PACER was founded in 1978 by Dirck Brown, with the help of his wife, Molly.
PACER’S MISSION: To foster understanding of adoption as a lifelong process and intergenerational journey, and to serve member of the adoption triad (adoptees, birthparents and adoptive parents). We provide comprehensive information, support, public education and advocacy for positive change in adoption policy and practice.
Dirck was an educator and an adoptee, who became a Marriage, Family and Child counselor after searching for and finding his birthmother in 1976. Shortly after moving from Maryland to Palo Alto, he started an adoption support group, which met in his home during the late 70’s. And not long after PACER was born.
“We knew we had found the perfect way to help others who needed acceptance and support,” Dirck wrote in our 25 th Anniversary newsletter, published just two months before his death in December of last year. He also worked with Tony and Emma Vilardi (of International Soundex Reunion Registry) to help found AAC, the American Adoption Congress, and later served on their board and as president.
PACER began offering support groups all over the Bay Area, organized workshops on trans-racial adoption, and made presentations at Stanford University Hospital. Dr. Joe Davis, a renown pediatrician, who understood the life-long issues of adoption even though he had no personal connection, was instrumental in arranging for PACER panels, representing all sides of the triad, to speak during Grand Rounds at Stanford and other Bay Area hospitals. Dr. Joe was a fierce advocate for adoptees’ right to know and supporter of PACER’s work, up until his death in Spring 2003.
Donna Oman, a birthmother, was PACER’s first president. Then Dr. Joe, Gene Grossman, Martin Brandfon, Diane Michelsen, Jim Mehlfeld, Catherine Sharp, Jane Calbreath, Bob Crowe, and our new president: Malcolm Pearson.
Some key events in PACER’s history:
1981: PACER received funding for an 18-workshop series for professionals on adoption.
1983: We began offering search workshops, and did so annually until a few years ago.
1996: PACER participated in Reg Day for the first time, with sites in seven cities.
1998: We became a CEU provider (continuing education credits, for therapists and other human services professionals).
PACER triad members began telling their adoption stories in Catholic Charities meetings for prospective adoptive parents.
We hosted the AAC’s Regional Conference in San Francisco.
2001-20002: We supported California’s Open Records bill.
PACER has continued to:
Sponsor workshops, on topics such as Attachment Disorder and Birthmother Healing
Hold special events, including Adoption Unity Gatherings, Mother’s Day picnics, and our Holiday Party
Expand our peer support groups, which are still the heart of our organization.
Right now, there are 10 support groups— in the East Bay, Contra Costa, Marin, Sonoma County, San Mateo and Sacramento, and San Francisco.
Jane Calbreath led the way to establishing PACER’s current ground rules for groups, modeled after 12-step program guidelines, to ensure a safe, non-judgmental, confidential environment for everyone who attends. Although we’ve considered it several times, PACER does not charge people to come to meetings, nor require attendees to be members.
Like many non-profit organizations that are all-volunteer and supported financially solely through memberships and donations, PACER has had its ups and downs. We’ve had to rebuild a number of times, but we’ve stayed alive for 25 years, thanks to people like you, who give your time and energy.