We change the world, one child at a time.
SWAN Affiliate Support Groups
| Affiliate | Support Group | Description | Participants | Childcare | Access | Fees | Group Type | Where | When | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethany Christian Services - USA, LLC, Western PA | Adopted Tween Group | — | 4th–7th Grade | No | Yes | None | Peer Support | Wexford | Third Tuesday of the month | Elizabeth Weekes |
| Catholic Social Services Diocese of Scranton | Support Group | — | — | — | — | — | — | Catholic Social Services, Diocese of Scranton | — | Marcie Rabinowitz |
| Children's Aid Society of Franklin County, The | Support Group | — | Adoptive, Families providing permanency | No | Yess | Post-Perm Funding | Peer Support | Chambersburg | Second Thursday of the month | Stacy Gutshall |
| Children's Aid Society of Mercer County | Support Group — Teen | — | Adopted teens | No | Yes | Post-Perm Funding | Group Prep Activities, Peer Support | Mercer | Once a month | Heather Alt |
| Families United Network, Inc. | Support Group | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Erin Howard |
| Jewish Family Services of Greater Harrisburg, Inc. | AdoptionLinks Support Group | — | Foster, Adoptive, Kinship, Waiting Families | Yes, Free | Yes | Post-Perm Funding | Educational, Peer Support | Harrisburg | First Thursday of the month | Rachel Kuhr |
| The Children's Institute of Pittsburgh, d/b/a Project Star | Mission Adoption Support | — | All Families | — | — | — | Educational, Peer Support | McKees Rocks | Second Friday of the Month (Sept.–May) | Debra Henry |
| Diakon Child, Family and Community Ministries - Mechanicsburg/York | Support Group | — | Foster, Adoptive, Kinship, Waiting Families | Yes, Free | Yes | Post-Perm Funding | Educational, Peer Support | York | SecondTuesday of the month | Denise Roe |
| Bethany Christian Services - USA, LLC, Western PA | Adoptive and Foster Support Group | — | Foster/Adoptive Families | N/A | N/A | None | Peer Support | virtual | Second Tuesday of the Month | Jessica Setta |
| Diakon Child, Family and Community Ministries-Topton | Post-Permanency Support Group | — | Any Resource or Permanency Family | Yes | Yes | None | Educational, Peer Support | Wyomissing, PA | Meets the second Tuesday of each month from 6:30 to 8:00pm | Christine Smith Hoh |
| Bethany Christian Services - USA, LLC, Western PA | Adopted Teen Group | — | 9th–12th Grade | No | Yes | None | Peer Support | Wexford | Third Saturday of the month | Maureen Ticich |
| Families Caring for Children, Inc. | Parent Support Group | — | Adoptive, families providing permanency | No | — | Post-Perm Funding | Peer Support | Lackawanna County | — | Barbara Herring |
| Bethany Christian Services - USA, LLC, Western PA | Transracial Adoption Support Group | — | Families considering or having completed transracial adoption | Yes, Free | Yes | None | Peer Support | Wexford | 5 times a year (Sept. – May) | Maureen Ticich |
| Bethany Christian Services - USA, LLC, Western PA | Parenting Traumatized Children | — | Families | Yes, Free | Yes | None | Educational | Varies | Every other week for three months | Maureen Ticich |
| Bethany Christian Services - USA, LLC, Western PA | ADOPTS Support Group | — | Parents and Teens | — | — | — | Educational, Peer Support | New Beginnings Church of God - 13226 Leslie Road Meadville, PA 16335 | Contact for Details | Maureen Ticich |
| COBYS Family Service | Family Nurturing Education & Support Program | 24-hour program designed to nurture and support parents and their children through guided play, modeling, and the presentation and practice of nurturing, sensitive, and competent parenting strategies. | Parents and their children | — | — | None | Free | — | One 2-hour session a week for 12 weeks | Mary Sorber |
| Diakon Child, Family and Community Ministries-Topton | Post-Permanency Support Group | — | Any resource or Permanency family | Yes, Free | Yes | None | Educational, Peer Support | Mt. Bethel | Third Monday of the month 6:30–8 p.m. | Michelle Koontz |
| Family Pathways | Support Group | — | Foster, Adoptive, Kinship | Yes, Free | Yes | Post-Perm Funding (dinner included) | Educational, Peer Support | Butler | Various days, 5–6 p.m. | Kortney McConnell |
| Northeast Treatment Centers | Creative Expressions | — | Foster or Adoptive Teens | No | Yes | Post-Perm Funding | Art, Educational, Peer Support | Philadelphia | Thursdays | Caterina Gallelli |
| Three Rivers Adoption Council | Chat N Chill | Can be topic driven at times, small breakout groups on specific topics, dinner and children’s programing also provided | Foster, Adoptive, Kinship, Waiting Families | Yes, Free | Yes | Post-Perm Funding or Donation at family's discretion | Educational, Peer Support | East Liberty | One Monday a month Sept.–April 6–8 p.m. | Kelly Ryan-Schmidt |
| Children's Aid Society of Mercer County | Support Group | — | Foster, Adoptive and Kinship families | Yes | — | Post-Perm Funding | Educational, Peer Support | Mercer | 4th Thursday of the month 5:30–8 p.m. | Heather Alt |
| Bethany Christian Services - USA, LLC, Western PA | Adopted Child Group | — | 2nd - 4th grade | No | Yes | None | Peer Support | Wexford | Third Saturday of the month | Maureen Ticich |
| Bethany Christian Services - USA, LLC, Western PA | Post Permanency Support Group | — | Foster/Adoptive Mothers | N/A | N/A | None | Peer Support | McKean, PA | Meeting the 3rd Monday of each month from 6:30 to 8:30 | Terry Hough |
| Bethany Christian Services - USA, LLC, Western PA | Post Permanency Support Group | — | Adopted Teens | N/A | N/A | None | Peer Support | Meadville, PA | meeting the 2nd Saturday of each month from 10am-12pm | Jessica Setta |
| Bethany Christian Services - USA, LLC, Western PA | Post Permanency Support Group | — | Adopted Teens | N/A | N/A | None | Peer Support | Meadville, PA | meeting the 2nd Wednesday of each month from 5:30 to 7:30 | Jessica Setta |
| Bethany Christian Services - USA, LLC, Western PA | Post Permanency Support Group | — | Adoptive Familes | N/A | N/A | None | Peer Support | online | Second Tuesday of the Month at 8:15 | Jessica Setta |
| Catholic Social Services Diocese of Scranton | Resource Family Support Group | Foster, Adoptive, and Kinship Families | Mainly Grandparents Raising Grandchildren | Yes (Must be potty trained) | — | None | Educational, Peer Support | 33 East Northampton Street, Wilkes Barre | 2nd Monday of each month, from 6-7:30 p.m | Joan Gower |
| Community Services Group, Inc. | Support Group | — | Adoptive, Families providing permanency | No | Yes | Post-Perm Funding or $15 per group - Dinner included | Peer Support | Williamsport - 1000 Commerce Park Drive, Suite 110 Williamsport, PA 17701 | Third Monday of the month 5:30–7:30 pm | Tammy Blymire |
| Families Caring for Children, Inc. | Youth Support Group | — | 4-8 year old adopted children | — | — | Post-Perm Funding | Peer Support | Lehigh County | 6-8 times a year | Barbara Herring |
| Families Caring for Children, Inc. | Youth Support Group | — | Adopted Pre-Teens | — | — | Post-Perm Funding | Peer Support | Lehigh County | 6-8 times a year | Barbara Herring |
| Families Caring for Children, Inc. | Youth Support Group | — | Adopted Teens | — | — | Post-Perm Funding | Peer Support | Lehigh County | 6-8 times a year | Barbara Herring |
| Loftus-Vergari and Associates, Inc. | Support Group | This is an innovative resource parent’s group that combines both face to face and virtual meeting simultaneously. It’s held in a reserved setting were brunch is served and relevant issues/trainings are discussed in a supportive environment. | Foster, Adoptive, Kinship, Waiting Families | N/A | Yes | Post-Perm Funding & Foster Care Funding | Educational, Peer Support | Wilkes-Barre | Third Tuesday of the month 10:30am-12:30pm | Cynara Wattley-Liburd |
| Bethany Christian Services of Central Pennsylvania | Family Group | — | Families impacted by adoption | Yes | — | — | Peer Support | Evangelical Free Church of Hershey 330 Hilltop Rd. Hummelstown | Second Tuesday from October-April 6-8pm | August Ney |
| Bethany Christian Services of Central Pennsylvania | Teen Guy Group | Join us for the opportunity to meet other adopted teen guys. | Adopted teen guys | — | — | — | Peer Support | Calvary Church - West entrance 1051 Landis Valley Rd. Lancaster | First Thursday of the Month 6:30-8:00 | Jason Lehman |
| Bethany Christian Services of Central Pennsylvania | Teen Girls Group | Love art work and talking with other girls? Come and join our adoptive girls group. | Adopted teen girls | — | — | — | Peer Support | Calvary Church - West entrance 1051 Landis Valley Rd. Lancaster | First Thursday of the Month 7-8:30pm | Patience Buckwalter |
| Bethany Christian Services of Central Pennsylvania | Family Support Group | Connect with a wider adoption community | Adoptive Families | Yes | — | — | Educational, Peer Support | Calvary Church - West entrance 1051 Landis Valley Rd. Lancaster | 2nd Thursday of the Month 6:30-8pm; pizza serviced from 5:45-6:15 | Patience Buckwalter |