New Life Adoptions Director of Administration Susan Wilson (left), Executive Director Sandi Pickett (center) and social worker Sara Black (right) help facilitate open adoptions at New Life Adoptions in Tomball.[/caption] New Life Adoptions has facilitated open adoptions for nearly 500 infants since its founding in 1983, social worker Sara Black said. “[Bo Henderson, a former pastor at Houston Northwest Church,] began New Life on that basis to place babies with two-parent Christian families,” she said. The nonprofit organization—which relocated from the campus of Houston Northwest Church at 19911 Hwy. 249, Houston, to 11439 Spring Cypress Road, Bldg. C, Tomball, in January—is a licensed adoption agency that connects birth mothers to adopting families, offers support for birth mothers and encourages relationships between the two parties, Executive Director Sandi Pickett said. New Life is able to facilitate adoptions throughout Texas but primarily serves clients in the Greater Houston area, Pickett said. “Having a baby is a big experience and being able to partner with that—whether they parent or place—being able to be that friend or person in that experience kind of bonds you,” she said. “I’d say relationships are pretty important around here.” The organization offers counseling services to mothers-to-be about single parenting or adoption. Should a client choose adoption, New Life works with the expectant mother to choose a two-parent family for the child. “They can place the baby into the arms of the family that they chose,” Black said. As part of an open adoption, the agency values communication between birth mothers and children placed with families for the benefit of the child, Director of Administration Susan Wilson said. “We want the birth mom and the adoptive family to communicate at least until the child is 18 years old,” she said. New Life placed eight children with families last year, Pickett said. However, the organization was able to provide support and counseling for 22 additional women. “[We’re] much more than an adoption agency. [We’re] supporting women who are pregnant and don’t know what to do and supporting them with counseling and resources and connections,” Pickett said. “We do look different [as an adoption agency].” New Life Adoptions 11439 Spring Cypress Road, Bldg. C., Tomball 281-955-1001 www.newlifeadopt.com