From the Stork Foundation
A reflection on the year, the families who trusted us with their stories, and the community that continues to carry hope forward.
As we look back on 2025, what stays with us most is not just what happened this year, but what has grown because of the years that came before it.
When The Stork Foundation was created just five short years ago, it began with a simple belief. That financial barriers should not determine who gets the chance to build a family. Since then, that belief has grown into a community rooted in compassion, trust, and action.
To date, 44 families have received grants, 20 Stork babies have been welcomed, and more than $450,000 has been distributed to support families on their path to parenthood. Along the way, we have been honored to work alongside 18 trusted sponsors, each playing a role in expanding access and awareness across the fertility space.
These numbers matter, but what they represent matters even more.
Behind every grant is a family navigating uncertainty with courage. Behind every Stork baby is a story that once felt fragile and far away. Behind every partnership is a shared commitment to show up for families when they need support the most.
In 2025, we saw that impact continue to deepen. Families trusted us with their stories. Partners amplified our mission. Donors made it possible for hope to turn into action. We were able to carry this work forward with care and intention.
As you move through this issue, you will see what that impact looks like in real life. In families. In partnerships. In moments of joy and resilience. And in a community that continues to grow, year after year.
Thank you for being part of this story. What we have built together so far is meaningful, and what lies ahead holds even more promise.
The Reach of Hope
Every year, families across the country turn to The Stork Foundation with hope in their hearts and stories they have carried quietly for far too long. The 2025 grant application cycle was a powerful reminder of just how far that hope reaches and how deeply it is needed.
During this application window, 245 individuals and couples applied for support, representing 45 states and more than $3.2 million in requested funds. Each application reflected a family standing at a crossroads, longing for a chance to move forward on their path to parenthood.
So far in 2025, $92,500 has been awarded to 9 individuals and couples, offering meaningful support at pivotal moments in their journeys. Behind every grant is a deeply personal story and a renewed sense of possibility. What follows are just a few of the voices behind those numbers.
Voices From the 2025 Grant Recipients
Mathew & Sarah
“As anyone surrounding infertility knows, the journey can be deeply discouraging, filled with questions of faith and timing. Receiving a Stork grant has given us financial relief, but more than that, it has reminded us that provision often arrives exactly when it is needed most.”
Victoria & Mike
“We could not be more grateful for this opportunity to grow our family. This support means everything as we step into this next chapter together. We look forward to sharing updates along the way and embracing this journey with open hearts.”
Kaley & Tim
“This grant has brought us renewed hope toward our dream of growing our family. We are incredibly thankful for the compassion and support behind this gift.”
Melissa & Loren
“Receiving this grant fills us with gratitude and renewed hope in the midst of a long and difficult infertility journey. It brings light to a path that has often felt overwhelming and reminds us that our dream of building a family is still within reach.”
Wings of Hope
A Family Built on Strength and Hope: Emma and Bailey’s Journey to Parenthood
Emma and Bailey had been together just over three years when they began trying to grow their family. Like many couples, they never imagined the path ahead would include so many unanswered questions and moments of heartbreak. What began with excitement and hope slowly turned into uncertainty as time passed without the outcome they longed for.
Our dream stayed the same, even as the path became harder.
As the months went on, the emotional weight of waiting and the growing financial strain of pursuing fertility treatment began to take a toll. Each step forward required careful consideration, resilience, and the willingness to keep going even when answers were hard to find.
After multiple attempts and growing exhaustion, Emma and Bailey began to wonder if becoming parents might not be part of their story. They took time to grieve the future they had imagined and to consider what other paths to parenthood might look like. Through it all, their commitment to one another and their shared hope for a family never wavered.
Emma first learned about The Stork Foundation through an Instagram story shared by Tara Carlyle, a fierce advocate of The Stork Foundation, in 2022. At the time, it offered something she deeply needed. A reminder that support existed and that they were not alone.
Through two grants, Emma and Bailey were given the opportunity to pursue IVF, a possibility that once felt completely out of reach. Moving forward required courage, trust, and the willingness to hope again after so much uncertainty.
“Receiving this grant made the impossible feel possible.”
With renewed hope and hearts full of cautious excitement, they took a leap of faith and allowed themselves to imagine a future they had once set aside.
We finally let ourselves believe again.
That belief led to the moment that changed everything. Jordyn was born on June 4, 2025, and from the very beginning, she brought light and joy into their lives.
Today, Jordyn is doing wonderfully. She is meeting all of her milestones, nearly sitting on her own, and already showing off a personality full of sass and joy.
“She is the miracle we once only dreamed about.”
Emma shares how much they love bringing Jordyn along wherever they go, from seeing Christmas lights to everyday outings that now feel full in ways they never did before.
Jordyn is beginning to recognize familiar faces and absolutely loves smiling at everyone she meets.
Stork News
In 2025, we celebrated some of the most joyful moments imaginable. The arrival of Stork babies who were once only dreams, hopes, and whispered wishes.
Each baby welcomed this year represents so much more than a birth announcement. They represent perseverance through uncertainty, courage through waiting, and the power of community coming together to support families on their path to parenthood.
Throughout the year, we received updates filled with smiles, milestones, and everyday moments that now feel extraordinary. Babies discovering the world for the first time, families creating new traditions, and parents reflecting on just how far they have come.
From first smiles and tiny milestones to festive outings and quiet moments at home, these stories remind us why this work matters. Every update is a reflection of love, resilience, and hope taking root.
As we look back on 2025, we celebrate each Stork baby with deep gratitude for the families who trusted us with their stories and for the community that made these moments possible.
To every family still waiting, still hoping, and still holding space for what is next, please know you are not alone. Hope continues to take flight here, one story at a time.
Jordyn Marie
Born June 4, 2025
7 pounds, 6 ounces | 20 inches
Arlo Jude
Born May 16, 2025
9 pounds, 9 ounces | 23 inches
McKinley Marie
Born May 9, 2025
6 pounds, 12 ounces | 19 inches
Updates On Our Sweet Stork Babies
Ashley & Andy
2020 Grant Recipients
Ashley and Andy are excited to share that they are expecting their third Stork baby. After another successful IVF cycle using an embryo supported through their grant, their family continues to grow. Halle and James are thriving and eagerly awaiting their new sibling.
Brooke & Josh
2021 Grant Recipients
Aspen is growing into a joyful, curious little girl who loves reading, dancing, and helping with everything. This fall brought family adventures, a new puppy named Mushu, and lots of playtime at home. Brooke and Josh remain deeply grateful for the joy Aspen brings to their lives.
Catelyn & Jacob
2021 Grant Recipients
Bentlee is just over two and a half and full of imagination. He loves farming, hunting, fishing, and talking nonstop. A proud Mama’s boy with a big personality, Bentlee keeps his family laughing as they cherish every milestone.
Marisa & Ryan
2022 Grant Recipients
Piper loves books, music, and crafts and is working on communicating more each day. Their family continues to feel thankful for every moment together. Ryan also celebrated a major milestone, completing law school this December, with graduation ahead this spring.
Kendra & Stephen
2022 Grant Recipients
Drake is loving his new puppy Benelli. He’s a running machine, loves playing with friends, and went to his first movie in a theater. He just turned 2 on November 1 and he had the biggest smile hearing everyone sing happy birthday to him.
Meredith & Ben
2022 Grant Recipients
Molly is deep in toddlerhood and full of personality. She loves singing, dancing, telling stories, and anything pink. Meredith and Ben often reflect on the joy and gratitude they feel watching Molly grow.
Emma & Bailey
2022 & 2023 Grant Recipients
Jordyn is thriving and already showing off plenty of personality. She is meeting milestones, recognizing familiar faces, and charming everyone with her smiles. Everyday outings and holiday lights have become even sweeter as a family of three.
Ashley & Cody
2023 Grant Recipients
McKinley is seven months old and thriving. She is a happy, joyful baby who loves food and brings smiles wherever she goes. Crawling is right around the corner, and her family feels incredibly blessed.
Rachel & Kyle
2023 Grant Recipients
Robyn has been on the move since shortly after turning eleven months and keeps up with her big brother. She loves dancing, reading, and playing with her favorite toys. Kyle and Rachel share how impossible it is to imagine life without her.
Why I Give
Starting The Stork Foundation for Infertility was never just about giving. For Elizabeth Frattura, it was about creating access to something deeply personal and life changing. The chance to become a parent.
Elizabeth remembers sitting in a doctor’s office with her husband and learning that IVF was their only path to conceiving a child. In a single appointment, they received both a diagnosis and a solution. But shortly after came the reality that so many families face. The overwhelming cost of fertility treatment.
While Elizabeth was fortunate to have insurance coverage that included IVF, her thoughts immediately turned outward. She began thinking about the countless individuals and couples who receive medical clarity, but not the financial means to act on it. Families who are told parenthood is possible, yet out of reach.
That question stayed with her. What happens to them?
“Giving back is turning empathy into action and helping others carry a burden you once knew yourself.”
That question became the spark that led Elizabeth to start The Stork Foundation. She wanted to help bridge the painful gap between medical possibility and financial reality. To ensure that a diagnosis did not also become the end of someone’s dream.
To Elizabeth, giving back means using lived experience, especially the painful or challenging moments, to help make life better for someone else. It is about connection, compassion, and responsibility. Helping others carry a burden she once had help carrying herself.
Parenthood has been one of the most defining experiences of Elizabeth’s life. It has shaped her in ways she never expected and filled her life with love, growth, meaning, and purpose. Being able to help offer that same opportunity to someone else feels deeply meaningful.
Elizabeth hopes her support helps make possibility feel real for someone facing infertility and the financial barriers that often come with it. She wants to help turn what feels impossible into a path forward.
“By giving, you are not just funding treatment. You are helping shape lives, families, and generations.”
When asked what she would share with someone considering giving, Elizabeth invites them to pause and reflect on their own children or grandchildren. To consider where those relationships rank among the most meaningful experiences of their lives.
Now imagine being told that parenthood is medically possible, but financially out of reach. That the only thing standing between you and a family is money. That is the reality for so many hopeful parents.
By giving, Elizabeth believes you are not just helping one family. You are shaping futures, strengthening communities, and offering hope that can ripple through generations.
“I started this foundation because no one should be told that parenthood is possible, but only if they can afford it.”
Partnering in Hope
At The Stork Foundation, we are continually reminded that this work is not carried by one person, one story, or one moment. It is carried by community. By people who see the weight of infertility and choose to step in with compassion, creativity, and care.
This year, we were humbled by the many ways individuals and small businesses showed up for families navigating infertility. From sharing our mission, to fundraising, to simply holding space for hope, each act of support created ripples far beyond what could be measured.
One of those ripples came from a partnership rooted in shared understanding and a belief that no one should have to carry this journey alone.
Marilyn Gomez is a passionate advocate, creative entrepreneur, and proud mother whose own infertility journey inspired the creation of Infertile Tees, a mission driven apparel brand focused on breaking the silence around infertility and creating space for hope, healing, and community.
Like so many in the Stork community, Marilyn understands firsthand how emotionally heavy and financially overwhelming infertility can be.
She has lived this journey herself and has walked alongside hundreds of others impacted by infertility, witnessing the toll it takes on individuals and families who are simply trying to build the families they dream of.
Marilyn first learned about The Stork Foundation through social media and felt an immediate connection to the mission. For her, the financial burden infertility places on families is one of the most devastating and overlooked aspects of the journey. She believes no one should have to pay to try to build a family, and that support in this space is one of the greatest gifts that can be offered.
No one should ever have to pay to try to build a family.
Earlier this year, Marilyn partnered with The Stork Foundation on a custom Stork Foundation tee, with proceeds directly benefiting 2025 grant recipients. Through this fundraiser, her creativity became a tangible form of support, helping to ease financial stress for families navigating treatment.
“Navigating infertility is emotionally grueling, and the additional financial burden is absolutely devastating. No one should ever have to pay to try to build a family.”
For Marilyn, giving back is deeply personal. She describes it as being woven into the dreams of those who want to build a family, offering support not only through dollars raised, but through compassion and shared understanding.
Her hope is simple and heartfelt. She hopes that her support helps relieve some of the burden and stress that infertility carries, allowing families to focus on hope rather than hardship.
When asked what she would say to someone considering giving, Marilyn shared a message that captures the spirit of this community. Supporting The Stork Foundation is not just making a donation. It is planting a seed of hope for someone aching to grow their family. Every gift becomes part of a life changing journey, turning heartbreak into possibility and bringing someone closer to the dream of becoming a parent.
“Your gift becomes part of a life changing journey, helping turn heartbreak into possibility.”
Marilyn also reminds us that infertility can feel incredibly isolating, but The Stork Foundation stands as proof that no one has to walk this path alone. She is deeply grateful for the love, support, and tangible help this community provides, and believes the ripple of compassion created here reaches far beyond what any of us may ever see.
“Giving back feels like being woven into the dreams of those who want to build a family.”
Welcoming MissPoppins™
Supporting Families Beyond the Journey to Parenthood
Behind every path to parenthood is a family navigating questions, transitions, and new seasons of life. That is why we are excited to share our newest community partnership with MissPoppins™.
MissPoppins is a global parenting support platform designed to ensure families never feel alone. Through real-time chat, video calls, and personalized guidance, families can connect with certified childcare, fertility, postpartum, and parenting coaches at every stage of family life.
This partnership is rooted in shared values: credible expertise, compassion, and accessible care. By connecting our community with MissPoppins’ trusted network of coaches, the circle of support available to families navigating fertility, pregnancy, parenthood, and beyond continues to grow.
MissPoppins also recently welcomed Elizabeth Frattura, Founder and Executive Director of The Stork Foundation, for a thoughtful podcast conversation exploring the IVF journey, the importance of informed decision-making, and how financial clarity and credible support can make a meaningful difference for families just getting started.
This partnership strengthens the continuum of care. Support does not stop once treatment ends, and families deserve guidance not only on the path to parenthood, but throughout the journey that follows. We are grateful to welcome MissPoppins as a partner and look forward to growing this relationship in meaningful ways.
Community Spotlight
A Milestone Moment with Kindbody & Sue Rose
At The Stork Foundation, moments of meaningful impact are often made possible through generosity and collaboration.
Through a partnership with Kindbody and the advocacy of Sue Rose, The Stork Foundation was able to award a $12,500 grant to Taylor and Kyle Zweber, supporting their journey toward parenthood.
Kindbody’s support, paired with Sue’s willingness to amplify our mission, helped bring visibility to the need for financial assistance in fertility care. This collaboration created an opportunity to directly support a family navigating infertility at a pivotal moment in their journey.
For Taylor and Kyle, this grant lifted a financial burden that once felt overwhelming and offered renewed hope as they continue forward. For our community, it is a powerful reminder of what can happen when individuals and organizations come together with shared purpose.
We are deeply grateful to Kindbody and Sue Rose for helping make this moment possible and for standing alongside families who are waiting for their chance to grow.
Looking Ahead
Hope Carries Us Forward into 2026
As we close out 2025, we do so with deep gratitude and steady optimism for what lies ahead.
The year before us holds so much promise. More partnerships that expand access and awareness. More opportunities to gather in community through events like our 4th Annual Brunch for Hope. More grants that help families take meaningful steps forward. And, we hope, more Stork babies welcomed into loving arms.
We know that infertility does not follow a calendar. For some, 2026 will bring long awaited answers. For others, it will continue to be a season of waiting, courage, and resilience. Wherever you are on this journey, we want you to know that hope remains at the center of everything we do.
Looking ahead, we remain committed to growing our impact, strengthening our partnerships, and walking alongside families with compassion and care. Every story, every step, and every moment of trust fuels what comes next.
Thank you for being part of this community.
Help Hope Take Flight
Donate Today
Your gift helps individuals and couples overcome financial barriers on their path to parenthood. Every donation supports fertility care, partnerships, and moments of possibility for families navigating infertility.
Donate at storkfoundation.org/donate/
Why Your Support Matters
Fertility care is expensive and often not fully covered by insurance. For many families, cost determines whether treatment is possible.
Your support helps turn possibility into progress and hope into action.
With Gratitude To Our Partners
We are deeply thankful for the generous partners who support The Stork Foundation and believe in our mission to expand access to fertility care and support families on their path to parenthood.
Our partners include:
Helmkamp Construction Co.
The Molo Family
Little Words Project
Nordstrom
Pinnacle Fertility
The IVF Insurance Guru (RetireMax Insurance – Jen Francis)
Morgan Stanley
Russ & Anita Noel
kindbody
Advocate
Sandberg Phoenix
Blue Owl
Delta Dental
Mockingbird
Pannos Law
Bridge Therapy
CK Supply
THL
Your generosity and partnership help make hope possible for so many families. Thank you for standing with us.
