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When Tim and Kiersten, both employees at Charles River Labs, decided to expand their family, they knew that support from their employer would be critical for their journey. Employer-provided benefits like paid parental leave helped the couple transition into their role as parents as they welcomed their son, Jack, into the family.

“Jack had a lot of difficulties in the beginning. We are so proud of what he’s overcome, and the past two and a half years have gone by so fast. It’s been such a joy to have him in our family!” they shared.

Tim and Kiersten added, “We are grateful for the adoption benefits Charles River provides. Thanks to these benefits, we were able to take a six-week break to bond with Jack once he was officially adopted. This was a huge relief after the two-year-long process, and it gave us time to really focus on strengthening our family bond.”

For anyone considering growing their family through adoption, Tim and Kiersten have a message to share:

“It’s definitely worth it! We’ve gotten a lot of questions about if we decided to adopt because we had fertility issues, but that’s not our story. In our eyes, it doesn’t have to be a backup plan to make a family;  you can foster or adopt. There are kids out there who really need a loving family and the opportunity to just be a kid.”

Congratulations, Charles River Labs, for being recognized as a Best Adoption-Friendly Workplace and for helping to make stories like Tim and Kiersten’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.