HOULTON, Maine — Helping new and expecting mothers is something the Pregnancy Care Center of Aroostook has been doing for nearly 30 years.
Now the Pregnancy Care Center’s Houlton location has a new office that offers more privacy to continue serving the public’s needs. Previously located on Main Street, the center is now located at 56 Military St. in the basement of the former Military Street Baptist Church.
The center will hold an open house Tuesday, July 15 and Thursday, July 17 from noon to 3 p.m. each day.
“We are encouraging everyone to drop by and see who we are, what we do and where we are located,” said Pat Foster, director of the Houlton center.
A member of Care-Net, the Houlton facility is one of 1,100 pregnancy care centers throughout the country. Organized in 1985 in Aroostook County, the PCC of Aroostook is the oldest pregnancy care center in the state. It is a non-profit, non-denominational, life-affirming ministry serving the pregnancy-related concerns and educational needs of women and teens.
In its new home, the Pregnancy Care Center has more space to meet with clients and also has space to host events or social gatherings.
“We are so pleased to be here in our new facility,” Foster said.
With locations also in Fort Kent and Presque Isle, the center provides all services confidentially and free of charge thanks to the support of individuals, churches and community members. Among the services offered are: pregnancy tests; infant clothing; educational resources (reference materials and videos); parenting classes; post-abortion counseling; and friends and support.
The “Give Moms Credit” program is another popular way they help clients. In that program, new mothers-to-be can earn a credit that can be used to purchase baby furniture or other items. While the majority of clients are single mothers, the group has worked with married couples too over the years.
“Most of our clients already know they are pregnant, so they are coming to us for emotional support, or educational material,” Foster said. “We also assist with diapers and baby clothes. We want to empower women to make wise choices. We just try to help the best we can.”
For more information on the center, call 532-6380 or visit www.care-net.org.
