Bethany Christian Services, one of the nation's biggest adoption and foster care agencies, announced on Monday it would immediately begin working with LGBTQ families, The New York Times reports. Chris Palusky, Bethany's president and chief executive, said in an email to 1,500 staff members, "We will now offer services with the love and compassion of Jesus to the many types of families who exist in our world today. We're taking an 'all hands on deck' approach where all are welcome." Bethany's announcement is particularly significant as faith-based organizations have continued to oppose working with same-sex couples who wish to start families. Organizations such as Catholic Social Services have claimed that working with same-sex couples is an infringement upon their religious liberty. Catholic Social Services is currently suing the city of Philadelphia over having their contract suspended for discrimination in refusing to work with same-sex couples. Monday's announcement is also a big about-face for Bethany, which has been around for 77 years. The largest Protestant adoption and foster care agency in the U.S., the New York Times notes, "Bethany facilitated 3,406 foster placements and 1,123 adoptions in 2019, and has offices in 32 states." The organization had an informal policy of referring same-sex couples elsewhere. After a 2018 incident in which a lesbian couple were told Bethany "has never placed a child with a same-sex couple," media reports led to Philadelphia suspending contracts with both Catholic Social Services and Bethany's Philadelphia office. The same year, Bethany passed a resolution that granted local branches to comply with state and local contract requirements pertaining to anti-discrimination. Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork ?️‍??‍?‍??‍?‍? (?️: Kevin Schattenkirk @kschatt13, ?: Getty)

Bethany Christian Services, one of the nation's biggest adoption and foster care agencies, announced on Monday it would immediately begin working with LGBTQ families, The New York Times reports. Chris Palusky, Bethany's president and chief executive, said in an email to 1,500 staff members, "We will now offer services with the love and compassion of Jesus to the many types of families who exist in our world today. We're taking an 'all hands on deck' approach where all are welcome." Bethany's announcement is particularly significant as faith-based organizations have continued to oppose working with same-sex couples who wish to start families. Organizations such as Catholic Social Services have claimed that working with same-sex couples is an infringement upon their religious liberty. Catholic Social Services is currently suing the city of Philadelphia over having their contract suspended for discrimination in refusing to work with same-sex couples. Monday's announcement is also a big about-face for Bethany, which has been around for 77 years. The largest Protestant adoption and foster care agency in the U.S., the New York Times notes, "Bethany facilitated 3,406 foster placements and 1,123 adoptions in 2019, and has offices in 32 states." The organization had an informal policy of referring same-sex couples elsewhere. After a 2018 incident in which a lesbian couple were told Bethany "has never placed a child with a same-sex couple," media reports led to Philadelphia suspending contracts with both Catholic Social Services and Bethany's Philadelphia office. The same year, Bethany passed a resolution that granted local branches to comply with state and local contract requirements pertaining to anti-discrimination. Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork ?️‍??‍?‍??‍?‍? (?️: Kevin Schattenkirk @kschatt13, ?: Getty)