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, Pittsburgh | Adoptive and Foster Mom Group | — | Foster/Adoptive Moms | Yes, Free | Yes | None | Peer Support | Grove City | First Thursday of the Month | Elizabeth Weekes |
| Bethany Christian Services, USA, Pittsburgh | Transracial Adoption Support Group | — | Families considering or having completed transracial adoption | Yes, Free | Yes | None | Peer Support | Wexford | 5 times a year (Sept. – May) | Elizabeth Weekes |
| Bethany Christian Services, USA, Pittsburgh | Adopted Tween Group | — | 4th–7th Grade | No | Yes | None | Peer Support | Wexford | Third Tuesday of the month | Elizabeth Weekes |
| Bethany Christian Services, USA, Pittsburgh | Adopted Teen Group | — | 8th–12th Grade | No | Yes | None | Peer Support | Wexford | Third Saturday of the month | Elizabeth Weekes |
| Bethany Christian Services of Central Pennsylvania | Support Groups — Adult and Teen | — | All members of the family | Yes | Post - Perm f unding | Post - Perm f unding | Educational, Peer Support | Harleyville | Third Thursday of the month 7 – 8:30 p.m. | Sandra Moore |
| Bethany Christian Services, USA, Pittsburgh | Parenting Traumatized Children | — | Families | Yes, Free | Yes | None | Educational | Varies | Every other week for three months | Elizabeth Weekes |
| Bethany Christian Services, USA, Pittsburgh | ADOPTS Support Group | — | Parents and Teens | — | — | — | Educational, Peer Support | New Beginnings Church of God - 13226 Leslie Road Meadville, PA 16335 | March 17, March 31, April 14, April 28, and May 12 6–8 p.m. | 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 | — | Foster, Adoptive and Kinship families | Yes | — | Post-Perm Funding | Educational, Peer Support | Mercer | Last Thursday of the month 5:30–8 p.m. | Heather Alt |
| 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 |
| COBYS Family Services | 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 | Kristina Gibson |
| 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. | Staci Fattore |
| Families Caring for Children, Inc. | Parent Support Group | Possibly Youth Group | Adoptive, families providing permanency | No | — | Post-Perm Funding | Peer Support | Lackawanna County | — | Barbara Herring |
| Families United Network, Inc. | Support Group | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Erin Howard |
| 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. | Rachel Beals |
| ABS Lincs VA d/b/a First Home Care | Support Group | — | Foster, Adoptive, Kinship, Families | N/A | N/A | Post-Perm Funding | Educational, Peer Support | Virtual/Online | First Wednesday of the month 12–1 p.m. | Komil Ghauri |
| 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 |
| Loftus-Vergari | Support Group | — | Foster, Adoptive, Kinship, Waiting Families | Yes, Free | No | Post-Perm Funding & Foster Care Funding | Educational, Peer Support | Wilkes-Barre | Third Tuesday of the month 6–7:30 p.m. | Ndehia Garnett |
| Northeast Treatment Centers | Creative Expressions | — | Foster or Adoptive Teens | No | Yes | Post-Perm Funding | Art, Educational, Peer Support | Philadelphia | Thursdays | Liz Mehaffey |
| The Children's Institute of Pittsburgh/Project Star | Mission Adoption Support | — | All Families | — | — | — | Educational, Peer Support | McKees Rocks | Second Friday of the Month (Sept.–May) | Debra Henry |
| Three Rivers Adoption Council (TRAC) | 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. | Edward Berrios |
| Three Rivers Adoption Council (TRAC) | Mission Adoption Support | — | All connected to child welfare system | Yes, Donation | Yes | $20/year suggested donation | Educational, Peer Support | Allegheny County | Second Friday of the month Sept.–May | Edward Berrios |
| Diakon Child, Family and Community Ministries York/Mechanicsburg | 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, Pittsburgh | Adoptive and Foster Support Group | — | Foster/Adoptive Families | N/A | N/A | None | Peer Support | virtual | Second Tuesday of the Month | Jessica Setta |
| Bethany Christian Services of Central Pennsylvania | Adoptive and Foster Mom Group, Teen Guys Group, Teen Girls Group | — | Foster Moms, Teen Girls, Teen Guys | Yes | Yes | Free | Peer Support | Various locations | Various times | Sylvia Bekele |