In 1982 Beverly Kline wanted to help out a young girl who struggled with an unplanned pregnancy. She found that the only place that offered free pregnancy tests was an abortion clinic, which counseled girls to have an abortion. She saw the need that there needed to be a place that encouraged girls to give their unborn baby life, and offered free pregnancy test. She started to help girls out of her small apartment. Later Bev, along with five staff members opened the Crisis Pregnancy Center. A year later they opened a home for pregnant women with no support. Since then the Living Alternatives has blossomed and has touched thousands of life through their many programs.
Pregnancy can be a scary thing, whether you are single, married, young, old, healthy, or unhealthy. The thing that makes the experience easier and a lot less stressful is the support of family and the people around you. Sadly, many young girls become pregnant and have not support system. Living Alternatives offers these young girls encouragement, counseling, and even an education. Living Alternatives has four main branches around East Texas. Father Heart is a home for young pregnant girls to go live during their pregnancy. Here each girl will live a structured life style under the leadership and encouragement of the staff. This structure includes counseling, healthy diets, and exercise, and if the girls are willing they can finish up their high school education here. The large house gives the girls the luxury of their own space. They are allowed to have guests visit and allowed to leave the house, but each you lady is expected to respect the other girls, the staff, and the rules of the facilities. Father Heart has staff that takes girls to doctor visits and whatever else they need. This is a great place for young girls to come and be encouraged during this life changing time, whether they are giving the baby up for adoption or if they are planning on raising their baby.
Another great branch of Living Alternatives is the Pregnancy Resource Center. The Pregnancy Resource center is located by the Tyler Junior College main campus. The center offers all girls free pregnancy tests and free sonograms. The extremely polite staff keeps everything confidential. When you walk into the center you will have a couple papers to fill out, this is only for their fills and will in no way be used against you. They want to know about your support system, and want to be an encouragement towards young women. Young women will have a private pregnancy test, and the staff will have a few minutes to counsel and encourage these girls. If the test is positive, the center will offer schedule each girl for a free sonogram. The pregnancy center will help girls find doctors and offers a proof of pregnancy (which is needed for pregnancy Medicaid).
Building Blocks offers young moms all different types of assistance. Many people have donated a ton of stuff to Building Blocks for children and mothers. These donated toys, furniture, clothing, and much more are for families in need. Building blocks also offers encouragement to new moms. There are many women that understand the strain and stress of raising children, and they are there to offer a hand of encouragement, and an ear to listen to the things mothers are stressed with. If you have a huge box full of baby clothes and just want to get rid of the box that is just collecting dust and taking up room, you can donate it to the building box program. The building is located next door to the Pregnancy Resource Center (near TJC).
Sometimes young women are not prepared to raise a child and have to make a purely selfless decision of giving the baby up for adoption. Many women’s biggest fear of placing their baby up for adoption is a misunderstanding that once they place the baby for adoption they will have no idea where the baby is or if the baby is taken care of. Loving Alternatives is an adoption agency that is sensitive to the birth mother. The birth mother can meet and get to know the family that will be raising the child that they are giving birth to. They can even get letters and pictures of the child, through the adoption agency, as he or she grows up. This is an encouragement to the birth mom that shows that the baby is loved and is in a good home.
Father Heart, The Pregnancy Resource Center, Building Blocks, and Loving Alternatives all work together to help young women make the best decision for mommy and baby. The staff at each facility will bring encouragement to the decision that women will carry this baby and choose life for their unborn child.
Maybe it’s the state of the economy, maybe it’s the tumultuous political goings on, or maybe I’m just getting older, but I’m having a hard time maintaining my sense of enthusiasm and patriotism this Independence day. But regardless of my personal misgivings, our community is preparing to go ahead with area celebrations. There are all the usual fourth, of July celebrations this year, Lindsey Field, Father Heart Ministries between Lindale and Van, the list is a long and familiar one. I’m not going to spend this article writing about all of them again this year. Instead I thought I’d play the publicist and help put the word out about an area musician I know, who’s performing in Edom over the fourth.