The Pregnancy Resource Center, which provides free resources to pregnant women and single moms, is currently rebuilding its facilities on Baxter Avenue near TJC. The center is temporarily located in the Green Acres shopping center.
The center was previously located in two houses where they had been operating for 23 years.
According to Vicky Lawson, a staff member at the Pregnancy Resource Center, these two houses were old, small and had plumbing that was failing.
With the new facility, the center plans to add a few programs and occasionally host positive activities that will reach out to students at TJC. The executive director of the Pregnancy Resource Center, Beverly Cline, said she hopes the center can “be a support to the whole TJC campus.”
This organization provides free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds and proof of pregnancy. Women need proof of pregnancy for Medicaid or any type of insurance.
The center also offers another service called Building Blocks, a parenting skills program that allows women to meet with someone who will assist them with parenting tips and ideas, financial problems, relationship issues and more. The women in this program receive points for working, reading a pamphlet and more. Points can be redeemed in the store they have on site, which includes maternity clothes, wipes, diapers, cribs, baby clothes, furniture, etc.
Lawson said “if there is something a mom needs that isn’t in the store, then often a staff member will go and find it for her.”
The Pregnancy Resource Center also has a multitude of service references for the women who come in. One reference they have is for another organization called the Nurse-Family Partnership. This partnership allows women who are pregnant with their first baby to be connected with a registered nurse who will work with the mom and assist her with both the pregnancy and parenting abilities until the baby is two years old.
Additionally, Embrace Grace is a program that creates groups of around 20 women who get together for a free dinner, prizes, games and a short devotional for 10 weeks. These groups provide fellowship and support for expecting moms. After those 10 weeks are over, a baby shower is thrown for all of the women in the group. This baby shower is held at Green Acres, and each woman will have her own table for gifts that have been bought and donated.
There is going to be an open house for the Pregnancy Resource Center during the first week of December.
