Making a Mark

by Chelsea Sunderland, Client Services Director

Heartbeat of Lima & Putnam County is celebrating 50 years of serving the community in 2023! The location at 421 South Cable Road, purchased last May has allowed Heartbeat to bring formerly separated Lima-area services all under one roof, and what a blessing that has been! Heartbeat is also considering expanding services at the Ottawa location later this year.

This organization provides assistance to families of all sizes who are anticipating or parenting children under age 3 at both the Lima and Ottawa locations. Without accepting payment of any kind, they offer infant formula, diapers, bottles, wipes and more to those who need emergency help, individuals with foster placements, or parents who are simply between paychecks. Heartbeat also provides a long-term opportunity for clients to “learn & earn” additional items like clothing, nursery necessities, baby food, and bedding items from the “baby boutique” for women or men who participate in free parenting classes. They also offer free pregnancy tests and ultrasounds for women who suspect they may be pregnant, and can provide referrals for services like adoption assistance, housing programs, mental health services, and any other immediate needs.

Because Heartbeat of Lima is a 501c3 non-profit organization funded by local donors, community events, church congregations and other independent local sources they do not accept government or taxpayer funding and therefore do not have residency restrictions, low-income requirements, or other limitations that would exclude them from helping people in need. They also accept donated items for the “baby boutique” such as new or gently used clothing, swings, strollers, bouncers, bedding, and unopened/ unexpired formulas, baby food, and toiletry products. Many of those items come from community “baby showers” such as the one hosted by the Parent Task Force at St Charles Catholic School during their Advent service project. This event alone provided nearly 3,000 diapers and over 400 ounces of formula, along with hundreds of bedding and clothing items, toys, and more. Our local worship communities have been a wonderful source of material and financial support as well, allowing Heartbeat to serve more families each year.

With the new location and a growing awareness of the benefits pregnancy resource centers provide, Heartbeat of Lima & Putnam County has been able to expand its available ultrasound appointments in the past year also. They do not accept insurance or any form of payment from clients and this service is not limited to families who are low-income or uninsured. They provide limited obstetrical ultrasounds for the purpose of confirming a pregnancy, verifying that the baby is growing within the uterus, confirming that a heartbeat is present, and taking measurements to estimate the gestational age and due date. With the ultrasound technology and sonographer training available today, they can commonly see and measure a heartbeat at as little as 6 weeks gestation.

As a life-affirming ministry, Heartbeat also seeks to help women who are in need of pregnancy support. They minister to women who are considering adoption, contemplating abortion, or who are having difficulty disclosing a pregnancy to loved ones. The nurses at Heartbeat provide honest and complete answers from a medical and practical perspective. Heartbeat’s goal is for women to choose life for their babies, and trained client advocates are committed to providing accurate information about pregnancy options, offering adoption support, post-abortive support and other necessary services so women can make an informed choice.

Heartbeat of Lima & Putnam County has been blessed by the community’s support for the past 50 years and looks forward to celebrating life with their clients for many years to come!