Two Sassy Sisters Focus on New England Surrogacy Matching and Local Support
The Mismatch!
A few years ago, two sisters, working on the legal side of gestational surrogacy arrangements, discovered a hole. While there were many amazing surrogacy agencies they knew and loved, almost all of them functioned on a national basis, and most headquartered in California, and often with no one on the ground understanding local needs. Most hopeful parents-to-be would be put on a waiting list, and were at the whims of fate as to where their gestational carrier would be located – maybe in a neighboring state, if lucky, but more often a plane ride or two away.
On the other side, amazing women in New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut (aka New England) were raising their hands that they wanted to give the most selfless gift possible, the gift of carrying a child for another family. But they found themselves matched with families on the other side of the country, or the other side of the world.
There had to be a better way! Why not provide a service that focused on providing on-the-ground resources and local matching?
The light bulb was lit, and together with the esteemed Catherine Tucker, Esq., a beloved and experienced assisted reproductive technology attorney in New Hampshire, got to work building a local network to support New England gestational carriers and offering intended parents the knowledge of where their gestational carrier would be located and supported – locally!
Better in New England
Catherine and the sisters (Ellen and Jennifer) were the perfect match for New England Surrogacy. Ellen, also an attorney specialized in assisted reproductive technology law, had known Catherine for years through surrogacy legal conferences (and may possibly have a 9 year old daughter in love with Catherine’s son…but that’s a story for another day). Ellen had been amazed and impressed with Catherine’s work -- especially her successful advocacy resulting in effective and supportive gestational surrogacy legislation in New Hampshire! Together with Jenn, the ultimate type-A personality, making sure every detail is covered, and well before anyone thought to ask, they created a dream team to back New Englanders through the surrogacy journey.
New England has been the perfect match for the locally-focused model. Half of New England states have embraced legislative measures to better support those going through infertility, while the others are working to keep up in showing their support. Moreover, New England surrogates have deeply-seated values rooted in creativity and a love of nature and helping others.
In 2018, New England Surrogacy joined the Bright Futures Families, LLC group, and is now sister agency to Colorado Surrogacy, Montana Surrogacy, Texas Surrogacy, and New Mexico Surrogacy – each branch focusing on local support and matching, while sharing resources and ideas.
On the side, the sisters somehow find time for a true labor of love; a weekly podcast called I Want to Put a Baby in You. Yes, really. And while the name might be alarming (and hopefully funny), it is a platform for real-life stories of surrogates and intended parents, professionals, and others whose lives have been changed by assisted reproductive technology, to be shared with the world
The New England Surrogacy team believes in the importance of family, and we are passionate about our surrogacy matching services as a result. We know that no one comes to surrogacy lightly or because it is their first choice. Most come to us because it is their last shot at achieving their dream of a family. We work hard to make certain that a difficult burden is made all that much lighter and as easy as possible. We are grateful for the trust placed in us and look forward to continuing to fulfill dreams and hold New England-grown babies.