How Capital One Supported Sarah’s Adoption Journey
Sarah and Greg knew early in their marriage that they wanted to be parents. When Sarah was diagnosed with uterine cancer, they learned that they were unable to have biological children. But Sarah came from a family where adoption was common and celebrated — her parents, aunts and uncles were all adopted. Sarah and Greg wanted to be parents for a child who needed a family, and they started working with an adoption agency in 2019. That was the start of a long journey where they encountered a global pandemic and many closed doors.
Despite the obstacles, the couple was determined to keep moving forward. At an adoption event at their church a few years later, they met a couple serving as guardians of 8-year-old twins, Austen and Preston. As the couple walked Austen and Preston down the stairs of the event hall to meet them, Greg leaned over to Sarah and whispered, “Those are our boys.” It was an instant connection.
Sarah and Greg later went to Austen and Preston’s school to surprise them with a sign that read, “We are getting our FOREVER home today!” Their adoption was finalized four years after Sarah and Greg started their adoption journey.
Throughout the adoption process, Capital One’s benefits provided generous and heartfelt support. They allowed Sarah and Greg to take lengthy parental leave to bond with their children, and the adoption reimbursement benefit eased the financial stress of adopting twins. On top of that, Austen and Preston enjoyed a three-week paid summer camp through Capital One’s family care benefits partner, Bright Horizons, which helped smooth the transition of the family’s first summer together.
While Sarah and Greg’s adoption journey didn’t go exactly as they planned, it worked out better than they ever imagined. Waiting for their children was challenging, but the timing was perfect in hindsight.
To anyone out there who’s looking to adopt, Sarah has a message to share: “Don’t give up. There may be many challenges and obstacles along the way, but it’s worth it to keep going.”
Thank you, Capital One for being an Adoption-Friendly Workplace. Your commitment helps make stories like Sarah’s possible.
Does your organization offer adoption and foster care benefits? Download the Foundation’s free Adoption-Friendly Workplace toolkit to get the conversation started. For organizations already offering these benefits, register to participate in our annual survey.
