbian couples to raise children, not only from the cost incurred or even the physical and emotional strain, but also the strain that society puts on the Gay and Lesbian community in raising children, and providing the necessary support a family unit can demand. We would like to promote the idea that a family is not only a father and a mother with traditional and sometimes too conservative of values, but rather a UNIT OF LOVE, with one or more consenting adults regardless of gender, creed or color, providing support and unconditional love to their children with human compassion and understanding. For those of us that believe in the love that exists in us all, it is fast becoming time to prove to a seemingly unconvincing world that Gay and Lesbian couples can raise emotionally healthy children, able to lead happy lives with encouraged self-esteem and insurmountable self love, allowing them to have unyielding and uncompromising appreciation for themselves and for those around them.
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| Gay Family Options .org  Our Parenting ResourceWelcome! This site is a resource to help potential biological parenting partners find one another. Anyone may submit an ad as long as they adhere to the ad submission guidelines. Your primary reason for posting or responding to an ad should be to become a parent or to help someone else become a parent. Reports of inappropriate correspondence from someone listing an ad on this site will result in immediate removal of that ad. |
Gay Parent magazine LGBT friendly resources for creating and nurturing your family since 1998 |
| Lesbian & Gay Parenting
The publication is provided for the use of clinicians, researchers, students, lawyers, and parents involved in legal and policy issues related to lesbian and gay parenting. Lesbian and Gay Parenting is the successor to Lesbian and Gay Parenting: A Resource for Psychologists (1995). It is divided into three parts. Part I is a summary of research findings on lesbian mothers, gay fathers, and their children written by Charlotte J. Patterson, PhD. Part II is an annotated bibliography of the literature cited in the summary. Part III provides some additional resources relevant to lesbian and gay parenting in the forensic context: APA amicus briefs, professional association policies, and contact information for relevant organizations.
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| Resources for the parents of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered youth... 
presented and maintained by Scott Bidstrup  | Bewildered? Confused? Angry? Feeling guilty? Worried? Believe me, you're not alone. As the gay community comes out of the closet, parents by the hundreds of thousands are discovering that they are the parents of gay youth. This can be a crisis or an opportunity, it's all up to you! |
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| Welcome to Our World Too! The Ultimate Lesbian & Gay Parenting Resource
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The desire to have children and be parents is one of the most fundamental aspects of being human. In the past, this desire was oftentimes denied to GLBT people. With the advent of advanced medical treatments, as well as changing societal beliefs, this process is now much more accessible. However, this does not mean the path to parenthood is always an easy one. There are so many decisions to make and so much information to absorb and understand. This is all in addition to the emotional component of actually becoming a parent(s). |
| TransParentcy Supporting the loving and caring relationship
between Transgender Parents and their Children. |
California |
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Adoption Connection believes that everyone gains when given the chance to learn about one another. Committed to education, counseling and support, our goal is to empower both birth and adoptive parents before and after the birth, and to create a positive outcome for everyone involved. Adoption Connection welcomes couples and individuals of all ages, religions, ethnic backgrounds, and sexual orientations. |
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The Mission of San Diego Family Matters is to promote and sustain the well-being of families with one or more parent who is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered as well as those considering parenthood in Southern California. |
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 | For more than 156 years, Jewish Family and Children's Services of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties has offered a helping hand that people can rely on in times of need - cradle to rocking chair. Founded in 1850 by Gold Rush pioneers, JFCS is the oldest social service agency west of the Mississippi. Since its inception, JFCS has been a catalyst for change. With more than 40 programs serving more than 55,000 people annually in the Greater West Bay Area of Northern California, JFCS reaches out with comprehensive, integrated social services, helping people in the most effective, compassionate way possible, and providing people of all ages, faiths and ethnic backgrounds with the encouragement and tools they need to become productive and self-reliant. Integral to this effort are our experienced staff, our generous community of supporters and thousands of acts of lovingkindness - visits to elderly and disabled community members, tutoring youngsters, delivering food and love during the holidays - performed by more than 2,000 dedicated JFCS volunteers who give of themselves to create a more caring community. |
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| Welcome to the Lavender Storks homepage!! We are a group of lesbian moms (and their kids) based in the South Bay Area. Our children and the moms in our group vary in ages.
We have monthly family-oriented activities which range from pool parties to trips to the pumpkin patch.
It's a great way to connect with families like your own!
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The Sperm Bank With The Most "Willing To Be Known" Donors We're very proud that for more than 20 years, our sperm bank has helped thousands of women achieve their dreams of motherhood, regardless of marital status or sexual orientation. As a pioneer in the field, we are the most experienced and supportive resource for women planning alternative families. We assure you: § * the nation's largest selection of donors "willing to be known" when a child reaches 18 § * the highest professional standard in sperm donor screening § * state-of-the-art artificial insemination technology § * quality care by licensed professionals § * ongoing personal support throughout your insemination process in a safe, caring environment § * PRS is licensed by the health departments of California and New York. New York has the most stringent requirements of any state, equal to those of the American Association of Tissue Banks. |
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San Jose/Peninsula Chapter |
The Pop Luck Club is a Los Angeles-based organization of gay dads that is the largest known gay fathers organization in the world, with hundreds of families and continued strong growth. Its mission is to advance the well-being of gay prospective parents, gay parents, and their children. We do this through mutual support, community collaboration, and public understanding. |
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A Known Donor Sperm Bank
Since 1995
San Francisco |
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The Sperm Bank of California (TSBC) is the first and only sperm bank in the United States to operate as a nonprofit organization. Our mission is to provide services, information, and resources to all women and men who choose to create or expand their families through donor insemination and sperm storage. Since our founding over twenty years ago, we have been dedicated to promoting an open approach to donor insemination and advocating for family diversity. We are proud to have developed the first Identity-Release® Program in the world, a program that allows adult children conceived by donor insemination to learn their donor's identity. We conduct research on many aspects of donor insemination in order to enhance societal acceptance of alternative family building and to inform and challenge industry practices. Since our inception in 1982 · Over 1900 children have been born to TSBC recipients. · Girls make up 49% of the births. · Close to three-quarters of TSBC families have donors in our Identity-Release® Program. · Lesbian couples parent two-thirds of all children born through TSBC. · Single-mothers-by-choice and heterosexual couples head the rest of TSBC families. · Close to 30% of TSBC families participate in the Sibling Program and have more than one child. · One in five TSBC families participate in the Family Contact List. Of these, two out of three have matched to at least one other family with the same donor. |
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Walden Foster Care and Adoption Since 1976, Walden Family Services has been meeting our mission of supporting the lives of children and families through lasting relationships. Simply put, we ensure that children in the foster care system are able to live with loving, stable families with as little disruption or upheaval as possible, allowing them to heal from the trauma of their abuse and develop into successful adults. In addition, many of our children have complex emotional and behavioral issues, developmental delays or special health care needs. Because of the challenge of caring for children with such intense needs, others cannot or will not care for these children. The result for many is institutionalization or multiple placement failures, leaving the child without a sense of trust in adults, without the ability to build lasting relationships, and without the sense of permanency and belonging that comes with the support of a loving family. Throughout our 30-year history, Walden has consistently sought and implemented cutting-edge practices to best meet the needs of California's foster care population. Transitioning from a group home structure to a provider of therapeutic foster care meant we could better address the mental health needs of our children, which we have continued to do through additional innovative programming focused on children with special health care needs or developmental delays, as well on LGBTQ youth and those preparing to emancipate from the system. Our culture is one that embraces change while providing much needed stability for the children in our care. Our approach is multi-faceted and sustained; we believe "once a Walden kid, always a Walden kid." Each child's needs are met on an individualized basis, whether it is through our Special Health Care Needs Program, our general Therapeutic Services, our outreach to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or Questioning (LGBTQ) youth, or our Independent Futures program for emancipating youth. |
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Colorado |
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Florida |
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Georgia |
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Equality. Family. Justice for All. The MEGA Family Project is a nonpartisan, statewide organization dedicated to educating, empowering, and strengthening the LGBT community. Through our programs and outreach activities we hope to build a stronger, more cohesive community to advance LGBT equality in Georgia. We believe a stronger LGBT community will better enable us to provide effective public education that persuades other Georgians to treat ALL people equally under the law. |
The MEGA Family Project has thousands of members who support equality for all Georgians. We travel across Georgia in our outreach efforts to speak to gay and non-gay people about the need for LGBT family equality. We are incorporated in the State of Georgia as a not-for-profit corporation. The MEGA Family Project is a designated 501(c)3 organization with the IRS. Donations are tax deductible. |
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Massachusetts |
We are a network of gay men who have children living with us or apart from us. Some of us are divorced, some separated, and some still married. Some of us are in committed relationships with other men. Our meetings provide a safe, confidential, and welcoming forum for talking about the issues of gay fatherhood, including parenting, coming out, sexuality, and relationships with children, partners, and spouses (current or ex). You are free to join in the discussion or just observe, whatever feels most comfortable. Some of our meetings also include speakers on topics of interest for a portion of the meeting. |
Michigan |
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| In Michigan, some children have two parents yet the state only recognizes one. In Michigan some children have one parent that is not legally recognized. Children need the legal recognition of parent-child relationships regardless of their parents' marital status or sexual orientation. Second parent adoption secures this legal recognition. It guarantees the children a host of legal and financial benefits that most families take for granted such as: - Full health insurance benefits
- Full pension or social security benefits
- Medical authorization for routine or emergency care
- Permission to attend school functions
- Permanence of extended familial relationships
- Continuity of a parent-child relationship in the event of separation or death
CARE advocates for second parent adoptions because they are in the best interests of children. |
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Rainbow Families Great Lakes (RFGL) is a newly formed, volunteer organization, comprised of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) advocates, their allies and friends open to all persons that support diversity and rally against discrimination within their local communities. RFGL's overall objective is to support LGBT parents and their children of all ages, prospective parents, and extended families and allies as they strive to secure and strengthen their fundamental human rights. |
We are Lesbian Moms who are interested in networking
within our local community of Washtenaw County
in the State of Michigan. We want to share information, resources, and advice. We want our children to know other families like their own. So far, we are over 250 local families strong. |
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Midwest |
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Rainbow Families® works to build a safe, just, and affirming world for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender parents and their children. Serving Minnesota and the Greater Midwest, we provide education, outreach, and advocacy for these families in communities, schools, and workplaces. Our Annual Rainbow Families® Conference is held each spring and brings together families from all over the region for workshops and social events--over 1200 people attend every year. Our School Initiative works with districts throughout Minnesota to ensure that LGBT families are safe and the classroom is inclusive. We offer information and referral for medical, legal, and other areas, as well as monthly Prospective Parent meetings, social network groups for new parents and for parents coming out in mid-life, and more! Contact us for more information. |
Missouri |
MAFA is a welcoming and inclusive group of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender parents, their children, and people who support them in the Kansas City metro area and beyond. |
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Texas |
|  Welcome to Houston Gay and Lesbian Parents. HGLP is a social and support group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender parents, their partners and kids, and parents in planning. Some of us are single and some of us are in relationships. Some of us are very open about being gay parents and some of us are in the process of coming out to our children and the world. Some of us still are in the planning stage and some of us are juggling all the details that having kids entails. Some of us had children in heterosexual relationships, some through adoption, donor insemination, surrogacy, foster care, or other arrangements. Some of us have babies or toddlers, some have elementary-age kids and some of us have teenagers. Some of us have survived having teenagers and have adult children, even grandchildren!
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Washington |
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