Client Success Stories

The following paragraphs describe cases successfully managed by Program Service Providers since joining the Texas Alternative to Abortion Services Program. They are shared for the limited purpose of illustrating the quality and scope of the Service Providers' work. The clients have given their consent for their stories to be shared, and their names have been changed to protect their privacy.

Ana

Ana came to Seton Home when she was 4 months pregnant with her second child. Ana had a neglectful and dangerous early life since her mother was a drug addict and did not care for her children. After being placed in Child Protective Services custody, Ana and her baby daughter were living at a shelter in Kerrville for eight months before being placed at Seton Home in August of 2006.

At Seton Home, Ana found a safe and nurturing home to live with her daughter and to give birth to her new baby girl, who is now almost a year old. Throughout her stay, Ana received a host of services including prenatal care, health and nutrition counseling and education, childbirth instruction, food, clothing, diapers and all their baby needs. Ana also received individual and group counseling, drug and alcohol abuse counseling, parenting education and life skills training. Most importantly, she is catching up on her education and is scheduled to receive her GED in early February. She has been able to attend classes knowing that her daughters are well taken care of in Seton Home's licensed on-site day care facility. Ana wants to become a registered nurse and is looking for a job in the health care industry to support herself while she attends college.

Ana has a mentor who visits her at Seton Home each week. She is grateful for all the assistance she received and for her new life. She has great hope for the future for herself and for her daughters. Ana said, "I have two beautiful daughters that love me. I show myself every day that I'm growing to be a better person. Seton Home is the best place that ever happened to me. It makes me feel safe to have people who care for me and who stand by my side. I'm glad the state of Texas has a place like Seton Home."

Mary

When Mary first called us on a very cold January day, she was living out of her car. She had no job, no where to live, no driver's license, and no gas money. She did not even know how far along her pregnancy was. Over the phone, she told us that she needed maternity clothes, and diapers. The conversation was cut short too soon when we were disconnected because she ran out of minutes on her cell phone.

Our second contact with Mary occurred several days later when she visited the Gabriel Project Life Center. She spent time meeting with one of our mentors where she shared with us her situation, her concerns and her needs. It was at this visit that we learned how Mary became homeless. After becoming pregnant, her husband left her and began having an affair with a woman in California. She could not provide for herself alone. At this visit, we provided maternity clothes, shoes, toiletries, and children's clothing, as well as information on other agencies that could provide assistance. In her evaluation, she wrote that she liked the Gabriel Project Life Center because the staff "seemed truly concerned" for her and her children.

Over the next six months, Mary came numerous times to the Gabriel Project Life Center to talk with our mentors, to attend pregnancy and parenting classes, and to receive material assistance.

By March of that same year, Mary found an apartment and obtained a driver's license. Her husband was sending her financial support to pay for the apartment, but she was still jobless. On a sad note, at a doctor's appointment at that time, she learned that there were medical complications with her pregnancy. She was also under tremendous stress because her mother was diagnosed with brain cancer. In addition to emotional support, we provided her with more clothing, wipes, shampoo, and shoes. She told us that the staff at the Gabriel Project Life Center was "understanding" of her situation and hardships.

From May to July, Mary attended a total of 9 parenting and pregnancy classes, including "Stages of Pregnancy", "Age Appropriate Play" and "In the Womb". At the first class she attended, she told us that she really enjoyed the class and that she planned on coming to more classes. Her attendance at the educational classes allowed her to earn two brand new baby furniture items. She chose a swing and a bouncer for her baby.

Mary's last visit to the Life Center occurred on July 31 of the same year when she brought her newborn baby to the Life Center. She said that she loves the baby and that "he is just lovely". We listened as she told us her concerns about her marriage.

In December, she told us that she had stopped coming in because she found a job. She now holds a managerial position at a large department store. She told us that she appreciated all the help that she received from the Life Center, and that we were instrumental in helping her through her pregnancy. She also told us that if she comes across anyone who is in a crisis pregnancy that she will tell them how much we helped her, so that they too may reach out to us for help.

Morgan

When Morgan came to the Shelter, she was 28 weeks pregnant and had a 4-year old daughter. She relayed to me that coming from the homeless shelter over to Our Lady of the Angels Maternity Shelter (OLAMS) has made a difference in her life in several ways. Here is Morgan's perspective of her stay at OLAMS, in her own words:

"First of all, I've been feeling a lot better physically, here at OLAMS, a dentist was provided for my molars to be extracted which helped a lot! In turn, I have been able to utilize more of my time towards starting my parenting classes. I also have been able to attend my daughter's school activities at her school. At OLAMS, there is flexibility which allows me to get more things done. Here it feels like a home environment. I have access to a computer and Internet and I like that OLAMS has a security alarm. Due to OLAMS' faith-based character I know the staff/volunteer members will always use appropriate language around my daughter. It is quiet, and this helps me and my daughter to sleep and rest better than where I was, and I do not feel pressured. All these differences have impacted my life in a positive way. I was grateful to have a place to stay at the homeless shelter but now, I feel that at OLAMS, I have been given the opportunity to get my goals accomplished in a better, more nurturing setting. Furthermore, OLAMS obtains extra clothing for me if I need it, or am referred to the partnering resources that serve my needs".

Cindy

Cindy was referred to Marywood through Posada Esperanza, a women's shelter for displaced women and their children. She left the drug-addicted father of her children on Christmas Day at four months of pregnancy with little more than the clothes on her back. She became a client in January in hopes of receiving outside help for herself, her children, and boyfriend.

Cindy followed through with appointments each month and embraced learning opportunities presented about the newborn, discipline, and relationships. She gave birth to a beautiful healthy baby girl in June. She remained in close contact with her boyfriend and offered support and resources acquired through Marywood's Lifeline Program to help with his addiction. He soon began attending Narcotics Anonymous regularly and together they slowly tried to work at repairing their relationship. The man conquered his addiction and the couple got married later in the year. Cindy commented that with Lifeline's support she was able to overcome her desperate situation.

Robyn

Robyn came to House of Hope in February of 2007 for a free pregnancy test. She had two children and had recently gone through a divorce as a result of domestic abuse. During our conversation, she disclosed that she had recently had an abortion in January and suffered greatly from her decision to abort, but she was giving serious thought to aborting again because she simply could not provide for another child.

Robyn was unemployed and had been in and out of public housing facilities trying to get back on her feet. As a single mother, she knew that having another child was not going to be easy. I shared with the client the types of services we could provide for her to lessen the financial burden of providing for three children. I explained to her that we wanted to support her both emotionally and financially to assist her during this time in her life. I let her know she was not alone. I explained to her that because she was pregnant, she would be eligible to enroll in our program, which would consist of seeing her on a monthly basis for classes at our center, and, if she attended classes, she would be eligible for material assistance every month. I also told her that our staff and volunteers serve as an extended family for women, offering emotional support during an unplanned pregnancy. She cried with me and said she could not go through the pain for aborting again, but would need ongoing support.

After she left our center, we followed up with her a week later. The first class she attended was our class on self-esteem. During her pregnancy she attended our six week program on self-esteem, classes on breastfeeding, classes on labor preparation and classes on sexual health. We continued to have regular contact with Robyn, and began to see a transformation in her as she became more certain of herself and her abilities to raise her three children.

She recently delivered in November. With a newborn in the house and two other children, House of Hope selected this particular client to provide Christmas gifts for the entire family. We provided clothing, food and presents for the family and will continue to work with client for the following year offering emotional support, classes and material assistance.

Jessica

When Jessica arrived at Annunciation Maternity Home, she had finished the required Cosmetology training hours, but she had not registered to take the licensing exam because her career goals had changed. After the birth of her baby girl, Jessica renewed her commitment, and, with the help of the Home developed a service plan that would enable her and her daughter to transition from the Home to subsidized housing by December 2007, and independent living by June 2009, insure supplemental income, and provide her the opportunity to finish her education.

Since she implemented this new service plan, Jessica transferred to a local education center and has only A's and B+'s in all her classes. Jessica is also preparing to pass the Cosmetology licensing exam by the end of this year. In addition, she has also secured a part-time job to save money for her transition from the Home. Although her life is very busy, she always spends quality time with her baby and attends every child development training session possible to continue to improve her parenting skills.