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Just wondering if anyone has had any direct experience with a Yahoo Group called Reuniting MinnesotaӔ? They have a fairly new user ID here in the forums and have posted 8 times. Each time claiming to represent a FriendlyӔ, Very SuccessfulӔ helpful group. However, when you go to register with their group the security firewall feels more like a firing squad. Or maybe its just me.?
They are VERY restrictive and demanding about FULL disclosure of ALL personal information before you will even be considered for membership. They will not accept any of the public style email addresses (ie:yahoo, hotmail, juno, any of the free emails), they will not accept cell phone numbers or work phone numbers. The list goes on and on. They also disclose that they will most likely be calling you to VERIFY your information. I can tell you from my past experience with them that they also research and verify your street address and will CHALLENGE that if they donҒt like what they find (something they did not disclose in advance). I listed my contact information which happened to be at a religious organization and they wanted to know WHO I was, WHAT I did there and WHY was I listing that as my contact information. (whew!) What I find interesting is, The Yahoo group is listed as belonging to HollyӔ and JanӔ and one of the 8 posts I saw on this forum was signed by a HollyӔ who identified herself as the owner of the group. Yet the profile they are using 5D45Ӕ is registered to a KathyӔ and if you try to send ANY email to that profile (5D45) you will get a message that they are NOT ACCEPTING emails. Interesting. Full disclosure huh?
Why do I care and why am I even posting this???? Is it right/proper of them to DEMAND such full disclosure of every personal detail of our lives just to register us with their group? This is an email (online) group,,, this is not a friend, neighbor, personal acquaintance that we can sit down and talk to face-to-face.
I am sure their intentions are good you can see that from the advice they have posted here. And I believe they most certainly have the right to run their group anyway they want, but is it right for them to be SO EXCLUSIVE yet post œTeasing Notes that they can help us but ONLY if we play by their very restrictive rules?! Just wondering what some other opinions are on this. Thanks.
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Hi. I signed up with this group about a week ago. So far they've been very supportive in their messages to each other. They're not so much a "search" group. They're more a support group that give advice on next steps and so forth. I didn't have a problem signing up with them. They have a lot of good info on their link sites. Holly does seem very supportive and kind in her e-mail addresses. If you do sign up with them you can expect to get an average of 5 e-mails a day. Any message posted comes to your e-mail address so that you can stay up-to-date with everyone's story. I have a hotmail account and didn't have a problem signing up with it. I guess I would recommend the group.
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Wow, you sure got a different reply from them than I did. I wonder what the difference is.? Here is what they sent me:
Thank you for your interest in joining Reuniting Minnesota. We are a friendly group that loves to help in Minnesota adoption searches.
We do require that all members provide some information about
themselves before joining. <snip>
Please send the following information:
Home phone number (Membership will be denied to those who provide cell phone or work numbers)
Basic search information (date of birth, place of birth, adoption
agency, etc.)
Adoption triad position (adoptee, birthparent, adoptive parent)
For those using an anonymous email service (such as yahoo.com or
hotmail.com) you must also provide your usual (ISP) email address.
Applicants should be aware that they may receive a phone call from this
group's owner or moderator as part of the process of verifying
applicants. Applicants who cannot be verified will be denied membership.
You may send this information to us by just replying to this email.
You have 14 days to respond to this request. Failure to do so will
result in your membership request being denied.
I'm a member of the group. I've had a very pleasant experience. I got the same "interrogation" request as you did, but I believe they do that just for your protection and the protection of the members. Just so they know you are sincere and not some evil spammer posing as someone's birth parents or child. How awful would that be?? I use a yahoo address as well. After a few e-mails with Holly, she decided that I could be part of the group. They are very helpful in getting a search started and give tons of ideas and advice.
JMO...
b&k'smom,
Thanks for the information. Your note made me feel better about the whole deal. I just got such an AGRESSIVE, Invasive feel from my first contact with them. Then when I saw they were on the forums here and using an "anonymous" profile enticing people to join their group it just didn't feel right.
I can't help but feel they are not very tuned into the 'birthmom's" perspective or at least not tuned into a very wide array of possible situations. I understand their desire to protect their members from spammers but to do an unauthorized trace on my mailing address and demand that I send them an ISP address (which is the same as a street address in computer-land).... just seems very one-sided and narrow-minded of them. They must realize that adoptions, searches, reunions, etc. are very HIGHLY emotionally-charged issues with many, many issues to consider. Although each of us has something in common, we all come from different circumstances. We each have unique reasons for searching, our histories are all different. To demand that we all fit into the same FULL DISCLOSURE, ZERO TOLLERANCE, zone is a bit of a stretch!
But from everything I'm hearing, they don't offer much in the line of searching resources. Sounds more like a support group than a searching tool. I thought they were a registry or active group of search angels. I never was able to get any info though because you can't talk to them unless you join. And you can't join unless you send them a DNA sample. (okay, maybe not that bad.) :-)
Thanks for all the info. Best of luck to everyone on their searches. Blessings to all.
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I am an adoption search angel
They declined my membership because I am not an adoptee or birthmother
I am a search angel/ they said they have enough very good searchers in the group
So I would recommend you join the group. but they shouldn't be so restrictive in letting search angels in. Two weeks ago I had 3 finds in one weekend. I also had another find yesterday from Minnesota; I believe I would have been an asset to the group
Denise