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Topic : Searching for Birth Parents

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Created on : Friday, July 01, 2005, 12:25:10 pm
Author : dataimport

Are you adopted? Have you met your birth parents, or is searching for them important to you? Share your story.

 

NOTE: Please do not post personal info such as home address and phone numbers, for your safety such info will be removed.



 
searchingstill
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July 21, 2008, 3:00 pm PDT

Hurt by GivenRight

Quote From: august13

I really hope that I can help you.  I am going through a similar situation.  I was adopted in Aiken,South Carolina.  And my adoption was also private.  I have recently learned that because my adoption was private, and I was born in SC that I am not entitled to my non-identifying info.  But, I know an agency who may be able to help you.  The agency is located in Washington state and is called GivenRight.  Go on their websight.  This lady's name who is the founder of GivenRight is Jennifer Robinson.  She is a birthmom and an adoptee.  Unfortunately, she wasn't able to help me for reasons beyond her control.  Her business is run out of her home.  She doesn't help people for the money.  She does this because she knows what us adoptees feel.  Anyway, to hire her only costs $200.00 upfront and if she finds who you are looking for you only owe her another $200.00.  If she can not find someone for you you owe her nothing.  All you NEED is a copy of your birthcertificate.  Her computer matches your state file number with the same state number I believe that's how she makes a match.  Anyway, when I read your message board my heart went out to you.  Mine was not a successful search, but I hope yours will be.  Feel free to e-mail me anytime marysaustin@comcast.net.  If I have helped one person maybe it can help me find some peace from not knowing.  I wish you all the best!!!   

I feel your pain about your experience with Givenright.  Almost the exact same thing happened to me.  They contacted me and said they could do my search for $200 down and $200 after they found the info.  I gave the $200, and 21 days later, after I sent an email upset that I never heard back from them, the owner responded.  On June 10. 2008, the owner contacted me and said she had the names of my biological mother, father and maternal grandparents.  She said to send the other $200 via Paypal and she would put the information in the mail and email that same day.  I have that promise from her in writing.  I gave her the other $200 ($400 total).  For the next week, I ran to my mailbox everyday and check my email 10 to 20 times a day.  I could not wait to find out a bit about myself.  No information.  The owner would not respond to my emails or phone calls.  I filed a complaint with the BBB and filed a dispute with Paypal.  She got the dispute closed.  I got it reopened.  Her office manager contacted me on July 7 and said that the owner said that she would give me my information if I promised to drop my complaints and cancel the dispute.  I agreed that I would, but I had to have the info first.  Today is July 21, nearly 2 months have passed since I gave them money and she still won't give me my info.  It is heartbreaking to know that someone holds the key to your identity and she won't give it to you.  Even more sickening is the fact that she has done this to so many others.  It's horrible that a birth mother and adoptee is doing this.  I'm out $400 dollars and my identity.  At least she knows who she looks like and where she came from.  She robs others of their Given Right and their money.
 
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searchingstill
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July 21, 2008, 3:01 pm PDT

Hurt by GivenRight

Quote From: august13

I really hope that I can help you.  I am going through a similar situation.  I was adopted in Aiken,South Carolina.  And my adoption was also private.  I have recently learned that because my adoption was private, and I was born in SC that I am not entitled to my non-identifying info.  But, I know an agency who may be able to help you.  The agency is located in Washington state and is called GivenRight.  Go on their websight.  This lady's name who is the founder of GivenRight is Jennifer Robinson.  She is a birthmom and an adoptee.  Unfortunately, she wasn't able to help me for reasons beyond her control.  Her business is run out of her home.  She doesn't help people for the money.  She does this because she knows what us adoptees feel.  Anyway, to hire her only costs $200.00 upfront and if she finds who you are looking for you only owe her another $200.00.  If she can not find someone for you you owe her nothing.  All you NEED is a copy of your birthcertificate.  Her computer matches your state file number with the same state number I believe that's how she makes a match.  Anyway, when I read your message board my heart went out to you.  Mine was not a successful search, but I hope yours will be.  Feel free to e-mail me anytime marysaustin@comcast.net.  If I have helped one person maybe it can help me find some peace from not knowing.  I wish you all the best!!!   

I feel your pain about your experience with Givenright.  Almost the exact same thing happened to me.  They contacted me and said they could do my search for $200 down and $200 after they found the info.  I gave the $200, and 21 days later, after I sent an email upset that I never heard back from them, the owner responded.  On June 10. 2008, the owner contacted me and said she had the names of my biological mother, father and maternal grandparents.  She said to send the other $200 via Paypal and she would put the information in the mail and email that same day.  I have that promise from her in writing.  I gave her the other $200 ($400 total).  For the next week, I ran to my mailbox everyday and check my email 10 to 20 times a day.  I could not wait to find out a bit about myself.  No information.  The owner would not respond to my emails or phone calls.  I filed a complaint with the BBB and filed a dispute with Paypal.  She got the dispute closed.  I got it reopened.  Her office manager contacted me on July 7 and said that the owner said that she would give me my information if I promised to drop my complaints and cancel the dispute.  I agreed that I would, but I had to have the info first.  Today is July 21, nearly 2 months have passed since I gave them money and she still won't give me my info.  It is heartbreaking to know that someone holds the key to your identity and she won't give it to you.  Even more sickening is the fact that she has done this to so many others.  It's horrible that a birth mother and adoptee is doing this.  I'm out $400 dollars and my identity.  At least she knows who she looks like and where she came from.  She robs others of their Given Right and their money.
 
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searchingstill
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July 21, 2008, 3:05 pm PDT

Hurt by GivenRight

Quote From: wpoohbear36

Hi everyone

I am a birth parent I started the search for my son in April of 2008 after a 21 year wait.

Let me tell you a bout what has happened to me.

I was rapped when I was 15 yrs old and got pregnant from the rape I had a perfect baby boy I kept him for 6 to 7 months I was in a foster home and had no family support  my dad blamed me for the rape so I decided to put my son up for adoption. I started my search for him April of this year I hired a company called Givenright.

The lady that owns the company has lied to me ignored my emails  phone calls and text messages.

In May she called me and told me she found my son and would be making contact with him that day,she called me back later the same day and said she had talk to him and he was excited. She told me about him where he lived and all that, I ask her to give him my contact info when he called her back I was told by her that she could not do that until she received my final payment I sent it to her and  He never got my info and I did not get his info. I tried from May until June to contact her. When I finally got a hold of her she told me that she would send me his info that day or first thing the next morning 4 weeks or so went by and i still had not gotten the info.

It is now July and I got some info but the two stories she game me are do different and I have no way to verify the info that she has given me.

I would not recommend this company to any one I have slept very little and I am tear most of the time

I feel like I have been raped all over again by this company the owner. I can not get my money back and she will not finish my search.

This was supposed to be an exciting time and she has destroyed it .

So please think twice before you use Givenright I don't want any one to be hurt like they have hurt me

 

Sincerely Jackie

Hi!

 

I meant to reply to you with my comments about Given Right, but my comments ended up on someone else's thread. Sorry!  Given Right more or less did the same thing to me. I hope more people hear our stories and don't put themselves through the horrible mental games that they play and THEN take your money.  I am so sorry it happened to you too.
 
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coachred
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July 23, 2008, 9:54 am PDT

searching for birth parents

Hello, I was born in Honolulu Hawaii April 27, 1969. I was adopted when I was 3 days old. I am searching for my birth parents because I want to know my medical history. I have been plagued with bi-polar and emotional problems all my life. I need answers. I also want to know if I have brothers and, or sisters.
 
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lemild
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July 26, 2008, 5:04 pm PDT

Where is former Foster child?

Approx  1968 -69 our darling 18 mo old Bi racial girl named Angelia K. was adopted by a white family at Eau Claire,WI.Would love hearing from her & family.
 
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griparis
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August 6, 2008, 10:52 am PDT

Looking for siblings

I was adopted at birth in 1952, Chicago, IL.  My birth father was a truck driver, age 42 when I was born, and my birth mother  was 25, and  they had 2 other children.  I was given this information when I registed with the Illinois Adoption Registry.  A few years before my adopted mother died (July, 2000) she gave me the adoption papers with the names of my birth parents, Michael and Betty Rocco.  Chances are my birth parents are deceased, but since I was raised an only child, I would like to meet my siblings.  I've never looked for my birth family before.  I wasn't sure if Michael was really my birth father, but was always curious what nationality I am.  If Michael is my birth father, then I would guess I have some Italian in my heritage.  Not sure about Betty though.  I guess my curiosity got the best of me.

 
 
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utopiaqn
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August 9, 2008, 8:29 am PDT

father of Johanna Blocks baby 1960 Miami

I was born 4/28/1960 at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Miami. My biological mother , Johanna Block, was murdered in Miami in 1961. I have been able to track down info. on my family through the 1961 homicide report. But there was no info. at all about my father. It just said that he was a guard at a stockade in Miami in 1959. I really dont know where to go from there.
 
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August 13, 2008, 11:47 am PDT

Woman in NY looking for siblings and birth parents

Hi my name is Aleja Bennett from queens New York. I was abandoned at the age of six months old somewhere in new York and given birth to at The Elmhurst Hospital in Queens new York July 9th at 7:23 am. I am an african american female. My siblings and I are all separated since I was six months old. My birth mother named me Aleja and my adopted last name was Robbins then my married last name became Bennett.

 

I suffered years of abuse and tortures by the hands of my church going adopted parent's and I write to help heal and help others.
 
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grandmashari
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August 13, 2008, 9:58 pm PDT

Watch out for Identity theft

Quote From: august13

I really hope that I can help you.  I am going through a similar situation.  I was adopted in Aiken,South Carolina.  And my adoption was also private.  I have recently learned that because my adoption was private, and I was born in SC that I am not entitled to my non-identifying info.  But, I know an agency who may be able to help you.  The agency is located in Washington state and is called GivenRight.  Go on their websight.  This lady's name who is the founder of GivenRight is Jennifer Robinson.  She is a birthmom and an adoptee.  Unfortunately, she wasn't able to help me for reasons beyond her control.  Her business is run out of her home.  She doesn't help people for the money.  She does this because she knows what us adoptees feel.  Anyway, to hire her only costs $200.00 upfront and if she finds who you are looking for you only owe her another $200.00.  If she can not find someone for you you owe her nothing.  All you NEED is a copy of your birthcertificate.  Her computer matches your state file number with the same state number I believe that's how she makes a match.  Anyway, when I read your message board my heart went out to you.  Mine was not a successful search, but I hope yours will be.  Feel free to e-mail me anytime marysaustin@comcast.net.  If I have helped one person maybe it can help me find some peace from not knowing.  I wish you all the best!!!   

My husband was adopted and I check this board and others to see if his birth parents are looking for him.  I seen this post and wanted to say this GivenRight sounds like bad news.  Do you realize by sending your birth certificates to her makes you open for Identity Theft?  You must be very careful on who you trust with personal information.  Also Keep some of your birth information to yourself, if  you find someone is claiming to be your parent, you can ask what time you were born or something like that.  It could weed out the bad ones who are just trying to make a buck off you.  Even with a closed adoption, you could contact your courts yourself requesting to open the adoption records.  You may need to have your adoptive parents permission if they are still alive.  It certainly would be a safer way of going about it then sending your birth certificate and money to some strangers.  Put adds in the news paper of the town you were born in is another avenue you can try. 

 

Good luck with your searches.
 
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mikashuei
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August 14, 2008, 5:22 pm PDT

i feel your pain

Quote From: wpoohbear36

Hi everyone

I am a birth parent I started the search for my son in April of 2008 after a 21 year wait.

Let me tell you a bout what has happened to me.

I was rapped when I was 15 yrs old and got pregnant from the rape I had a perfect baby boy I kept him for 6 to 7 months I was in a foster home and had no family support  my dad blamed me for the rape so I decided to put my son up for adoption. I started my search for him April of this year I hired a company called Givenright.

The lady that owns the company has lied to me ignored my emails  phone calls and text messages.

In May she called me and told me she found my son and would be making contact with him that day,she called me back later the same day and said she had talk to him and he was excited. She told me about him where he lived and all that, I ask her to give him my contact info when he called her back I was told by her that she could not do that until she received my final payment I sent it to her and  He never got my info and I did not get his info. I tried from May until June to contact her. When I finally got a hold of her she told me that she would send me his info that day or first thing the next morning 4 weeks or so went by and i still had not gotten the info.

It is now July and I got some info but the two stories she game me are do different and I have no way to verify the info that she has given me.

I would not recommend this company to any one I have slept very little and I am tear most of the time

I feel like I have been raped all over again by this company the owner. I can not get my money back and she will not finish my search.

This was supposed to be an exciting time and she has destroyed it .

So please think twice before you use Givenright I don't want any one to be hurt like they have hurt me

 

Sincerely Jackie

 you are not alone! I am an adopted child and are looking for my bith mom. i regestered with the birth regesrty. if he is looking for you they will tell you. you call your local health deptment and ask them how to apply for a regestry number. every baby that is adopted is given a number so they can be tracked. and when you apply and are given a number they match it with your sons number and match you up. Y ou need to know that rape is never the victumes fault. your dad was probly angery that he couldn't protect you from that awful act agenst you. I was raped when i was 8 and it teaches not to trust anyone. I really hope that you find your son and if i can help in anyway please let me know.

sincerely,
Allyson M
 
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