On April 25, we hosted our 3rd annual fundraising gala for the adoption community, A Night of Dreams! This elevated circus evening included everything from VIP offerings, silent and live auctions, awe-inspiring circus acts, and heartfelt, adoption-minded programming. This week, listen in as Mal and Kate recap the whole evening and announce just how much money was raised during their Night of Dreams! Be sure to also keep an ear out for next year's theme...we can't wait to see you there! Connec...
Mal + Kate are wrapping up Season 5 of the Funding Love Adoption Podcast with a recap of the 2025 Adoptive Family Vacation! Joining them are Funding Love Vacation Director, Sarah Basham, and Funding Love Director of Finance (who also traveled as a Magic Maker this trip), Jen McWilliams! Tune in as they share all about our 2025 AFV, the impact it made, and how our donors made this trip one of our most magical vacations yet! Connect with your hosts! @malyourpal @katedawnduck Connect with...
This week, Mal + Kate welcome guest Janelle Basham to talk all about supporting the birth mom community. Janelle is the Executive Director of BraveLove, a nonprofit transforming the narrative of adoption by honoring birth mothers and fostering understanding through education, support, and storytelling. As a birth mom herself, Janelle brings passion and lived insight to her mission of empowering others and building bridges within the adoption community. With a background in private adoption an...
Your Season 5 BONUS EPISODE is here! This week, Mal + Kate talk with guest Shannon Scott, as she shares her story, heart for adoption, and involvement with Funding Love. Shannon Scott is a passionate Bible teacher with nearly 30 years of experience in ministry and leadership. She has a deep love for the local church and is particularly passionate about ministry to women, believing in the transformative power of God’s Word. After many years serving on church staff, Shannon now works with QAVA,...
Funding Love LOVES birth moms. We believe they are worthy and deserving of post-adoption support. This week, Mal + Kate talk about how you can support your child’s birth moms, regardless of how open your adoption is. Connect with your hosts! @malyourpal @katedawnduck Connect with Funding Love! Website Instagram Facebook Support the show
In this episode of the Funding Love Adoption Podcast, Mal and Kate discuss what it looks like to bond with your newly adopted baby. They share their own experiences while giving a few tips they picked up along the way. Connect with your hosts! @malyourpal @katedawnduck Connect with Funding Love! Website Instagram Facebook Support the show
So you’ve been matched and have done your best to prepare your home for brand new baby. Now, the moment is here and expectant mom is delivering the baby! What does that look like? What is the right thing to do, say, expect? This week, Mal and Kate chat as Kate shares all about her hospital experiences as an adoptive mom and what to expect in the hospital when you’re adopting a new baby. Connect with your hosts! @malyourpal @katedawnduck Connect with Funding Love! Website I...
We’re right in the middle of Season 5 of the Funding Love Adoption Podcast, and this episode, Mal + Kate chat about what it looks like to prepare your home, heart, + family to bring home the baby you’ve been matched with. Connect with your hosts! @malyourpal @katedawnduck Connect with Funding Love! Website Instagram Facebook Support the show
This week in the Funding Love Adoption Podcast, Mal + Kate talk about what to expect when it comes to THE call; the call that all hopeful adoptive parents dream of hearing - “You’ve been matched!” Listen along as they share their encouragement, advice, and personal stories of getting THE call! Support the show
Welcome to Season 5 of the Funding Love Podcast! In this first episode, Mal + Kate chat all about the new year for Funding Love and what to expect in this new season of podcast episodes. Listen along as they share their "words" for the year, share Funding Love's 2025 calendar of events, and give little hints from upcoming episodes. Connect with your hosts! @malyourpal @katedawnduck Connect with Funding Love! Website Instagram Facebook Support the show
The Book Club Crew is back for the FINAL episode of the Funding Love Book Club. This time, they are discussing Adoption Unfiltered: Revelations from Adoptees, Birth Parents, Adoptive Parents, and Allies. Adoption Unfiltered authors Sara Easterly (adoptee), Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard (birth parent), and Lori Holden (adoptive parent) interview dozens of adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents, social workers, therapists, and other allies—all sharing candidly about the challenges in adoptio...
The Funding Love Book Club Crew are back to discuss book three of 2024, To Have and Not To Hold by Lorri Antosz Benson. To Have and Not to Hold is the poignant account of Lorri's momentous decision to give her daughter for adoption, the resulting heartache, and later, the unexpected joy of reconnecting with her daughter and her daughter's adoptive mother. With agonizing yet heartwarming honesty, Lorri offers a profound look at a deep connection of two mothers that is born with the cry of a ...
It’s week six, the FINAL episode in Season 4 of the Funding Love Adoption Podcast! This whole season, Mal + Kate have been talking about the PRE-finalization phase of adoption, and they are ending the season with an honest talk about open adoption. What IS open adoption? Why should you pursue it? How can you be honest with yourself and live out and open adoption well? Mal + Kate chat about all of this and MORE! Be sure to like, subscribe, and share. Connect with your hosts! @malyour...
It’s week 5 of Season 4 and today’s episode is all about fundraising for your adoption. Everyone knows adoption can be really expensive, but don’t let money be the reason you choose not to adopt. Tune in as Mal + Kate share their stories and brainstorm ways to fundraise for adoption. Connect with your hosts! @malyourpal @katedawnduck Connect with Funding Love! Website Instagram Facebook Support the show
It’s time for another BONUS EPISODE of the Funding Love Adoption Podcast! This week, Mal + Kate talk with returning guest, Funding Love Birth Mom Vacation Alumna, and author of The Sixteenth Year: An Open Adoption Memoir, Leah Outten. Leah reflects on her experience as an expectant mom looking through profile books to choose a family for her baby. She also give practical advice to those that are considering adoption and are looking for tips on how to create a profile book that is unique to yo...
So you made it through the home study, and now it's time to get matched with an expectant mama and baby. But HOW do you do that? This week, Mal + Kate talk all about adoption profile book; what are they, and how do you create one that is eye-catching, but honest? Tune in to hear all their tips and advice. Connect with your hosts! @malyourpal @katedawnduck Connect with Funding Love! Website Instagram Facebook Support the show Support the show
On this episode of the Funding Love Adoption Podcast, Mal + Kate discuss those awful, dreaded, hairy, scary HOME STUDIES! Tune in to get questions answered and fear alleviated, as the ladies share the truth that home studies really aren't that bad. Connect with your hosts! @malyourpal @katedawnduck Connect with Funding Love! Website Instagram Facebook Support the show
It's Week 2 of Season 4, as Mal + Kate continue in the mission of helping you to navigate the beginning stages of adoption. This week, they share all of the different types of adoption that exist, while sharing about adoption ethics and red flags to look for, not only in agencies + consultants, but in yourself, as well. Connect with your hosts! @malyourpal @katedawnduck Connect with Funding Love! Website Instagram Facebook Support the show Support the show
The 2024 Birth Mom Vacation has come to an end, and for this week's BONUS Episode Mal + Kate invite Funding Love's Vacation Director, Sarah Basham, along with all three 2024 Birth Mom Vacation Magic Makers, Audra, Jess, and Sara, to debrief the trip and share their experiences with these incredible women. Connect with Funding Love! Website Instagram Facebook Support the show Support the show
Welcome back to the Funding Love Adoption Podcast with Mal + Kate! Season 4 is the launch of a fresh start with a fresh look! Throughout Season 4, you can expect a focus on the PRE-adoption journey. Mal + Kate will be covering topics like home studies, profile books, and choosing open adoption. This week, they are talking about their own adoption journeys and WHY they chose to build their families through adoption. They also chat about some practical questions to ask yourself, as you ...