Pregnancy centers showed up for moms and families this Christmas by helping to care for their basic needs and ensuring they all had a happy Christmas.
ABC Pregnancy Resource Center in Louisiana runs a program each Christmas in which donors are able to “adopt” entire families and provide for their basic needs. Becky Girola, director of the center, told Catholic News Agency, “It’s a challenge for many of them to provide basic needs for their babies, much less, you know, toys and presents and things for Christmas.”
That’s why, in addition to providing free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, support with accessing Medicaid and college, parenting classes, and more, this year the Christmas Blessings program supported 42 pregnant mothers with gifts. Donors purchase and wrap all the presents complete with gift tags and the “moms can take it directly and put it right under their tree to be able to have Christmas with their families.”
Girola said when the pregnant moms see the gifts they have “lots and lots of tears. It’s just happy tears.”
“Our moms come in each week to get their baby supplies,” she explained. “So as they’re coming in to get baby supplies, their cars are loaded down with bikes and presents and clothes and pajamas and you name it.”
Likewise, A Caring Pregnancy Center in Colorado has an “Angel Tree” each year that allows donors to support a mom and her family with Christmas gifts. CEO Tamra Axworthy explained, “We will take gift ideas from mom and dad, or whoever our client is, then submit those to the donor families and they’ll go shopping and essentially provide Christmas for the entire family.”
She said the center regularly provides free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, childbirth classes, adoption referrals, STD education, and more. When the mothers arrive to pick up the Christmas gifts, they are often surprised to see more than one or two items.
“[W]hen they walk out with like a garbage bag full of presents, they’re just blown away and are incredibly grateful. They are floored,” said Axworthy.
“It’s nice to be able to bless them and then pass on that blessing to the donors. We’ll take pictures of those that will allow it and share that with the donor family so that they can see the impact that they’ve had,” she added.
In addition, the center has a “giving tree” that provides coats, Christmas decorations, and other items that moms and families can take when needed.
“It hurts our heart to see those that are struggling and do not even have boots for their kids or winter coats for their babies. And that’s something that we have the ability to bless somebody with,” said Axworthy.
Pregnancy centers have come under intense attack in 2022 from pro-abortion activists who have been misled about the work these centers do. Centers have faced vandalism and threats — and rather than help stop the attacks, politicians like Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) are joining in on the attempt to shut the centers down by introducing anti-pregnancy center legislation.
