Hello
Welcome - my name is Jessica Pruess and I am the founder of
The SAM Center for Open Adoption.​
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Inspired by the adoption of my youngest son, Sam, I created this center with a clear mission: to continue normalizing open adoption while providing resources and support for all families on this journey.
My Story
My youngest son Sam, was adopted as an infant through an agency-assisted open adoption. Open adoption is a promise—an ongoing commitment between two mothers to include the birth family in the child’s life at a level that feels comfortable for everyone.
What began as occasional texts soon grew into shared meals and, eventually, a deeply cherished friendship. We became more than a birth mom and an adoptive mom. Sam’s birth mom celebrated his baptism, his first birthday, and was welcomed into our home as family.
She plays an important role in Sam’s life, and he is better for it. Sam knows who she is and where he came from. Together, his birth mom and I have begun sharing our open adoption journey with other expectant families—to help educate, encourage, and support them on their own paths.
