Why Brownstone?
We Do More. We Do It Better.
Tell us if this sounds familiar. You’re learning about surrogacy agencies by talking to friends, browsing review sites, and doing lots of googling. You’re starting to think that there are basically two types of agencies: (1) big, professional, impersonal and rigid, or (2) small, personal, flexible, but amateurish. That’s how our founder, Jarret, and his husband felt when they were going through the process, and that’s how their surrogate Jenny felt as well. You want to make sure the financial and legal aspects of this complicated process are competently handled, but you don’t want to be passed along from one member of staff to another, none of whom truly know you and your story.
Brownstone offers a different model: personal and professional. We heard the common concerns and designed a program that simply does it better. No gimmicks here. What you see is exactly what you get. We are small, we hold high standards, we don’t cut corners, and we always have your back.
We Do More.
Screening
- We fully screen surrogates—at our own cost—prior to matching.
- Our screening process includes review of a surrogate’s medical records by a medical professional.
- We conduct psychological evaluations of both surrogates and intended parents prior to matching.
- As much as we can, we share the results of our screening process with you when matching. No hiding the ball.
Personalized Support
- Both surrogates and parents have a single point-of-contact throughout the whole process, coordinating all of the moving pieces.
- Intended parents don’t need to pay extra for this “VIP Concierge” treatment.
- Surrogates always have an advocate and are never left to navigate their journey alone.
All-Inclusive Model
- Our flat agency fee includes free rematch services if your surrogate is medically disqualified or has three unsuccessful transfers.
- Our flat agency fee includes the coordination of all donor cycles and IVF/transfer cycles.
- Our flat agency fee includes virtually anything else you require! Whether it is researching a great birth doula, food delivery service, or new parent class, we’ve got you—free of charge.
We Do It Better.
Ethics
- We are one of the few surrogacy agencies in the nation licensed by the government (New York State Department of Health).
- Every Brownstone journey is ingrained with the highest ethical standards.
- We carefully vet all of our recommended third-party providers—lawyers, doctors, and mental health professionals—to make sure they follow best practices.
Professionalism
- We lead with honesty, transparency, and empathy. Hopefully this is evident from the sheer amount of information about the process—financial, medical, legal, and interpersonal—available on this website. We’re not hiding the ball.
- Brownstone has no financial relationship with any outside party involved in your journey, ensuring that your interests always come first and foremost.
- Brownstone Surrogacy is attuned to the unique needs of the LGBTQ+ community.
Passion
- Brownstone was started with the simple desire to provide a better level of service for surrogates and parents going through a process that can be confusing and overwhelming.
- This is personal for our co-Directors. Surrogacy was Jarret’s only option for biological parenthood and Yesenia’s experience as a surrogate instilled a passion for supporting and empowering other surrogates.
- One of the only LGBT-owned and operated surrogacy agencies, Brownstone is built on heart and dedication.
Our Name Explained
A brownstone is a city rowhouse made of sandstone (which gives it a brown color). Historically, they were single-family houses built for the middle class. But for many New York City residents today, a brownstone is the ideal family home. Brownstone Surrogacy offers the ideal way to build families through surrogacy.
Our Affiliations
Brownstone Surrogacy or members of our team are proud to be affiliated with:
Brownstone Surrogacy is licensed as a surrogacy matching program by the New York State Department of Health. Our license number is GS221023. We are proud to be among the few agencies licensed by a governmental regulator.
“Gestation is a marvel, no matter how it is accomplished. But gestation isn’t the real magic. Love is the magic. Love is the only magic.” – Early: An Intimate History of Premature Birth and What It Teaches Us About Being Human by Sarah DiGregorio