Janet Davis has a heart for women facing unplanned pregnancies. She’s felt that way for a while, and especially since she started working at First Source for Women, a pregnancy resource center with locations in Cullman and Hanceville.
But that recently hit home in a new way when she found out her granddaughter was pregnant and she brought her to live with her while they figured out next steps.
Davis’ great-granddaughter was born in October.
Help and hope
“Now that we’ve gone through the process with our granddaughter, it makes it even more special with these young women,” said Davis, executive director of First Source for Women and a member of Northbrook Baptist Church in Cullman. “We think we know what they’re going through, but until you’re in that situation, you don’t. Now we’ve walked through the emotions our granddaughter has experienced and then the birth of that baby, and we are grateful to know we’re able to provide that kind of help and hope to people who walk through our doors.”
Range of services
At First Source for Women, they provide a range of services starting with free pregnancy tests and ultrasounds.
“Our ultimate goal is to reach women with unplanned pregnancies,” Davis said. “We want them to hear their baby’s heartbeat and see their baby on the screen.”
Then they want to encourage the women and let them know that they’ve got help and support, she said. “Most women who are abortion minded or abortion vulnerable, they feel like they have no hope; they feel like they don’t have the means to take care of a child.”
One way First Source for Women helps to provide that hope is through their Earn While You Learn program, which gives the women the opportunity to earn “mommy money” as they take parenting classes, then shop with that “money” in the center’s baby boutique.
“We’re able to build a relationship with them when they come in for their boutique visits or classes, and through that we’re able to share the hope of Jesus,” Davis said.
Starting Jan. 1, First Source for Women will also have a new way to support women and build relationships with them — their new thrift store, which will be located next door to their Hanceville location.
“We’re looking forward to getting [the thrift store] open,” Davis said.
At this time of the year, as the center provides needed items for the women who come through their doors, their biggest needs are more size 3–4 diapers and lightweight receiving blankets, Davis said. “For some reason, we have certain sizes we run out of at this time of year.”
Part of loving women well is helping them feel like they’re part of a bigger family of support, and Christmas is a great time to do that, Davis said. They recently had an all-day event where families could come and have their babies photographed with Santa, who was played by Mark Summerville. His wife, Tracey, is a center volunteer.
“We had mamas running in all day with their babies,” Davis said. “We just want them to know that we love them and through that offer them the hope of Jesus.”
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