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Adoption in Illinois & Indiana

 

The Adoption Center is a private, non-profit adoption agency licensed in both Illinois and Indiana. We offer a safe, caring atmosphere for expectant mothers, birthfathers and adoptive families.  Our staff consists of professional counselors who are passionate about adoption. Most of our staff have had experience with adoption in their own lives.

1-800-869-1005

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 All tax deductable contributions go into an Emergency Fund to help vulnerable women and their children. Please complete attached form and make check payable to ACFB.
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Meet our Staff

   
Directors:
  
 
Tobi Ehrenpreis, M.A, MPH,
Executive Director and Founder
Tobi has a Bachelors Degree in Social Work from the University of Michigan. She also holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Chicago, and a Masters Degree in Public Health from the University of Illinois. She oversees financial, marketing and administrative services and counsels families waiting to adopt. Tobi has two daughters by adoption.  In 2001, Tobi founded On Your Feet Foundation, an Illinois and Indiana not-for-profit that assists birthmothers following an adoptive placement. 
   
    
Maggie Gill Benz, LCSW, LMFT,
Clinical Director and Co-Founder
Maggie holds Masters Degrees in Psychology and Social Work from the University of Illinois, and DePaul University. Maggie has over 25 years of experience in the adoption field, and is both a licensed Clinical Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist. Maggie oversees all home study services, counsels adoptive families and supervises the birth parent counselors. She is also a parent by adoption.

 

Counseling Team:

   

Brooke Escobar, MSW, LSW,  Birthmother Counselor, Chicago area Brooke is the newest member of the ACFB counseling team.  She graduated from Governors State University where she received her Masters Degree in Social Work. Brooke is a licensed social worker and has over seven years experience working in the areas of foster care, adoption and post adoption services. On a personal note, Brooke and her husband are the proud parents of a one year old.
   
Cher Pollock, M.A.
Birthmother Counselor, Central -- IL & IN
 Cher is a licensed Clinical Professional Counselor with a Masters Degree in Counseling from National Lewis University.  Cher has been a birthmother counselor with the Center for over 12 years, and is a birthmother herself.  She works with birthmothers and adoptive families in Central and Southern Illinois and Central Indiana. She also conducts homestudies.  Cher has a son who is married and has a child.
   
Carol Nightingale Carol Nightingale, LCSW
Adoption Counselor
Carol is a licensed clinical social worker providing homestudy services in the greater Chicago area. Carol has a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Illinois. She was a middle school social worker for over twenty years. Carol's personal life has been  touched by adoption, too; her husband is an adoptee and they have two adult children—one through adoption.
   
Judy Orbach Jduy Orbach, LCSW
Adoption Counselor
Judy provides home study services to prospective adoptive families in the Metropolitan Chicago area. Judy is a licensed clinical social worker with many years experience as a school social worker and in private practice. She holds a Masters Degree from Loyola University Chicago. Judy is married and is the mother of two daughters through adoption.
   
 

Mary Seddon, MPH
Birthmother Counselor, Northern and Northwest Indiana
Mary has a Masters Degree in Public Health from the University of South Florida and had worked in the counseling field for many years before joining the Adoption Center staff four years ago. Mary has two teenage children through adoption.  Mary works with birthmothers in Northwest and Northern Indiana.
   
  Sue Stewart Sue Stewart, LCSW
Adoption Counselor
Sue has been conducting homestudies in the greater Chicago area for over twenty years. Sue has been with the Adoption Center for over twelve years.  She holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Chicago and is a licensed clinical social worker. Sue is married and is a mother and grandmother.
   
  Diane Greco-Colravy, MSW, LSW
Adoption Counselor, Central IL
Diane is a licensed social worker providing home study services to prospective adoptive families in Central/Southern Illinois. Diane holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She has worked in the adoption field for 18 years. Diane is married, and she and her husband are parents to a daughter and a son through adoption.
   
 

                  Administrative Team

     
  Nancy Feldman  

Nancy Feldman, AA,
Office Manager
With over 20 years administrative experience,  Nancy  coordinates all day-to-day administrative functions, and keeps the office running smoothly.  Nancy holds an Associates Degree in Child Development, and is the mother of two children through adoption.  After working in Corporate America for many years,  Nancy is enjoying sharing her passion for adoption by being a member of a team helping to create families through adoption.  Nancy has been with the Adoption Center for five years.

 

 

 

 

Brenda Flores, AA,
Administrative Assistant
Brenda has an Associates Degree in Design and joined the Center in July, 2009.  Brenda is fluent in Spanish, and has been instrumental in our efforts to reach the Spanish speaking community.  She also assists with the monthly advertising campaigns and foster care licensing for adoptive families.		    

 
   

About Our History

Adoption Center was first licensed in 1996 as one of several Illinois adoption agencies.  Two years later, the Center was licensed as an Indiana adoption agency.  We are an outgrowth of Adoption Resources, founded in 1987 by Tobi Ehrenpreis, a social worker and adoptive mother of two. Tobi was later joined by Maggie Gill Benz, also a social worker and adoptive parent.   Today, our team of professionals is comprised of several adoption counselors, an office manager and an advertising assistant. The Center has an all volunteer Board of Directors including a clinical psychologist, a neonatologist, an attorney, an accountant, other business people and adoptive parents.

Adoption Center Policies and Practices:

Adoption Center offers a full range of personalized services to its clients.  Our staff and Board recognizes that every adoption is unique, as are the individuals involved in the process.  All adoption agencies are licensed by the state(s) in which they operate and are required to follow certain rules and procedures. At the same time, Adoption Center for Family Building is a small agency, striving to maintain flexibility and offering services tailored to the individual. 

 

Are you considering adoption in Illinois? Ask about adoption services in: Aurora, Joliet, Chicago, Chicago suburbs, Peoria, Rockford, Danville, Springfield, Kankakee, Belleville, Bloomington, Waukegan, Plainfield, Peoria, Champaign, Normal, Moline, Crystal Lake, McHenry, DuPage Cook, Lake County, Kane County, and other communities throughout Illinois.

Are you considering adoption in Indiana? Ask about adoption services in: South Bend, Fort Wayne, Lafayette, Indianapolis, Evansville, Bloomington, Terre Haute, Kokomo, and Northwest Indiana -- Hammond, Whiting, Highland, Michigan City, LaPorte, Valparaiso and Northern Indiana, Indianapolis, Evansville and other towns and cities throughout Indiana.

Are you looking for an agency to help you with an unplanned pregnancy?  We are a licensed adoption agency in Illinois and Indiana helping pregnant women and teens seeking a family to adopt baby.  We can help you evaluate your pregnancy options, receive free adoption counseling and a professional adoption services.  We can also help pregnant women who are struggling financially and need help with their living and medical expenses.