named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
A-OK Program
Supports the adoption of older children by providing specialized training, home studies, and post-placement services to families interested in adopting youth from foster care.
Family STAR Post Adoption Department
Provides counseling, support, and resources to adoptive families and birth families after placement to maintain healthy connections and support lifelong adoption journeys.
Tapestry Books
Nation’s first adoption-focused bookstore offering curated books and resources for all members of the adoption circle, including adoptive families, birth families, and professionals.
activities · 2 groups
What they do
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Comprehensive Adoption Services 7 activities
- Adoption education and counseling servicesProvides free orientations, pre- and post-adoption counseling, educational classes, and individual consultations for individuals exploring adoption, birth parents, and adoptive families. Covers topics including communication, child development, open adoption, and the adoption process.
- Adoption home studies and placement servicesConducts comprehensive home studies, post-placement visits, and child placement services for prospective and adoptive families. Facilitates placements for infants through age 21, including older children, siblings, and children with special needs, through a pool of pre-screened and trained adoptive families.
- Adoption resource and education disseminationProduces and distributes educational materials including a free e-book 'Adoption Stories, Poems & Advice', maintains a resource library at each office location, and supports Tapestry Books, the nation’s first adoption-focused bookstore, to provide adoption-related books and resources to the public.
- Client intake and case managementServes as the primary point of contact for individuals interested in adoption, managing client intake, file compliance, and coordination of services across programs.
- Equity-informed adoption programmingOffers inclusive adoption services without discrimination and hosts programming focused on racial equity and LGBTQIA+ inclusion, including discussions with transracial adoptees, racial equity activists, and Pride Month events.
- Post-adoption support programsOffers ongoing post-adoption support through the Family STAR program, including counseling, community events, support groups, and connection opportunities for adoptees, birth families, and adoptive families after finalization.
- Support for birth parentsProvides professional counseling, support sessions, and assistance in creating personalized adoption and birth plans for birth parents, including support during birth, delivery, and placement. Offers ongoing emotional and community support after placement.
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Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
- Community engagement and outreach eventsHosts annual in-person and virtual events including a summer picnic for adoptive families in Buffalo, NY; Pride Month discussions on LGBTQIA+ adoption; Black History Month discussions with racial equity activists; and online information sessions to introduce prospective clients to adoption services.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.31M
Contributions & grants$12K1%
Program service revenue$1.17M90%
Investment income$124K9%
Other revenue$910
expenses
Total expenses$1.64M
Program expenses67%
Admin / overhead33%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$968K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$3.63M
Cash$122K
Investments$2.76M
Liabilities$717K
Net assets$2.92M
Liquid reserves21.1 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -14.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZACHARY FRIED | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 50 | $118K |
board members · 6
- ALEC DEULL — SECRETARY
- CHRISTIINE TINNESZ — PRESIDENT
- CHUCK FRIED — TREASURER
- COURTNEY WILLIAMS — DIRECTOR
- MICHAEL BENZIN — VICE PRESIDENT
- RAGHU RAM — DIRECTOR
relationships · 18
Who they work with
- April Dinwoodie Partner — Racial Equity & Adoption Activist interviewed for Black History Month discussion
- Ellicott Creek Park Partner — Host site for the Annual Adoptive Family Summer Picnic in the Buffalo, NY area.
- Ellicott Creek Park Partner — Hosts the Annual Adoptive Family Summer Picnic as a venue partner.
- Eventbrite Partner — Platform used to register participants for Adoption STAR's online adoption information sessions.
- Family STAR Partner — Post-adoption support department offering counseling, education, and peer support to adoptive families, birth families, and adoptees.
- Family STAR Partner — Post-adoption support department operated by Adoption STAR to serve adoptees and their families.
- Feeding America Partner — Partner agency distributing food
- HRC All Children-All Families Government — Recognized by HRC All Children-All Families as an INNOVATOR for policies and practices supporting LGBTQ youth and families.
- Not specified Partner — Contact information provided includes a phone number and email address associated with the organization's direct services, but no external named partner organizations are mentioned.
- Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Government — Board member Chuck Fried sits on the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Technology Board.
- Shaun Doyle Partner — Intake Manager and podcast host who leads discussions on LGBTQIA+ adoption and birth parent experiences
- Tapestry Books Partner — Adoption STAR supports Tapestry Books, the nation’s first adoption-focused bookstore, through staff involvement and resource provision.
- Tapestry Books Partner — Collaborates with Tapestry Books as a resource partner for adoption-related books and informational materials.
- University at Buffalo Government — Multiple Adoption STAR staff members received their education from the University at Buffalo, and one board member previously taught there.
- Zack Fried Partner — Transracial adoptee and Compliance Director who contributes to discussions on race and adoption
- licensed social worker Partner — Collaborates with licensed social workers to assess and approve prospective adoptive parents during the home study process.
- local department of child protective services Government — Works with individuals involved with child protective services to explore adoption options.
- public school whose families struggle to afford school supplies Partner — Partnered with a public school through a crayon drive to support students in need.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Adoption Triad Inclusion and Lifelong Supportmethodology: adoption-triad-inclusionBy integrating services that address the needs of adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive families throughout the lifespan, the organization promotes healing and stability because inclusive, ongoing support acknowledges adoption as a dynamic, evolving experience for all parties.
- Client-Centered Open Adoption with Empowerment-Based Planningmethodology: open-adoption-supportBy centering birth parents' autonomy in selecting adoptive families and customizing openness levels, the organization fosters trust and permanency because empowered decision-making leads to more respectful, resilient, and child-centered adoption relationships.
- Education-First Adoption Decision Makingmethodology: adoption-education-firstBy providing comprehensive education during the home study and pre-parenthood process, the organization ensures that individuals make informed, intentional adoption decisions because understanding adoption complexities leads to more sustainable and ethical outcomes.
- Special Needs and Older Child Adoption with Targeted Supportmethodology: special_needs_adoptionBy focusing on the adoption of older children and those with special needs through specialized education and outreach, the organization increases placement success because tailored preparation and awareness address the unique emotional and behavioral challenges these children face.