Heartbeat International honored pregnancy help organizations celebrating milestone anniversaries at its 2026 Annual Pregnancy Help Conference. Heartbeat International Affiliation Coordinator Alaina Wood and Director of Affiliate Services Kathy Jerman delivered the awards to recipients for their recognized 25 and 50 years of service. Below are the heartfelt words spoken on behalf of all the Heartbeat International staff.
by Alaina Wood, Affiliation Coordinator
It has been such a blessing to see so many of you this week, and it is always a pleasure to put faces to the voices I’ve connected with by phone and email.
You may have heard from me when it’s time to renew your affiliation with Heartbeat, or I may have had the chance to speak with you when you’ve called looking for guidance or support.
It’s truly a joy to come alongside you and help connect you with the people and encouragement found through Heartbeat.
I have the honor of celebrating with you—organizations that have consistently shown up face to face with women, men, and families in their communities for decades. With determination, perseverance, and deep faith, these organizations have stood firm in their commitment to life for 25 and 50 years.
With compassion for each person created in God’s image, they have faithfully said yes to His calling day after day. They have prayed, dreamed, faced challenges, grown, and rejoiced—praising the Lord for His grace, guidance, and provision every step of the way.
In those face-to-face moments, they have shared the love of God with countless women, so that each one may know how fearfully and wonderfully made she is—and in turn, pass that love on to her child.
Because of this faithful, ongoing work, we celebrate the organizations that opened their doors in 2001, marking 25 years of faithful service to women and families:
Alliance for Life Missouri: Marsha Middleton
Options Pregnancy Center: Vikki Parker, Marsha Bailey
Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Care Center: Michelle Finnie, Karen Whitley, Krista Young, Pamela Bowen
We also honor those who opened their doors in 1976, marking an incredible 50 years of ministry and lasting legacy:
Guiding Star Wakota: Kenyatta Hardaway, Monica Elias
Solve Maternity Home: Peggy Kerwin
We’re so grateful for your faithfulness and deeply encouraged by the way God has sustained and guided your work over the years. It’s a privilege to see what He has done through you.
As we think about the calling each of you carry—whether you are just beginning, in the middle of the journey, or celebrating many years of ministry—we’re reminded of this promise from Thessalonians:
“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father—who loved us and by His grace gives us eternal encouragement and good hope—encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word.” Selah
May He give you endurance, wisdom, and joy in the work you do each day—faithfully serving for 25 years, for 50 years, and many more to come.
