CRESTVIEW — You may think of teen moms when you hear the words crisis pregnancy.
But that's not always the case, said Susan Carrigan, the Crestview Pregnancy Center's executive director.
"After doing this for many years, I (found) you can have a mid-30s lady who has a child and is expecting a child, and it could be as big a crisis for her as it would be for a 17-year-old."
Either way, the Pearl Street North office's volunteers are there to help.
Taking the center's free pregnancy test makes women eligible for its services, including crisis pregnancy or post-abortion counseling and medical referrals, according to the nonprofit organization's website.
The all-volunteer staff monthly sees about 55 to 60 clients, whose ages range from 15 to 47, Carrigan said. Most are walk-ins who see the center's outside sign; some visit the website, www.crestviewpregnancycenter.org; and some call 682-1011 to leave a voicemail after hours.
After women make contact, the center provides a supportive environment and information on fetal development, adoption, abortion and the risks and complications involved in their choices, Carrigan said.
"You give someone a chance to talk and share from their own experience, heart and mind, and what they're dealing with," she said. "You offer them the best chance for making the best possible choice for themselves and their unborn child.
"… We give an in-depth look at all of that while still being mindful of where they are. If they choose to parent, that's when we step in and support them through the pregnancy up until the baby is a year old."
Support includes classes on parenting and infant care, educational videos and homework assignments. The center's Mommy Money program allows clients to earn educational credits, redeemable for baby food and clothing at its boutique.
Donations — mostly from churches, businesses, organizations and individuals, some of whom benefited from the program — entirely fund the program, Carrigan said.
"If it wasn't for our volunteers and the community, we would not be here," she said. "It is a team effort."
●The Crestview Pregnancy Center — 898 Pearl St. N — annually helps 600 to 650 clients
●CPC volunteers give two to four pregnancy tests each week; 90 percent of visits are walk-ins
●Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays, and 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays.
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This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview center offers help for crisis pregnancies