Trepp Family Adoption Journey: 50 Plus Years and Going Strong

After military service in Germany (1960–1963), I traveled from New York City to California with a stop in Chicago to visit relatives. It was while in Chicago that I met Marilyn, and three years later, in 1966, we were married in California in a non-denominational church, although Marilyn was Catholic and came from a large…

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Celebrating 75 Years of Creating Forever Families

On May 23, 2024, HFS will celebrate seventy-five years of creating forever families. It’s an amazing accomplishment, and a testament to the agency’s resilience, that HFS has continuously provided high-quality adoption services to birth parents and adoptive parents for almost eight decades.  HFS’s origin story began when Dr. George Piness, then associated with St. Anne’s…

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McKellar Family’s Adoption Story

For as long as we can remember, we – Megan and Joseph – have always wanted to be parents. For 8 years we worked on starting our family.  Years of failed fertility treatments, multiple rounds of IVF, even surrogacy, brought on a season of grief and loss for us.  We were feeling defeated, our hope…

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The Power of Love!

By Lydia (Sid) Johnston Not flesh of my flesh, nor bone of my bone, but still miraculously my own. Never forget for a single minute, you didn’t grow under my heart but in it. Fleur Conkling Heyliger Julian and Jennie Sid were married after the war and in time learned they would not have biological…

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Happy Fall

Greetings from the staff and Board of Directors at HFS Adoption & Foster Care, and Happy Fall!

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The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and Its Vital Role in Adoption

At HFS, we understand the immense joy and responsibility that comes with adoption. Every child deserves a loving, stable, and nurturing home. When it comes to adopting Native American children, the legal landscape is governed by the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). In this article, we’ll discuss why ICWA is crucial in ensuring that the best interests of these children are upheld and how it shapes the adoption process.

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