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On Your Feet Foundation's 2024 Gather Fundraising Gala
[EVANSTON, ILL.] —On Your Feet Foundation, an Evanston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, hosts their annual fundraiser, Gather, on Friday, August 23, 2024, at the historic Dawes House (225 Greenwood St, Evanston, Ill.) at 6:00 p.m., to raise funds and awareness for birthparents — those who have placed their child, or children, for adoption — many of whom, even today, place in secret, grieve in secret, struggle in secret.
“It is important that places like [On Your Feet] exist because I found out that I'm not alone and because of them, I'm becoming a better, stronger person that I can be proud of! Without [On Your Feet] I felt so lost and alone. I realized that there are many other birth parents and I don't have to be alone or ashamed of my decision to place my son for adoption,” says one birthmother utilizing On Your Feet’s birthparent support services.
This year’s speakeasy-themed gala features an evening of food provided by Green Spoon Kitchen, prohibition-era cocktails by local mixologists, jazz music by The Chicago Jazz Dads, tarot readings, a silent auction, and more. PhD candidate Torie DiMartile — founder of Wreckage and Wonder and the driving force behind On Your Feet’s Activism in Adoption program — is this year’s Gather honoree for her contributions to adoption education. Funds raised by this event will allow On Your Feet to continue carrying out their mission of providing birthparents with the comprehensive, one-on-one post-placement support they deserve, at no cost to them, while producing adoption education resources that reflect the lived experiences of birthparents and adopted people in order to create better outcomes for all members of the adoption constellation.
On Your Feet’s Executive Director, Alexis Eyler says, “Over the course of my nine years with On Your Feet, I have been entrusted with stories from so many birthparents who never felt safe enough to share their experiences until they found On Your Feet Foundation. I learned that the rainbows and unicorns picture that is so often painted about adoption is full of complications and contradictions and complexities — a full spectrum of emotions from joy on one side to grief on the other. I learned that adoption is a human rights issue, and we need to do better for everyone whose life is impacted by adoption — and that we all have someone in our lives whose life is touched by adoption. When you support On Your Feet, you support improving outcomes for all members of the adoption constellation — including your family member who is adopted, your co-worker who is a birthparent, your friend who adopted a child.”
Individual tickets to Gather are now available for $150. Sponsorship opportunities, starting at $500, are also available. For more information about On Your Feet and Gather, visit https://onyourfeetfoundation.org/events.
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About On Your Feet:
On Your Feet Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization based in Evanston, Ill. dedicated to serving the needs of parents after they have placed a child or children for adoption across North America. They are recognized as the leader in comprehensive post-placement support for birthparents, a demographic that has historically been under-served within the adoption community. They do this through case management, access to adoption-competent therapy, therapeutic retreats, education and counseling grants, community-building, and ethical adoption education.
Event Links
Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/2552697-0
Website: https://go.evvnt.com/2552697-2
