Hi! My name is Jake from Philadelphia. I want to thank you for your strength and bravery. I want you to know that if I’m given the opportunity, I will show your child unconditional love and support, always.

I have always wanted to be a dad and promise to instill in him or her the qualities that I possess and are important to the world; compassion, love and respect. I’m hoping this “peek into my life” gives you a sense of reassurance that your child will be nurtured and cared for all while having a fun and exciting upbringing!

I am originally from Delaware and moved to San Diego, CA after graduating from the University of Delaware with an exercise science degree. I made the decision to head back to my roots in the summer of 2021 and am now living in Philadelphia.

COVID-19 allowed a lot of space for personal reflection and being closer to my family on the east coast reared its importance. One of my greatest accomplishments is moving across the county and establishing a career. While I had not anticipated being a single parent at this stage in my life, I know that I have the love and commitment to care for a child. I know being a single parent can be difficult at times, but I am up for the challenge and have an awesome support system to help me along the way.

As a kid I was involved in everything! Piano lessons, horseback riding, soccer, ice skating, tennis clubs, skiing, track and cross county running, French lessons, and swimming. I was, and still am a person who likes to say YES. My parents divorced when I was in 4th grade, which made for an interesting childhood. My sister and I wanted to spend time with both our parents so we had a crazy schedule of staying with one parent for 2 days, and then switched to the other parent.

This may seem wild to the outside, but it was our new normal, and I wouldn’t have traded it for anything. Both of my parents are remarried and my Dad had 2 more children. Now, I am the oldest child to 3 younger sisters.

Now that I am living closer to them, I see them almost every weekend!

I look forward to catching a movie on a Saturday night and heading to the local Farmer’s Market on Sunday mornings. Philadelphia has a lot to offer, so I try and take advantage of what the community has prepared depending on the season. There are always special Food Trucks set up in nearby parks to get some famous cheese steaks or Museums and Aquariums to check out. Another fave is the Philadelphia Zoo! You can spend hours upon hours here. To put it straight, Philadelphia has something for everyone, and I plan to explore any and all interests and hobbies that your child may have, should I be blessed with the opportunity.

I have had some of the best trips with my loved ones. Whenever I plan a trip, I like to research everything about it and just immerse myself into the culture. I want to experience everything that the locals do. A couple of my favorite trips have been to Greece 6 years ago and Thailand 2 years ago. Meeting people that live there, tasting their food and taking in the beauty of their towns are amazing. Southern California is so close to Mexico, that visiting this country is very easy and happens quite often. I plan to bring my family back to SoCal often to experience this blend of culture!

Because I was so active as a kid, this fascination with the body and how it works, never left me. Today, you can see me doing many of the same activities as when I was younger, especially outdoors. I practice yoga daily (sometimes teach it), like to explore different hikes around Philadelphia, eat at fun new restaurants, and relax at the beach in warmer months and go skiing in colder months.

When I moved to San Diego, I had two jobs! One was bartending at a lively, energetic bar/restaurant and the other was working at the YMCA of San Diego County as a Senior Social Service Program Director overseeing community public health projects. I loved having both of these responsibilities. The restaurant kept me very active and fulfilled my need to be in an exciting, social setting, while the YMCA filled my heart with being able to give back to the community. After 10 years, I decided to leave the restaurant world and dedicate all my time and energy to the YMCA and my new little pup, Piper.

After 17 years of service at the YMCA of San Diego, I am fortunate to continue my career at the YMCA in Philadelphia! I am currently the Executive Director of Community Youth Programs.

I am excited to announce that after 18 years of living in CA, I am back on the east coast with my whole family! When the pandemic started, I knew this would be difficult for many people, so I tried to look at this as an opportunity. I knew I could use this time to plan my move back towards my hometown.

Having my family closer to me would be a tremendous help with raising my family. Both my parents live about a half hour drive from my home in Philadelphia. My Mother and Stepfather also have a beach house in the neighboring state of New Jersey that we frequent as much as possible!

I have developed a strong knit of "chosen family members" in San Diego that stay in contact with and I can rely on for anything. We all enjoy the same hobbies, share the same values and live life to the fullest. They are very supportive of my move back home and we always have a trip planned to visit each other to maintain our close bond.

I have a black/brown lab mix that I rescued when she was 3 months old. Piper is now 6 years old going on 2 years old! She believes she is still a puppy and has a lot of energy. I take her to the dog beach or on hikes every chance I get- her favorite is to go exploring in new places. Although she is full of life, she understands that she needs to be gentle with young children. She is always by my side, just like a shadow.

I am so grateful to continue my career at the Philadelphia YMCA! I am the Executive Director of Community Youth Programs. This has been an excellent way for me to learn about the rich history of Philadelphia and to make a difference in the underserved communities of Philadelphia. I live about 2 miles from my work office in the neighborhood of Fairmount. I am within walking distance from many attractions such as the Philadelphia Art Museum, Center City, Boat House Row & the Franklin Institute Museum. There is a common thread of “brotherly love” that you see all around with people’s kindness, interest in the community and helping others.

Thank you so much for considering me as an adoptive parent. There has been no better time for me to take this journey.