SANTA ANA : Man Once Adopted Heads Adoption Unit

Few things please Stephen Abdo more than seeing children adopted by caring families. Except, of course, having a hand in making that happen.

The local businessman was recently named president of the Orange County Board of Trustees of Holy Family Services, the same adoption agency that placed him with his own family almost 40 years ago.

“I really, honestly feel it’s more a privilege than anything,” Abdo said.

It’s great “to have an opportunity to help these young birth parents make the decision to give their child up for adoption and help families adopt children. (The agency) really affects the lives of all these people, and hopefully in a positive vein,” Abdo said.

On June 27, Abdo, 39, was selected to lead the board after four years as a trustee.

He said that five years ago he and his wife, Liz, became involved with the agency because they appeared to be unable to have children of their own.

But after they had gone through much of the process to adopt a child through Holy Family, Liz became pregnant.

The couple eventually had two children.

Holy Family, which has served the community since 1945, is the second largest private adoption agency in the state.

It provides free birth and parent counseling as well as adoption services, regardless of ability to pay, said spokeswoman Mecca Carpenter.

Stephen Abdo said his experiences as an adopted child and a prospective adoptive parent make him especially appreciative of his new position.

“I’ve been very lucky; I have great parents. Hopefully, I’ll be able to do for some young child what I have had done for me,” he said.