Concerned United Birthparents

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Concerned United Birthparents, Inc. (CUB) is a non profit American organization that was founded in October 1976, by Lee Campbell. A small group gathered to provide mutual support for birthparents, men and women who had surrendered children to adoption. CUB membership and purpose have greatly expanded since those early days. CUB continues to evolve each year.

CUB members now include birthparents, adoptees, adoptive parents, other adoption affected people and professionals. CUB's purposes are providing mutual support for coping with the ongoing challenges of adoption, working for adoption reform in law and social policy, preventing unnecessary family separations, assisting adoption separated relatives in searching for family members, and educating the public about adoption issues and realities.

CUB is a national organization serving those touched by adoption and others who are concerned about adoption issues. Although our focus is on birthparents, long the forgotten people of the adoption community, CUB welcomes adoptees, adoptive parents, and professionals.

CUB has support groups in many urban areas. Those members who do not live near a Branch may find comfort and support through the sharing of personal experiences in the newsletter, The CUB Communicator. The newsletter contains thoughtful, provocative articles on various adoption-related topics, shares stories and reunions, provides book and movie reviews, and helps keep members abreast of changing adoption laws.

Most people contact CUB because they are interested in searching for a son, daughter, birthparents, or sibling. However, searching is not just a matter of learning techniques for finding. You are likely to find yourself facing emotional issues about yourself, your experience with adoption and surrender, your feelings about the person for whom you are searching, and perhaps life in general. Through attendance at support group meetings and The Communicator, you will learn of others' feelings and experiences, and how they coped with issues you may face in your search. This information can help prepare you for what your search may bring, and for decisions you may make regarding your reunion.

CUB does not perform searches. They are a non-profit organization founded on the principle of mutual help and support. They hope you will find the help you need, and you reach out to help others. CUB's web site contains information on their general support email list. On the list, you may ask to hear from other people with a similar situation to help you with emotional issues, ask to hear from people who are in the situation you think the person you see might be in, or ask for search help.

Many CUB members are not actively searching. Perhaps they have already found, or they are considering search but do not feel ready or want to wait. Some only want to work at understanding themselves or others. An important part of the support process is validating each others' feelings. CUB members have a desire to help themselves and each other deal with adoption.

CUB offers booklets and other publications which address the perspectives of birthparents, adoptees and adoptive parents in an attempt to increase understanding of issues family members may face. Through this understanding, all can be better prepared to develop a long-term relationship with each other during and after reunion.