Angels of Adoption Hope & Healing Fund: A Legacy of Gratitude and Compassion from Steve and Kris Gohn

 A Legacy of Gratitude and Compassion from Steve and Kris Gohn

Steve and Kris Gohn have built their lives around family, gratitude, and giving back. Their journey as adoptive parents began through the courage and love of four extraordinary women who chose adoption for their babies. “Those women changed our world,” Steve shared. “Over time, we began to see how love and gratitude could take shape as a way to give back.”

The Angels of Adoption: Hope & Healing Fund, established through the South Dakota Community Foundation, was created as a tribute to those women and to all birth parents whose strength makes families possible. Rooted in deep appreciation, the fund provides meaningful support for birth mothers as they continue their healing journeys long after placement.

Steve and Kris have witnessed what it takes for birthparents to love without holding, to stay present from a distance, and to give everything while carrying the weight of goodbye. It is not a quick fix, and it affects birthparents in different ways throughout their lives.

As both an adoptive mother and a professional with All About U Adoptions, Kris has seen firsthand the ongoing impact of adoption. “The journey for birth parents is complex and lifelong,” she said. “Supporting them not only honors their love and courage, but also helps foster stability, healing, and hope for the future.”

For the Gohns, it finally became possible for gratitude to become action. “Every time I look into the eyes of one of our children, I think about the incredibly selfless people who made it possible,” Kris said. “Gratitude without action never felt like enough. We threw ourselves into being the best parents we could be, raising the babies we shared with their first family. Now those babies are grown, and Steve and I can do more.”

With the help of the South Dakota Community Foundation, their vision took shape and continues to grow. “SDCF provided the guidance and trust we needed to make sure this legacy endures,” Kris said.

The Gohns hope their fund continues to meet real needs while inspiring others to see adoption not as an ending, but as an ongoing journey of love, healing, and support. And to never forget the first families who so selflessly choose parents for their babies.

Through compassion and generosity, Steve and Kris have created more than a fund; they’ve built a lasting tribute to the courage of birth parents and the power of gratitude to make a positive impact on people who have never asked for anything in return for their priceless gift.