Published: May 11, 2008 11:52 pm            

Pregnancy center caters to mothers

After being dependent on other agencies for support and funding since 1985, the Women’s Enrichment Center is finally on its own.

The nonprofit crisis pregnancy center, which provides services to expectant and new parents, became independent at the beginning of the month, said the center’s director Reneé Rector.

“We can help them during pregnancy, when the baby is born and up to about 3 or 4,” she said.

The organization is settling into a larger, newly renovated office at 109 West Gordon St. in downtown Dalton, across the road from their old office. An open house for area pastors is scheduled on Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. One for the general public is expected to be held on Sunday, June 8 from 2 to 4 p.m.

The center was begun by Roy Johnson, and in 2005 became part of the Appalachian Area Crisis Pregnancy Center based in Blairsville, Rector said. The goal under the center in Blairsville was to move toward being independent, with its own board of directors and financial support, she said.

“We need to make sure we can sustain it financially now,” Rector said. “We served over 500 clients last year. We feel like this year we will see more.”

Last year’s budget was approximately $55,000, but this year’s is expected to be closer to $80,000, Rector said. She said the new figure includes another paid position at the center. Currently there are three employees, including Rector, who run the center on a combined 51 hours a week.

“We are totally dependent on individuals, businesses and churches for support,” Rector said. “We don’t get government funding.”

The board members met for the first time Friday to discuss how to maintain funding. They came up with creating “1,000 Faithful Friends,” 1,000 people who would be willing to donate at least $10 a month to the organization, Rector said.

Rector says the organization is fortunate to have an office space provided to them by Rock Bridge Community Church, which helps offset the organization’s budget.

“We have more room and a better quality to serve our clients,” in the new building, she said. “We each have an office now. We were sharing. It has been a true blessing for us to be able to move.”

The center provides several programs and services, including pregnancy tests and ultrasounds, free of charge to expectant and new parents in the area. People from Whitfield, Murray, Gordon and Catoosa counties have been served, as well as a few people from some areas of Tennessee, Rector said.

Rector says the center cannot provide prenatal doctor visits, and the ultrasounds are non medical. They are done so the parents will have a picture of their child in the womb.

The center also has several parenting classes called “Earn while you learn.” Upon completion of lessons, the parents earn points, which they can later redeem for items in the baby store, such as diapers, bottles, baby beds, and even baby and maternity clothing.

There is an abstinence/ character education program for adolescents, which is sometimes presented at area schools or organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club, Rector said.

To continue those programs, the center needs volunteers and several items, Rector said.

“We are a volunteer driven organization,” she said. “We have jobs from cleaning the office to answering the phones... We can train our volunteers to run the programs.”

The center has a wish list which includes, several items from a new television and a copier to pregnancy testing supplies and lapel pins.

The center accepts monetary donations, which can be earmarked for specific items, as well as donations of diapers, baby beds and other items.

        

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