This woman has willingly giving us permission to share her 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.
Her name has been removed but her story is true.
Dear Advice and Aid,
Almost 20 years ago I came into your office. I was 15 and in the 9th grade. I had no adult support, and I was terrified of what my future held. Someone told me that you had an Education Program and that in your program I could get the support I needed to become a parent.
Back then, I felt like my only options were for me to drop out of school and get a full-time job, so that’s what I did. I worked and worked and worked. I went to your Education Program once a week, and every week I aimed to earn as many points as possible so that I could buy clothes, diapers, wipes, and anything else I thought my son might need. Every doctor’s appointment, every church bulletin, every Parents As Teachers play date worked like money to help me get what I needed from your “closet” of baby needs.
The first two years as a parent were hard. I had to overcome my insecurities. Just because I was a young mother did not mean that I was a bad or weak person. I didn’t have to be like my mother, and my kids could have what I knew other kids had. I looked forward to the parenting classes and the study groups I had access to because of Advice and Aid. I made friends in my group, and I didn’t feel so alone when I talked about people staring at me funny in the stores or when I expressed my frustration about not being taken seriously at the doctor’s office. I was gaining confidence as a parent and power as a young woman.
I have always remembered your program and how it helped me grow into who I am today. Upon leaving Advice and Aid, I earned my GED and finished a Bachelor of Arts in Middle School Education with a Language Arts Emphasis. I am a middle school teacher, Masters’s student, scout leader, and mother of three now. My oldest is 19 and taking on his 2nd year of college as a firefighter and media manager. I have another son in the Criminal Law program at his high school and a daughter who is coming into her teen years. Without your program, I would have been alone in my early days as a mother. I would not have had access to the classes and other resources I need to provide a healthy home while I worked to build a life for my family. Thank you, Advice and Aid, for your support when I needed it the most.
AND NOW, 20 YEARS LATER . . . hear from her son, who is now a Lance Corporal in the United States Marine:
Does this story of quiet determination, strength and power strike a chord in you?
You see, just because you are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy doesn’t mean that you don’t have choices. You do! And, like the young woman in the story above, you can choose to be strong, make it through, and experience a beautifully full life.
And the real beauty is that you don’t have to do this alone!
We know there is deep strength and resolve within you. Let us help you find that . . . let us help you be prepared . . . let us help you!
Start with the easy step of scheduling an appointment. Come talk to us. No pressure, no judgment, no agenda. Here, you’ll simply find honesty, acceptance and a friend.
