Nothing disrupts the life of a teenager more than an unplanned pregnancy. Young mothers and fathers face choices and circumstances no one should tackle alone.
Becoming a mother at 16 “was one of the best things that ever happened to me,” Tiffany Huskey says, but she didn’t see it at the time. She credits “the village behind me” for the positive experience it became.
Hope Haven Pregnancy Center aims to become that village for people in the same situation. Tiffany says she “had thought about it a long time,” but God put the pieces together to make the center a reality.
Tiffany works as a Hearing Instrument Specialist for Lawrenceburg and Lewisburg’s Hearing Aid Centers. A patient in Lewisburg had created something close to Tiffany’s vision for a local pregnancy center. With ideas from that and other programs, the plan for Hope Haven Pregnancy Center was created.
Tiffany chairs Hope Haven’s board; other members are Leah Dollar, Tracey Abercrombie, Nicole Miller, Bro. Howard Kitter, Savannah Cothran, and Charissa Kilburn. The center opens this spring at 249 Mahr Avenue, Lawrenceburg, with more volunteers pitching in to provide a great collection of FREE services, which include:
*Pregnancy tests
*Ultrasounds – An ultrasound machine was donated to the center and medical personnel are volunteering to operate it.
*Classes for expectant mothers and fathers on pregnancy, parenting, finance, and other needed topics. “Men have such an important role and most of the time, young men are hungry to help and learn.”
*A baby boutique with clothing, diapers, and other items. Parents will get “Baby Bucks” to spend there with each Hope Haven class they complete. Maternity clothes will also be available.
*Counseling for parents of teenage moms and dads so they can provide better support for their children and grandchildren. The center also offers a neutral space where news of unplanned pregnancies can be broken.
*Decision counseling for those considering abortion.
*Gift baskets to celebrate moms’ decisions to carry through with their pregnancies, given when they pass the 19 week, 6 day legal limit for abortions in Tennessee.
*Counseling to help heal from past abortions.
*Adoption resources.
*A resource library with books about parenting and Christian living.
*A weekly Bible study.
*Support groups for moms – “We want to partner with young parents throughout, as their children grow,” Tiffany said.
Again, everything provided by Hope Haven Pregnancy Center is free, a “grace-based service” provided by private donations. Gifts of money, baby items and maternity clothes are the best way to help now. The center has applied for its 501c3 designation so monetary donations will be tax-deductible.
“Community support ensures our ability to meet the needs of local families with unplanned pregnancies,” Tiffany says.
You can learn more about Hope Haven Pregnancy Center on its Facebook page, and make contact through Messenger, or email HopeHavenPregnancyCenter@outlook.com.
