We screen our potential Guides very carefully in an effort to insure that you are well-suited to this particular volunteer role.  Upon receipt of this application, an Uprooted staff member will email you to set up a phone conversation in which we will speak candidly about your family-building struggles.  This conversation will take between 20-30 minutes and will involve details about your difficulties. In the course of your volunteer role, you will be speaking with people who will have personal questions for you. It is imperative that you are able to be completely open about the very personal topic of infertility.  If this disclosure does not feel comfortable, then becoming a Guide may not be right for you.  We require our Guides to be skilled in the following areas: 1) The ability to respect the confidentiality boundaries inherent in this position, 2) The ability to speak candidly and in detail about your family-building challenges, 3) The ability to be an excellent listener, and 4) The ability to convey authentic empathy and kindness.  If you feel that you have the requisite qualifications, time and interest, this may be an ideal opportunity for you.

Please tell us how you would define yourself Jewishly ( e.g., Reform, Orthodox, Unaffiliated, Cultural etc):

We’ll share your story on our website. Here is a sample bio:  I’d always had highly erratic, unpredictable periods, so even before my husband and I began trying, I feared I would have trouble getting pregnant. At 31, lacking any semblance of a regular cycle, I consulted an experienced Reproductive Endocrinologist, and was diagnosed with  PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). I began treatment with Clomid and eventually transitioned to IUI with injectable medication. I felt very isolated in my infertility, and sought connection by joining a small group of women who were undergoing ART/IVF on a timeframe similar to my own. My journey towards motherhood seemed full of hurdles (physical pain, emotional pain) but I was determined to endure difficulty if it would enable me to become a parent.  I somehow believed in the importance of nurturing my own tiny inner light — an awareness that this was my challenge to face but that I would not let this experience define me. After one year in treatment, on my third round of IUI, I conceived a son. Infertility was the most emotionally difficult challenge I had ever been through, and I although I have been a mom for many years now, I still vividly remember that painful time.

Thank you for your interest in being an Uprooted Mentoring Guide.  Upon receipt of this application, an Uprooted staff member will email you to set up a phone conversation.  As noted above, we screen our potential mentors very carefully in an effort to insure that you are well-suited to this particular volunteer role.  

You may expect our phone call to take between 20-30 minutes.  During that time a staff member will ask detailed questions about you, your fertility, your family building journey and the challenges you faced.  It is imperative that you are comfortable talking about the very personal nature of the topic of infertility and are able to tell your story and answer all questions honestly and candidly.  

Please give some thought to the effect your family-building struggle has had on you. For example, consider your feelings about alternative medicine, adoption, and the use of ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) i.e. do you have strong opinions about the use of invasive methods to build a family?  

If you think this would be a good volunteer role for you, we would love to hear from you!  Thank you so very much for offering to support others who are struggling.  Your kindness is truly a blessing.