Gladney Blog

1. The Adoption Department receives around 5,000 inquiries each year from those interested in adopting. Are you interested in starting your adoption journey?        
2. In April 2002, this Gladney flag was part of the Official Flight Kit for STS-110 – the thirteenth space shuttle flight to the International Space Station. Visitors to Gladney’s Fort Worth Campus can view the flag close to Mabee Hall.
3. Gladney went on-line in December, 1995, one of the first adoption agencies in the country to do so.
4. Dr. William Pierce established the National Committee For Adoption’s (now National Council for Adoption) first office in Washington, DC – named the Ruby Lee Piester Center for Adoption – to educate policymakers on adoption.
5. The average age of birth mothers today is 24-26. Read Muthoni’s adoption story.
6. The Gladney campus on Hemphill Street was built around the original West Texas Maternity Hospital, which was located between the health clinic (formerly Duncan Memorial Hospital) and the Nina B. Reese Counseling Center.
7. The movie Blossoms in the Dust premiered at the Worth Theater in Fort Worth on July 18, 1941. The theater was highly decorated in pink and white gladiolas in honor of Edna and Sam Gladney. MGM was said to have purchased every gladiola in the state of Texas for the event!
8. Mrs. Gladney’s famous argument on removing the stigma of illegitimacy from birth records before the Legislature: "There are no illegitimate children, only illegitimate parents."
9. In January of 1963, the Gladney Home was selected by the University of Texas Graduate School of Social Work as a field placement raining agency for graduate students. Are you interested in interning at Gladney? Find out about open opportunities.
10. In addition to being Hague Accredited, Gladney is one of the few agencies that offer Hague approved training for adoptive parents. The Hague Convention stipulates that families who are adopting internationally must have ten clock hours of training covering specific topics. Gladney has incorporated all specified topics in the Hague trainings which are available online.

#GladneyIs130
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Gladney received this announcement today from CCWA:

Adoption Stories

NewsChina recently shared the adoption story of Gladney parents, Sabrina and Mark, and their daughter Veronica. Veronica was adopted from Anhui Province, China.

1. In 2010, Gladney took a group of adoptees to Russia on a Heritage and Service trip to visit the region where their family became complete. This was the children's first time returning to Russia after being adopted. The children were challenged to raise humanitarian aid to provide to their orphanages - the 10 children raised over $10,000.
2. Abigail Van Buren, known the world over as "Dear Abby," toured the campus in 1965 during a visit to Fort Worth. To this day, the Dear Abby advice column continues to be a strong adoption advocate. 
3. The Next Steps Program kicked off in 2009. Next Steps helps birth mothers transition back into the "real world" after delivery. Birth mothers are armed with knowledge, education, practical tools, and confidence to take on the world with a renewed and healthy perspective by focusing on the whole person - mind, body and spirit. It is Gladney's goal for birth mothers to leave us well equipped.
    
4. A nationally known and respected adoption advocate, Ruby Lee Piester was inducted into the Texas Woman's Hall of Fame in 1997. 
5. Edna ignored conventions of her day and was a firm believer in the early placement of children. She thought common sense dictated that a child and his/her parents be  united as soon as possible. She welcomed children of all races, declaring that the Home was "only interested in one race, the human race." Learn about the adoption programs Gladney offers today by requesting our free adoption information packet.
6. Mrs. Gladney convinced her Board of Directors to buy the 35-bed West Texas Maternity Hospital in 1949. She wanted to expand services to birth mothers by giving them a place to live and good medical care so that they could deliver healthy babies. 
7. The Gladney Center has two domestic adoption programs: Domestic Infant places infants into the arms of loving families; and New Beginnings, our program that places children available for adoption through the Texas state foster care system, and children born with special medical needs. Start your adoption journey today by requesting Gladney’s free Adoption Information Packet.
8. The Edna Gladney Home, as it was then known, received full accreditation from the Child Welfare League of America in 1962.
9. Sam Gladney bought the Sherman (Texas) Mill and Grain Company in May, 1913, and changed the name to The Gladney Milling Company. The primary product of the mill was Gladiola Flour, and all of the flour sacks had a picture of colorful gladiolas. Check out these Gladiola Flour recipes we found on Pinterest!  
10. Former President George Bush, and Gladney grandparent, joined families as they celebrated Gladney's 110th Anniversary & Homecoming in October, 1997. 
11. I.Z.T Morris was a Confederate Army Veteran and a circuit-riding Methodist minister and the founder of the Gladney Center for Adoption.
12. Edna Gladney was named Superintendent of the Texas Children's Home in 1927 and planned to stay in the position, primarily as a fundraiser, for only a year. Instead, she remained as superintendent for 33 years.

The Gladney Center for Adoption is 130 years old this year! We want to celebrate all year long by sharing fun and interesting facts about our history and culture.  Check out these 11 facts that we put together in April.

The Gladney Center for Adoption is 130 years old this year! We want to celebrate all year long by sharing fun and interesting facts about our history and culture.  Check out these 14 facts that we put together in March.

The Gladney Center for Adoption is 130 years old this year! We want to celebrate all year long by sharing fun and interesting adoption facts about our history and culture.  Check out these 13 facts that we put together in February.

Leo & Lyndsey share about adoption and meeting their son’s birth mother.  Watch as they meet their new son, Lincoln, for the first time. 

The Gladney Center for Adoption is 130 years old this year! We want to celebrate all year long by sharing fun and interesting adoption facts about our history and culture.  Check out all the Gladney facts for January.

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