Advice & Aid – All The Help We Desperately Needed

John and Tanya are  willingly giving us permission to share their story so that others can realize there is hope in the midst of a difficult situation. All client experiences with Advice & Aid Pregnancy Centers are kept with the highest confidence. The stories that are shared come from the real-life experiences that our clients, staff and volunteers had during their unplanned pregnancy.

Their names and parts of their story have been changed to protect their identity, but their story is true.


When my partner and I found out that we were expecting – unexpectedly – we really didn’t know where to turn.

Having a baby was not in our plans.

We weren’t ready in any way; emotionally, financially or mentally. This was not a good time, and we simply believed that this was not the right thing for us.

Once the shock wore off a bit, we decided to do some research into what our options were. It was through online search that we found Advice & Aid Pregnancy Center. Not really knowing what to expect, we made an appointment to speak to them, thinking almost up to the time we left to meet someone that we would not go. However, it felt like something was propelling us toward them, so we went – walking in the door with great apprehension and our minds definitely not made up as to how this would turn out.

The next 30 minutes made a huge difference in our lives. After meeting with a Client Advocate there, we were immediately put at ease. Our Client Advocate was warm, helpful and not judgmental in any way. She gave us facts about all of our options.

But most importantly, she helped us see that, by being a part of the larger family there at Advice & Aid, we would not have to go through anything alone.

We left, knowing that we had friends who would be beside us every step of the way. We also left, having made up our minds to keep this baby, and learn along the way – with others and with help – how to care for it.

We learned much over the next several months at Advice & Aid. Most helpful to us was their Bridges Program (to read more about that, click here) and how this two-year program helped provide not only for our physical needs (like diapers and wipes, formula and clothes), but also gave us a place to learn how to parent, to connect with others in our shoes, and to gain valuable knowledge that could help us as we deal with the trials of life.

Through the next couple of years, we attended many Bridges meetings. Each time we attended, we earned “dollars” that could be spent right there at Advice & Aid’s “store,” which contained the items we desperately needed for our baby. We went through a study called “Love and Logic” that provided knowledge for us to be able to work with each other as we raise a child. To this day, we use the principals taught in that study. Most of all, we received support. We always had someone there for us to talk to, to give us help and advice on parenting, and to make sure we knew we weren’t alone.

When we first started at Advice & Aid, we had no idea how much the program would affect our lives. The amount of help and care that we received from their volunteers and staff has been wonderful. We felt like family from the moment we walked in their doors. Words cannot express how grateful we are to have been a part of this program. We would not change a single thing about the way they worked with us. Being a part of Advice & Aid (and their Bridges Program) is something we will take with us for the rest of our lives.

Without this program, we don’t know where we would be – and are grateful to have been a part of it.


Additional help if you or someone you know is expecting:
Advice & Aid Pregnancy Center has additional programs to help. To learn more, check out these posts:
Our Bridges Program
Our Journeys Program
Our Labor & Delivery Program

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