A HEART FOR FAMILY

Several years ago, Hunter and Kristy Hamilton began exploring the possibility of adoption to grow their family. “We would receive emails alerting us of expectant mothers considering adoption,” Kristy says. “Each email would include a small snapshot of the expectant mother’s story and her motivation in choosing adoption. Every story was different and filled, at times, with challenging circumstances. At the core of every story was the mother’s desire to give her child a better life. I was struck with this overwhelming act of sacrifice. These women deserve to be recognized and embraced for this difficult and selfless act.”

One of Kristy’s friends invited her to a tea party raising money for Moms Not Forgotten, a nonprofit organization committed to supporting birth moms who place their children for adoption. “I went to this event not knowing much about birth moms and was instantly overwhelmed with love for this forgotten group of women,” she recalls. “I immediately reached out and asked to be involved.”

Kristy joined forces with Jennifer Mueller, the founder of Moms Not Forgotten, and now serves as vice president. Moms Not Forgotten seeks to encourage awareness of adoption by supporting birth moms through gifts of hope that remind the women that they are loved, cherished, and known. Moms Not Forgotten does this by sending small gifts of encouragement to birth moms at all steps of their post-adoptive journey. They also provide education on what it means to be a birth mom.

“I’m incredibly blessed to have helped Jennifer obtain nonprofit status for Moms Not Forgotten,” Kristy says. “I’ve loved the opportunity to share her vision and help her format this amazing organization. I would love for our community to recognize that these amazing women, at times, can be forgotten. Generally, we are so happy for the adoptive family and their new bundle of joy, but behind this beauty, there is a loss.”

Kristy’s husband, Hunter, found himself equally moved by the adoption journey and decided to give his time to Informed Choices, a nonprofit he first heard about at the couple’s church. Informed Choices is a pregnancy medical center specializing in early pregnancy confirmation, pregnancy options education, and ultrasounds. They also offer parenting classes that parents can complete to earn points toward purchasing diapers, formula, and even car seats or cribs. Informed Choices has centers in Crystal Lake and Grayslake.

“We started supporting Informed Choices and got to know Sarah [Vanderlip], the executive director, and learned more about the ministry,” Hunter explains. “I had an opportunity to serve as one of their men’s life advocates, meeting with fathers who wanted to be better dads. I was also asked to serve on the board a few years ago and have enjoyed working with phenomenal board members, employees, and volunteers. I’ve worked with Informed Choices to help host their annual ‘Walk for Life’ hike in the spring, and I emcee the annual banquet each fall. Last year, we were able to purchase two new amazing ultrasound machines with the help of our supporters.”

“Informed Choices empowers people to make informed decisions about pregnancy and parenting through education and support,” says Hunter. “We’ve always believed that all life is precious, and each one of us is made in God’s image. We’re called to love our neighbors, and helping the moms and dads make informed choices about their babies is one of the best ways to show that love.”

Today, the Hamiltons live in Lake Barrington with their three young children. Hunter is a financial advisor and partner at Edward Jones. He is also a partner at High Caliber Capital, a capital group started with two friends from his Kellogg MBA class that helps revitalize historic buildings in small-town America. Kristy owns a local event business called Social Butterfly.

“I’m a father, a competitive athlete, partner at two companies, and board member for multiple charities,” Hunter says. “Time is the commodity I’m shortest on. But serving with Informed Choices is one of the most rewarding things I’ve been blessed to do. The board, leadership, employees, and volunteers are so committed to the mission that it reenergizes me every time I’m around them. I find my batteries refilled every time I get to serve here.”

Kristy echoes this sentiment.

“It has been such a joy to meet so many wonderful birth moms through Moms Not Forgotten,” she adds. “I love hearing their stories. While filled with pain, they are also filled with hope. These stories motivate me through all aspects of my life.”

To learn more about Moms Not Forgotten, visit momsnotforgotten.com. To learn more about Informed Choices, visit informedchoices.org.