Pregnancy Care Center
Love life. It really is that simple.
I recently had the privilege of speaking with Kimberly
Costello, Development Director of the Pregnancy Care Center. I think she wore a smile the entire two hours
that we spoke, a joyous grin that couldn't be pried off with a crowbar. We
discussed the history, services, and events of the PCC and nestled in each was
a very lively story. Oh, how I love a
good life story! As I listened to each
one, the corners of my mouth began to creep upward, and when she stepped out
of the room to grab some literature, I caught myself stretching out my jaw with
OHH's and AHH's. Those
smile-inducing stories are reflected in the name of their most recent campaign,
NOW: Hope.Help.Life.
In
fact, the Pregnancy Care Center is full of people with hearts to help, to give
hope, and cherish life. The PCC's
mission is to provide health, wellness,
and relationship education for young people facing an unplanned pregnancy, and
presenting healthy relationship education in local schools to equip teens to
make positive choices. They do this
through their many services free of charge:
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The complete scope of these all-encompassing services are
quite impressive. Pregnancy Care Center partners with more than
50 community organizations, universities, schools, social service
organizations, and foundations to meet the needs of every young woman and her
family members that walk through their door. They have served over 231,617 young people
since 2000, delivered crisis intervention and medical services to 12,863 new
clients, and volunteers have invested more than 440,716 service hours. With the help of their wonderful staff,
volunteers, and supporters, the PCC has been able to make a notable community
impact. Teen pregnancies have declined
over 24% since 2000, and 100% of those that participated in PCC's Nutrition
Education Program, have avoided low birth-weight and pre-term babies. Over 95% of clients make a positive pregnancy
choice following an ultrasound, and more than 6,100 lives have been saved. PCC has been working passionately to reduce Community Red Flags which include:
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Child Abuse and Neglect
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Communicable Diseases
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Domestic Violence
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Homeless Children and Adolescents
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Access to Health Care
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Childhood Nutrition
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Smoking During Pregnancy
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Single Parents in Financial Distress
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Children in Poverty
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Illegal Drug Use
Pregnancy Care Center is definitely making a difference in
our community, the proof is in the numbers.
Yet, the numbers are just a side effect, the real difference is in the
lives of those that need a hand to hold, a friend to cry with and confide in,
someone to reassure them that everything will be o.k. PCC's goal is to save lives by respecting,
honoring, and valuing each young woman they come in contact with. In order to reach out to those in need, the
Pregnancy Care Center has acquired a Mobile Medical Unit to connect with all
those that are unable to get to the center or those that are unacquainted with
the services the center offers. The
Mobile Medical Unit provides professional medical staff, pregnancy testing and
ultrasounds. The mobile unit's wheels
roll through the Ozarks various days of the week, offering a direct, easily
accessible center to those who need it
most. 
You can help Pregnancy Care Center to continue to reach out
to those that need hope, help, and life!
Find out how you can volunteer in any one of the many different
positions PCC needs to fill at their Volunteer page or give financially at
their Donate page. PCC holds several events each year, find out
more about their Annual Banquet coming up on April 13th. You can listen to Abby Johnson, former Planned Parenthood Director, share her story at last year's banquet by clicking here. Thanks to the Pregnancy Care
Center for searching out the heartbeats that bring a smile to the soul. You can keep up with PCC and hear about all their amazing stories on facebook. 
Find a way to get involved and love
life! Yep, it really is that simple.
