HBI
Dave and Michele Bianconi
invite you to
An Evening for Life with Heartbeat International
Wine Tasting & Dinner
October 29, 2024, 6:30-8:30 pm
The Refectory Restaurant
1092 Bethel Rd, Columbus, OH 43220
View Menu
RSVP to Mary Parker
614-406-9516 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
or complete the form below.
This event has been sponsored by a generous donor to invite others into Heartbeat’s Life-Saving Mission. Business attire.
Please RSVP by October 15th:
Wine Tasting & Dinner
Menu
Hor d'oeuvres and 3 Course Dinner Service paired with wines carefully selected by the Refectory sommelier
First Course
Choice of
Seafood Strudel
Butternut Squash Bisque
Red and Golden Beet Salad with Goat Cheese
Second Course
Choice of
Rack of Lamb
Duck Confit
Filet Mignon
Pan Seared Scallops
Third Course
Petit Fours accompanied by coffee, tea, and dessert wine
Heartbeat International on Planned Parenthood's Free Vasectomies and Chemical Abortion Pills During the DNC
August 19, 2024
Heartbeat International
Heartbeat inquiries: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — In what can only be described as a desperate publicity stunt, Planned Parenthood is giving away free abortions and vasectomies this week in honor of the Democratic National Convention (DNC). This appalling move highlights how far Big Abortion is willing to go to prioritize its extreme agenda over the health and well-being of women, men, and the next generation.
"How little must Planned Parenthood think of the DNC-goers to assume they do or will need free abortions," said Jor-El Godsey, President of Heartbeat International. "Not to mention the future of the party that so easily dispenses with what would be its next generation. Extremists like this at the DNC can only expect the same kind of extreme abortion policies from its political candidates."
The irony of Planned Parenthood’s actions during a political convention where the future of the country is discussed cannot be overstated. Their “abortion on wheels” approach not only cheapens the very notion of healthcare but also underscores the tragedy of treating human life as disposable. Women deserve better than this kind of reckless and unsafe spectacle, which places headlines and attention over genuine care.
Unlike Planned Parenthood’s publicity-driven antics, pregnancy help organizations quietly and consistently offer free care and practical support for women facing unexpected pregnancies. We do this, not for attention or media coverage, but because it’s the right thing to do. While Big Abortion uses stunts to push its agenda, we remain focused on offering real help and hope to those who need it most.
As the DNC continues to align itself with such extreme positions, it's clear that the well-being of women and children takes a backseat to political gains. The fact that the DNC has enabled and embraced this kind of display only highlights how entrenched abortion extremism is within their platform.
Here we come, Chicago! ? Our mobile health clinic will be in the West Loop with @ChiAbortionFund & @TheWienerCircle Aug 19-20, providing FREE vasectomies & medication abortion. EC will also be available for free without an appointment.
— Planned Parenthood Great Rivers (@ppgreatrivers) August 14, 2024
Reserve your spot: https://t.co/AVCDTg2FAj pic.twitter.com/6C5oFuXacU
"While being mentored [at the pregnancy center], I was finding my worth and who I was not only as a female but as a strong, single mom."
- Brittni, Brantlee's mom
"If it weren’t for [the] PRC and the continued support I received there, there’s a good chance I would have given into pressure from the twins’ father and went to Planned Parenthood to talk about my options..."
- Kelsey, mom of twins
"I could not imagine my life without my baby boy. I’m so glad I picked up my phone that day and looked for help..."
- Ashley, Julian’s mom
"Words could never describe the love and life this reversal has given me. Thank you to all the people who work to provide this information. They are truly angels."
- Kristina, Christian’s mom
Every story below represents a woman's experience with a pregnancy help organization, including several stories that involve the abortion pill reversal protocol through the Abortion Pill Rescue® Network. While the support and care they received may differ depending on each woman's specific needs, their life-changing experience made them feel compelled to share their story with us! Their courage to share their story is underlined by their desire that no one ever feel like abortion is their only option. Today, these women and their babies thrive!
Real Lives, Real Help
Thousands of lives have been saved thanks to the Abortion Pill Rescue® Network. Here are just a few of their stories:
Hope for Life KL’s ministry is unique here in Germany since we serve the American military population as well as Germans and people from all over the world. About 99 percent of our clients who call our helpline are English speaking and affiliated with the Military. These clients are typically abortion minded and call to ask questions. Here in the Kaiserslautern region, women may obtain an abortion up to 12 weeks gestation, and there are close to 3,000 reported abortions each year in our community. There is much work to be done to affirm life and rescue women, babies, and entire families from the devastation abortion brings to their lives. We have been here for 30 years serving our community to preserve life, and we have recently made some critical changes to our organization to better reach those who need to hear the life-affirming message. We rebranded from “Heartbeat Crisis Pregnancy Center” to “Hope for Life KL” to project a positive place of non-judgmental help when a woman is facing an unplanned pregnancy. We are strategically working to increase our online presence since that is where most women turn when looking for help in an unplanned pregnancy. We want to be the first place they find as they face this life-altering decision.
We are making a difference in our community as we hold classes to teach young people about sexual wellness and God’s good design for healthy and biblical relationships. Relationships are key to changing minds about life and abortion, and we walk with clients until their child reaches their second birthday. A client recently told us that after talking to us, she had hope about keeping her baby instead of pursuing an abortion. Another client and her husband had an unexpected pregnancy while they are students from abroad and we were able to support them through providing needed items with a baby shower, which was an answer to their prayers.
With your continued support, we can all make a difference together in our community as we hold out hope for abortion vulnerable women, educate the young people on biblical sexual wellness, and help those traumatized by abortion to find hope and healing in Christ through His forgiveness. Thank you for making a Kingdom impact with us!
Constitutional amendments are an extreme way to change laws in a state. In fact, many states do not allow for these citizen-initiated constitutional amendments. Of the 50 states, 10 states have an amendment on the ballot. Many of these states require only a 50% +1 majority for these amendments to pass, while others require the ballot measure to receive at least 60%. With this in mind, pro-abortion activists are targeting otherwise pro-life states like South Dakota and Florida, because they believe they can get a simple majority of voters to go along with their ambiguous amendments.
Over the next year, we are likely to see the initiatives become more and more aggressive in their approach. All of these amendments are saturated in language that is obscure and misleading. Discover the red flags to look for to equip you, your organization, and your family this Fall. You can find the details for each of these upcoming ballot initiatives below. As the coalitions to support or counter these amendments form, we will be adding more information so that you can stay informed. You can also find a full list of the upcoming issues on Ballotpedia or AUL.
ARIZONA | COLORADO | FLORIDA | MARYLAND | MISSOURI | MONTANA | NEBRASKA | NEW YORK | NEVADA |
SOUTH DAKOTA | PENDING
On the Ballot in 2024
ARIZONA
Amendment: Arizona Proposition 139, Right to Abortion Initiative (2024)
Result: ❌ Passed - Pro-Life loss.
Key points:
This amendment would establish abortion as a "fundamental right" and permit abortions up to viability, and cannot be interfered with unless there's a compelling state interest. While "viability" and "state interest" are defined in the amendment, it's unclear who would be permitted to determine viability, and it would abolish the state's current abortion that permits abortion up to 15 weeks.
Next steps:
• Share this page with your community and supporters
• Contact your state's coalition for more:
Arizona Life Coalition
4633 N 54th St
Phoenix, AZ 85018
George Khalaf
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
602-730-5004
Resources:
• www.itgoestoofar.com
• www.azpolicy.org
• www.aul.org/law-and-policy/state-spotlight/
• AbortionBallot.com
COLORADO
55% supermajority is required.
Amendment: Colorado Right to Abortion Initiative
Result: ❌ Passed - Pro-Life loss.
Key points:
This would enshrine abortion in the state's constitution as a legal right, to include medical insurance coverage. Currently, Colorado has no time restrictions on abortion. Allowing abortion to be covered under government-issued insurance programs would mean that taxpayers would help fund abortion procedures.
Next steps:
• Share this page with your community and supporters
• Contact your state's coalition for more:
Colorado Pregnancy Care Alliance
Rich Bennett
https://co-pca.org
https://
Resource:
• www.righttoknowco.com
• www.aul.org/law-and-policy/state-spotlight/
FLORIDA
60% supermajority is required.
Amendment: Florida Prohibit Laws Restricting Abortion Initiative
Result: ✅ Failed - Pro-Life Win!
Key points:
The deceptive language in this amendment would enshrine abortion into the state's constitution while leaving the terms "viability" and "healthcare provider" undefined. Included is another exception to permit abortions for the woman's health, yet it fails to explain the parameters of how a "healthcare provider" can make that determination. Guised as an initiative to limit government interference, this amendment leaves women even more vulnerable and without adequate medical care.
Next steps:
• Know the Truth about Amendment 4
• Educate yourself on the language within
• AbortionBallot.com
• Share this page with your community and supporters
• Contact your state's coalitions for more:
Florida Pregnancy Care Network
1424 Piedmont Dr E
Tallahassee, FL 32308
Rita Gigliano
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
850-656-6245
Florida Baptist Children's Homes
1015 Sikes Blvd
Lakeland, FL 33815
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Pregnancy and Family Resource Alliance (PAFRA)
1910 East Bay Dr
Largo, FL 33771
Darla Huddleston
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
727-451-6977
Resources:
• https://apologetics.org/know-the-truth-download/
• https://votenoon4florida.com/
• https://keepfloridaprolife.org/
• www.aul.org/law-and-policy/state-spotlight/
MARYLAND
Amendment: Maryland Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment
Result: ❌ Passed - Pro-Life loss.
Key points:
This proposed amendment would legalize abortion up to birth by adding a new article to the state's Declaration of Rights. In its attempt to preserve "an individual's rights to liberty and equality," it fails to include the same rights for the lives of the unborn.
Next steps:
• Share this page with your community and supporters
• Contact your state's coalitions for more:
Pregnancy Clinic Ministry
934 West Street
Annapolis, MD 21401
Pamela Palumbo
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
410-431-5000
Resources:
• www.aul.org/law-and-policy/state-spotlight/
MISSOURI
Amendment: Missouri Amendment 3, Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative (2024)
Result: ❌ Passed - Pro-Life loss.
Key points:
Another amendment using the deceptive text "reproductive freedom," would permit abortion up to viability, with a request of the state to regulate abortions from viability up to birth. Disguised as women's "healthcare," the Amendment's broad language is a stark example of Big- Abortion's extreme agenda and practices. This Amendment would leave women and children more vulnerable to abuse than ever before.
Next steps:
• Share this page with your community and supporters
• Contact your state's coalition for more:
Alliance for Life
487 SW Ward Rd
Lees Summit, MO 64081
Marsha Middleton
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
816-806-4168
Resources:
• www.aul.org/law-and-policy/state-spotlight/
• AbortionBallot.com
• www.mo3facts.com
MONTANA
Amendment: Montana CI-128, Right to Abortion Initiative (2024)
Result: ❌ Passed - Pro-Life loss.
Key points:
This amendment would make abortion an "explicit constitutional right," permitting abortions up to birth with government regulation from the point of viability. It would also protect women who have abortions from any ramifications, including anyone who facilitated her having an abortion. That means that people complicit in pressuring, coercing, or forcing her to abort her baby would be legally protected by law.
Next steps:
• Share this page with your community and supporters
• Contact your state's coalition for more:
Women's Health Network
1005 Partridge Pl #1
Helena, MT 59602
Tracey Ullrey
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
406-422-1011
Resource:
• www.montanafamily.org/call_to_action/
• www.aul.org/law-and-policy/state-spotlight/
• Abortionballot.com/
NEBRASKA x2
1 - Amendment: Proposition 434
Result: ✅ Passed - Pro-Life Win!
Key points:
This proposed amendment to Nebraska's constitution would limit abortion after the first trimester of pregnancy except when medically necessary or in cases of sexual assault or incest.
2- Amendment: Proposition 439 Nebraska Right to Abortion Initiative (2024)
Result: ✅ Failed - Pro-Life Win!
Key points:
This proposed amendment to Nebraska's constitution would create a right to abortion until fetal viability or when needed to protect the life or health of a pregnant woman.
Next steps:
• Share this page with your community and supporters
• Contact your state's coalition for more:
Nebraska Pregnancy Care Alliance
Jennifer A. Gutierrez, MA
CEO
(402) 499-2401
Resources:
• www.aul.org/law-and-policy/state-spotlight/
• Abortionballot.com/
NEW YORK
Amendment: New York Equal Protection of Law Amendment
Result: ❌ Passed - Pro-Life loss.
Key points:
Perhaps the most deceptive in its language, the NY Equal Protection of Law Amendment aims at eradicating discrimination while simultaneously including reproductive health autonomy. The latter inclusion means that there would be no exceptions or time restrictions for abortion.
Next steps:
• Share this page with your community and supporters
• Contact your state's coalitions for more:
The New York State Coalition for Life (formerly known as the Pregnancy Care Conference)
Kathy Jerman
https://www.nyscoalitionforlife.com
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Resources:
• www.aul.org/law-and-policy/state-spotlight/
NEVADA
Amendment: Nevada Right to Abortion Initiative
Result: ❌ Passed - Pro-Life loss. Requires approval at two successive general elections, this is the first of those two.
Key points:
This proposed amendment would permit abortion up to viability or the health of the mother. While it defines viability as "the point of pregnancy when 'there is a significant likelihood of the fetus' sustained survival outside the uterus without the application of extraordinary medical measures...'" this is a loose definition at best. The ambiguous definition of the term "viability" inadvertently places the life of an unborn child in the hands of a doctor's opinion.
Next steps:
• Share this page with your community and supporters
Resources:
• www.aul.org/law-and-policy/state-spotlight/
• Abortionballot.com/
SOUTH DAKOTA
Amendment: Constitutional Amendment G - Right to Abortion Initiative
Result: ✅ Failed - Pro-Life Win!
Key points:
This proposed amendment would enshrine abortion in the state's constitution so that there are no regulations against abortion in the entire first trimester and an exception for abortion when a woman's health is at risk in the second trimester. In the third trimester, an abortion decision is the judgment of a "medical professional." This vague language leaves abortion permissible up to birth as long as a medical professional permits.
Next steps:
• Share this page with your community and supporters
• Contact Life Defense Fund to learn more:
Life Defense Fund
- LDF has an active campaign against Amendment G!
Resource:
• www.familyheritagealliance.org/
• www.aul.org/law-and-policy/state-spotlight/
• Abortionballot.com/
Pending Ballot Measures
Tracking Legislation Across the Pro-Life Spectrum in all 50 States - American's United for Life
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“Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”
- Matthew 18:19-20
Legacy Giving
Heartbeat International is partnering with My Catholic Will and My Legacy Will to offer you Free Online Will Preparation.
- Create your Legal Will
- Consider a Gift to Charity
- Plan for the Future
- Achieve Peace of Mind
- Leave a Legacy of Faith
Use code HEARTBEAT to create your Will for FREE (a $79.95 value)!
If you would like to connect with our donor care team email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call us at 1-888-550-7577 (Monday – Friday 9 AM – 5 PM Eastern Time).
The best way to approach estate planning for the first time is to make a checklist for yourself. Everyone has unique needs, and an estate planning attorney may be helpful if your needs are complex. Before making the choice whether to hire an attorney or do it yourself, these are general steps you can take to get started:
Preserving Human Dignity: Heartbeat Calls for the GOP to Uphold Protections for the Unborn in the 2024 Platform
Heartbeat International
Heartbeat inquiries: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Republican Party’s 2024 draft platform represents a troubling departure from its longstanding tradition of affirming the inherent dignity of every human being, including the unborn child. This shift has caused deep concern among pregnancy help organizations across the nation.
Since the 1980s—almost as long as the pregnancy help movement in the United States has existed—the Republican Party platform has proclaimed the timeless moral principle that all human lives, from the moment of conception, have irreplaceable value. Importantly, this call to protect innocent life under both state and federal law has ensured that any public policy discussion of abortion fully recognizes abortion’s harm to mom, dad, AND child.
For over 50 years, pregnancy help organizations—now numbering 3,000 medical clinics, resource centers, and maternity homes nationwide—have offered compassionate care to women navigating an unexpected pregnancy so they can be empowered to embrace a healthier choice than abortion. Our mission is based upon recognition of the sanctity of human life from the moment of conception. Serving nearly 1 million families annually, our network of pregnancy help offers free services and long-term relational support that gives parents hope-filled futures with their children.
Today, 2 out of 3 abortions are administered through abortion pills. With unregulated chemical abortion expanding exponentially and ravaging our communities, now is the time to affirm and redouble our commitment to life. We call on Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley and the GOP Platform Committee to hold fast to the Republican Party’s legacy of cherishing human dignity.
We stand in agreement with the Minority Report submitted to the GOP Platform Committee by platform delegates, which calls for amendments to the current draft platform to include protections for the unborn and encourages life-affirming alternatives to abortion. It is imperative that the Republican Party uphold its historical commitment to the dignity of all human life by ensuring that these essential protections are maintained in the 2024 platform. Only by embracing this legacy can we truly foster a nation that values every individual, born and unborn, and provides a hopeful future for all.
While we will always remain committed to supporting every woman with practical care and alternatives to abortion, we call now on the party of Lincoln to declare boldly what is self-evident: that every person from the moment of conception is exceptional, valuable, and worth protecting. Only when we have American leadership determined to count all people—including the most vulnerable amongst us—as part of the American family can our nation truly thrive.
To add your name to a petition calling on the Republican Platform to retain its longstanding positions protecting life, click here.
The vision of Pro Femina Taiwan is to respectfully assist pregnant women who are in distress make well-informed decisions that they will not regret to enjoy a bright and happy future. Pro Femina Taiwan hopes to achieve this vision through the following measures:
- To provide support and counseling to women with unplanned pregnancies and to offer resources and services to them, their partners, and families. To date, Pro Femina Taiwan has assisted more than 30 ladies and 1 young man.
- To encourage and participate, as appropriate, to change the law and regulations so that women with an unplanned pregnancy have the right to receive free consultations, support, etc. before a decision is made whether or not to keep the baby.
- To launch a fund-raising campaign, called Unplanned Pregnancy Sponsorship Program, to help raise funds to provide financial support to those women who decide to keep their babies.
- To create a national unplanned pregnancy support network. To date, 7 pregnancy support centers, 10 hospitals, and 13 clinics have agreed to cooperate with Pro Femina Taiwan to create this national pro-life network.
- To promote adoption, in particular, to families who find it difficult to conceive but who still desire to have and raise children.
Pro Femina Taiwan desires the opportunity to work with like-minded individuals, clinics, hospitals, companies, and organizations who are willing to help women with unplanned pregnancies. We believe that together our combined efforts will not only increase the fertility rate in Taiwan, but will also produce a positive contribution to both women with unplanned pregnancies and to their children, not only today but for generations of Taiwanese in the years to come! Thank you for your support!
Founder and Honorary Chairman Ambassador Martin Eberts and his team
Unplanned Pregnancy Support Network Initiated by Pro Femina Taiwan:
More...
Heartbeat on SCOTUS EMTALA ruling: states left with more questions than answers about their power to protect mothers and their children
Heartbeat International
Heartbeat inquiries: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Heartbeat International releases the following statement in response to the news Thursday that the United States Supreme Court will allow doctors in Idaho to continue performing emergency abortions despite state restrictions.
Danielle White, Esq., general counsel for Heartbeat International:
“Today’s decision leaves us with more questions than answers. The Court did not settle the question of whether states are required to adopt a broad and sweeping view of EMTALA that leaves them effectively powerless to protect mothers and their unborn children from elective abortion – a question which may very well come back to the Court at another time. Heartbeat and its affiliates stand ready to provide compassionate support and life-affirming alternatives to women, ensuring that both mothers and their unborn children receive the care and love they deserve. Our goal is to make abortion not only unwanted today but unthinkable for future generations.”
Press inquiries for Heartbeat International can be sent to Press@JDAWorldwide.com.
###
Heartbeat International is the largest network of life-affirming pregnancy help in the world, with over 3,500 affiliated locations in 90 countries. Heartbeat's mission is to Reach and Rescue as many lives as possible, around the world, through an effective network of life-affirming pregnancy help, to Renew communities for LIFE in order to achieve their vision of making abortion unwanted today and unthinkable for future generations.
Website | HeartbeatInternational.org | Facebook | /HeartbeatInternational | Twitter | @HeartbeatIntl
Heartbeat: SCOTUS did not rule mifepristone is safe – because it cannot
Heartbeat International
Heartbeat inquiries: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Heartbeat International releases the following statements in response to news Thursday that the United States Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit challenging FDA approval of the abortion drug mifepristone.
Jor-El Godsey, president of Heartbeat International:
“The Supreme Court has denied women justice today. Women are more vulnerable than ever to shoddy research, predatory abortion practices, and extreme political ideology. The FDA has been rewarded for its bad behavior in expanding abortion while rolling back even common sense protections.”
Christa Brown, senior director of medical impact at Heartbeat International:
“Those who prescribe and sell abortion drugs — sometimes through telehealth or websites — step aside when adverse events occur and women are abandoned to manage their own systems. We know that one in 25 women require emergency care after consuming mifepristone. The consequence is that healthcare professionals on the frontlines in emergency departments throughout the U.S. are forced to care for those who require emergency care and surgery after taking mifepristone.”
Danielle White, Esq., general counsel at Heartbeat International:
“The Court did not say today that mifepristone is safe for women, because indeed it could not. Chemical abortion hurts women, and the FDA needs to be held accountable for its blatant disregard for women’s health and safety.”
Press inquiries for Heartbeat International can be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
###
Heartbeat International is the largest network of life-affirming pregnancy help in the world, with over 3,500 affiliated locations in 90 countries. Heartbeat's mission is to Reach and Rescue as many lives as possible, around the world, through an effective network of life-affirming pregnancy help, to Renew communities for LIFE in order to achieve their vision of making abortion unwanted today and unthinkable for future generations.
Website | HeartbeatInternational.org | Facebook | /HeartbeatInternational | Twitter | @HeartbeatIntl
Heartbeat International & pregnancy ministry collective sue New York Attorney General to block threatened prosecution
Thomas More Society backs pregnancy help organizations in lawsuit to protect Abortion Pill Reversal
Press Release: JDA Worldwide for Heartbeat International
April 30, 2024
Anahi and Elias
ANAHI'S STORY
Elias — Born October 2022
When I was 19, I found out I was pregnant. I was already working two jobs and working long hours each day while attending college. I escaped from my abusive parents at 17 and have been couch-hopping ever since with no real sense of stability. At the time I found out I was pregnant, I was sharing a bed with a friend and her dog, lacking the stability and space I so desperately needed for my baby.
In my desperation, I turned to my son's father despite the toxic nature of our relationship. It felt like my only option, leaving me feeling more trapped than ever. I desperately wanted a family for my son, so I stayed even when everything told me to leave. Things took a turn for the worse when he started physically hurting me.
The months that followed were filled with more ups and downs, and when it was time for me to give birth, the situation was so bad that security had to kick him out of the hospital. I had to go through the process of giving birth alone.
It was torture being at that apartment, continuing to endure the physical and emotional abuse. 
It broke my heart knowing my innocent baby was on his way to the path that I was on as a child. I felt like such a failure.
Amid this darkness, a glimmer of hope emerged when a friend told me about Thrive. Without hesitation, I applied. Thrive provided a sanctuary where I could reclaim my education and create a safe and stable environment for my son. Because of the unwavering love and care of everyone at Thrive, I have begun to truly heal in the present and from the scars of my past.
When I think of how much I have grown from my past, it has opened my eyes to the stark reality that the absence of resources for women in situations like mine not only creates hopelessness but also continues the mindset that abuse is acceptable and for that, I am grateful that Thrive exists. It has played a pivotal role in breaking the toxic cycle that once enslaved my son and me.
Thrive gave me hope for a better future and the strength and support to break free from abuse, and it has empowered me to help others who are going through similar situations. Thrive is more than just a shelter; it's a lifeline that transforms lives and shows the incredible resilience of the human spirit.
Kendra and Ella
KENDRA'S STORY
Ella — Born September 2022 
Kendra Morgan, a freshman in college, discovered she was pregnant but initially kept it a secret, grappling with the decision of abortion due to a past assault. Despite her resolve to handle it alone, her mother intervened upon learning the truth from a friend. Reluctantly, Kendra agreed to visit a pregnancy center where she met a compassionate mentor.
Despite remaining abortion-minded, she attended an ultrasound at 8 weeks and witnessed the tiny form of her unborn child. Despite her reservations, Kendra found herself gradually deciding to keep the baby, buoyed by the support of her loved ones and the encouragement from Open Door.
Throughout her pregnancy, Kendra struggled with fear and shame, concealing her situation from others. However, the unwavering support she received allowed her to navigate the challenges and embrace motherhood when her daughter, Ella, was born. Contrary to her initial worries, Kendra was overwhelmed with love and joy upon holding Ella for the first time.
Balancing motherhood with her ambitions, Kendra joined the college cheer team when Ella was just 10 months old, concurrently pursuing her education and embarking on a career as a daycare teacher. Reflecting on her journey, Kendra expressed deep gratitude for the assistance and guidance provided by Open Door, acknowledging that without their support, she might have struggled profoundly. Ultimately, Kendra found fulfillment in being Ella's mother, believing that her daughter has a profound purpose and eagerly anticipating the ongoing transformation she brings into her life.
