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Dear Elizabeth

We hope you are safe and enjoying the summer despite the craziness of the pandemic. We are excited to share we have launched our 2021 program, and conference sponsorship is now open! See more below, including links to full sponsorship details and registration.

If you''d like to learn more about our 2021 plans and how else you can get involved, please join us for a Zoom briefing on one of the following dates!

This summer we have continued to expand our Research Library on Surrogacy and LGBT Parenting, our Directory of Surrogacy Lawyers,?and grow our new Membership Benefits Program, in addition to many other advocacy and educational initiatives. Please see below for more about these programs and other announcements.

Regards,

Ron Poole-Dayan and the MHB Team

2021 Conference Programming

In 2021 MHB is offering a total of eight in-person conferences in two formats, including two new locations: Dallas and Portland! Most of the events will take place in the 2nd - 4th quarters of the year, and we have backup plans in the event public health concerns remain an issue.

While all eight events will offer the immersive, comprehensive, and inspirational qualities of our well-liked conference model, the two formats will vary in scope, focus, and fees. The fees and benefits for the full-format conferences?are exactly the same as the previous year, and we are introducing a one-day conference format that will be limited to providers with a physical presence (or significant recruiting activity for surrogacy agencies) in the region. The fees for the one-day regional conferences?are 30%-50% lower. Note that you can take advantage of a frequency discount when you simultaneously sign up for multiple conferences (details on website).

Membership Benefits Program

Early this summer we launched our much anticipated and requested MHB Membership Benefits Program (MBP). This program is accessible to all prospective parents, without financial qualification, and provides existing, expecting, and prospective parents with exclusive programming and resources. Importantly, it also grants access to provider discounts and promotions - which is where your partnership is needed!

As a participating provider in our MBP you have the opportunity to reach this expansive group of MHB supporting members (beyond the scope of GPAP), by offering promotions that are significantly less than your GPAP pledge to the entire membership base.?

We currently have over 50 participating providers (many of them shown below), with new providers joining on a continual basis. If you are not already a participating provider, please consider joining today.

Advisory Board Renewals and Additions

Join us in congratulating the 12 distinguished surrogacy professionals who are returning to serve on the?MHB Advisory Board, and welcoming Sam Hyde of Circle Surrogacy who is joining this term.

?Our Advisory Board was established in 2016, and on July 1 it entered its fifth term. It is a unique forum for discussing legal, medical, financial, and social issues that are of relevance to surrogacy and gay parenting among knowledgeable and caring professionals, parents, and surrogates. It meets bi-monthly at our conferences and/or remotely, and serves as a significant influencer to effect improvements to our programs.

New Team Members!

Join us in welcoming 4 new talented and dedicated MHB staff members! Sara Miller, Vanessa Breedlove, Amy Cameron, and Alvin Findlay are a great addition to our team of surrogates, parents, and allies who join together to make gay parenthood a wider reality!

New Resources and Programs

MHB''s website redesign includes new resources and enhanced functionality

MHB Introduces Directory of Independent Surrogacy Law Firms

MHB Launches Research Library on Surrogacy and LGBTQ Parenting

New Virtual Expo Platform Transforms MHB''s Midwest Surrogacy Event

Advocacy

MHB advocates for Fertility Equality, leads an effort for fertility benefits

High Costs for Men Building Families Examined in Article