Pregnancy Care Center

For the

By Jeweliana Curtis

For over 36 years, the Pregnancy Care Center has been serving the community, providing needed support and education for mothers, fathers and guardians as they navigate pregnancy. Not only is the center committed to supporting the mothers throughout their pregnancy, but also the family as a whole. e foundation for families goes far beyond the nine months that the mother carries her baby, as the organization continues to provide resources, classes and support until the baby reaches 24 months.

While the center began as a place for mothers to come for support during an unexpected pregnancy, the services have expanded to better serve the needs of the community. e Pregnancy Care Center is known for o ering free pregnancy tests and free ultrasound appointments, but that is truly just the tip of the iceberg! e organization o ers over 300-plus parenting classes, countless diaper giveaways, a closet full of needed care items for babies, support for parents and guardians, and so much more.

The Pregnancy Care Center provides an array of information to each client that comes into the center, giving an extensive overview of the options that these expectant parents have. Adoption is often a part of the conversation, and while the Pregnancy Care Center does not facilitate adoptions, the staff can connect parents with organizations and community resources that can help with this process. One of the greatest desires of the Pregnancy Care Center is to break the stigma around the topic of adoption and stop the potential shame that biological parents may face. “So many of these new moms and dads feel judged, and our society and our churches need to help change that. This is a safe space, and they can meet Jesus here, receiving hope, love and healing,” Lori North, Executive Director of the Pregnancy Care Center, expressed. “Adoption is not a selfi sh choice. We are for the family and are committed to supporting them, no matter what they choose.” Not only are there physical locations in Lake City and Live Oak, but there is also a mobile unit that serves surrounding areas in north and central Florida, as well as parts of south Georgia. The mobile unit off ers many of the same services as the two physical locations, with a trained medical staff providing free pregnancy tests, free ultrasound appointments, and free diapers and wipes to expectant mothers. With a focus on the family, the Pregnancy Care Center strives to provide a comprehensive educational plan for parents and guardians. Mothers are encouraged to take classes on a plethora of parenting topics ranging from how to properly choose a daycare to car seat safety and “how to go it alone,” if that is their situation. When the parents take these courses, they earn Mommy Money and Daddy Dollars, all of which can be spent in the Pregnancy Care Center’s closet that is fi lled with everything they need to raise a child, from diapers and wipes to clothing, bassinets, bottles and car seats. Fathers are also encouraged to take parenting courses and enroll in the “Authentic Manhood” group. In this group, expectant fathers gather together to off er support and learn how to be a great father and husband for their family. The group is led by facilitators who have similar backgrounds to those in the group, whether that means they had absent fathers or fathers who were not role models for them growing up.

Lori North Executive Director of the Pregnancy Care Center

THEME OF THE YEAR

“The brightest stars are those who shine for the good of others.”

“Our Authentic Manhood group is all about their journey to becoming the man that God has called them to be. They share a lot about their experiences growing up and talk about the challenges of not having a father in their life or having to grow up quickly. These real life experiences growing up have shaped them,” Lori explained. “Our facilitators speak to these guys and help them work through their past so that they have a brighter future. We try to have people that have backgrounds in all of those common challenges as facilitators so that they can speak to those specifi c situations and healing can begin to take place.” By placing an emphasis on each parent’s unique role, the Pregnancy Care Center is able to provide a holistic view of what a strong family looks like. This is evident throughout the family’s entire journey with the organization. “The father’s voice really makes a diff erence in a mother’s decision. If a mom sees and hears the heartbeat during an ultrasound appointment, there’s an 85 percent chance that she has a change of heart and chooses life. But if dad is in the room, that number jumps to a 97 percent chance. So, how could we not off er support to these fathers as well?” Lori expressed. “We are honored to help support the family as a whole because we want our community to be fi lled with strong families.” Equipping strong families is at the forefront of their mission, and the Pregnancy Care Center is committed to showcasing the beauty of family and sanctity of life each and every day. Their chosen theme for 2022 is “The brightest stars are those who shine for the good of others.” This can be showcased in many diff erent ways, but the Pregnancy Care Center team is choosing to shine a light on the incredible works of the most unlikely of people by society’s standards and the impact they have made on this world because their families chose life. “We are really shining a light on people that have done amazing things, but that could have been aborted by today’s standards. That brings us to the question of what talents have we missed out on from those who did not choose life? What blessings have we missed out on?” Lori asked. “There are stars that did not get to survive, and then we have stars that did, and look at how brightly they are shining despite their challenges.” With an outpouring of support from the community, the Pregnancy Care Center has been operating for over 36 years. The center does not receive any public funding as it would limit their ability to share faith and hope with expecting parents, so the support of the community

LOCATIONS

Lake City Location:

Live Oak Location:

PREGNANCY CARE CENTER

Lake City Location: 130 NW Hilton Avenue Lake City, FL 32055 (386) 755-0058 Live Oak Location: 137 Grande St NE, Live Oak, FL 32064 (386) 330-2229 Mobile Unit: Serves Alachua, Lake Butler, Mayo and Jasper regularly. Appointments available upon request! Stay tuned on Facebook for more information about the mobile unit, or call one of the centers to receive the schedule. In 2021, the Pregnancy Care Center: • Served 603 distinct, diff erent clients, not including the additional emergency visits; • Completed 2,064 unique visits and non-emergency appointments; • Gave out 368 free pregnancy tests and performed 741 freeultrasounds; • Gave out over 700 FREE packs of diapers; • And of the 269 clients that came in at risk for abortion, 209 chose life. This number only includes the clients that stayed in touch past that fi rst appointment. …And that’s just the tip of the iceberg!

is crucial. From off ering monetary donations to volunteering in the centers and donating operational items, the Pregnancy Care Center has been able to change the narrative for many families in north Florida. “My heart goes out to our community here locally. This community is such a giving community and because of their obedience, they have made it possible for us to help not only our community, but surrounding communities as well. It’s that ripple eff ect, or that shining light of the star,” Lori stated. “We have superstars in this community who have given year after year and they give bigger and bigger each year, and it’s just exciting to watch that happen because it’s not us. God has surrounded us with incredible people that make this all possible.” For more information about the Pregnancy Care Center and its services, visit north oridapregnancy.com. To see how you can get involved in their mission, visit friendsofpcc.com. Follow their Facebook page at @ PregnancyCareCenterNorthFlorida to stay up to date on upcoming events and PCC news! ■

ADDITIONAL SERVICES/ABORTION SUPPORT

Another service that is o ered at both locations and the mobile unit is the Abortion Pill Reversal. This is for women who have made a rash decision for abortion that they are regretting, and it has a 68 percent rate of e cacy when taken in ideal circumstances. Women who are seeking this service can call the center to inquire and speak with medical sta members who will meet them where they are. In addition to the service, the team provides support, prayers and much more to any client who inquires about the Abortion Pill Reversal. Peer counseling options are also available at the Pregnancy Care Center, as well as a support group called “Surrendering the Secret” for those who have previously had an abortion and want to begin the healing process in a safe environment.