{"id":226071,"date":"2020-06-23T16:33:07","date_gmt":"2020-06-23T21:33:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=226071"},"modified":"2020-06-22T21:43:28","modified_gmt":"2020-06-23T02:43:28","slug":"ohio-pregnancy-center-moms-pandemic-blessing-bags","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/ohio-pregnancy-center-moms-pandemic-blessing-bags\/","title":{"rendered":"Ohio pregnancy center supports moms during pandemic with \u2018blessing bags filled with love\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

(Pregnancy Help News<\/a>)\u00a0Last month as Mother\u2019s Day weekend approached, staff and volunteers from an Ohio pregnancy center took time to honor and help moms in the community, providing needed materials and much-needed hope to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were prompted by all the COVID stuff \u2026 people feeling hopeless, overwhelmed and anxious,\u201d said Melanie Miller, executive director of Ashland Pregnancy Care Center. \u201cWhen all of this happened, we had many moms stop in at our center, panicked and afraid they weren\u2019t going to have enough baby food or diapers and wipes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just had such a burden on our hearts for babies and moms in our community,\u201d Miller said, \u201cso we decided to provide a \u2018blessing bag\u2019 filled with love.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

Blessing the community with essential items<\/h4>\n

The idea took root in April, and the event was held the Friday before Mother\u2019s Day, Miller said.\u00a0She and her staff and volunteers created 100 \u2018blessing bags,\u2019 filling them with items for moms and babies. That included diapers, wipes, toys, and crocheted and knitted blankets made by women from a local church. These were called \u2018prayer blankets\u2019 because each one was prayed over before being disbursed. The center also received donations of toothbrushes and toothpaste from local dentists and bottles of shampoo, soap, and lotion provided by local hotels. Limited amounts of formula and baby food was also available, and a Gospel tract and a brochure about the center\u2019s services were also placed in each bag.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted it to be an outreach for the Gospel as well so we could meet a tangible need for these moms with babies,\u201d Miller said, \u201cbut the most important need we all have is the spiritual need, to know Christ, and if we can encourage people with prayer, we wanted to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gideons International\u2019s Ashland Camp, which provides Bibles for the pregnancy center, also assisted.<\/p>\n

They set up a prayer tent at which women, after obtaining their material items, could go and receive prayer plus a Bible or a \u201cpersonal witness testament,\u201d Miller said. Forty-two testaments were given out along with 19 full-sized Bibles.<\/p>\n

\u201cOverall, I think the event went really well,\u201d she said. \u201cWe put our faith to action, and it was a great bright spot amid all the COVID happenings.\u201d<\/p>\n

This drive-through community event was held in the parking lot of a local church. Miller and her helpers wore masks and gloves in keeping with pandemic restrictions, and those needing supplies stayed in their cars.<\/p>\n

READ:\u00a0Option Line sees 40% jump in calls amid pandemic, proving importance of pregnancy centers<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Center to celebrate 40 years in Ashland<\/strong><\/p>\n

Located mid-way between Cleveland and Columbus, Ashland Pregnancy Care Center has been part of the community for 39 years; the center celebrates its 40th anniversary next year. Many changes have occurred over the four decades, including the name of the center. However, the mission remains the same.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur desire is to reach women and men facing a critical pregnancy decision and help them with that pregnancy decision,\u201d Miller said.<\/p>\n

In addition to the medical services of pregnancy testing and ultrasound, options education, and parenting and abortion recovery programs, the center provides support for families dealing with infant and pregnancy loss, and just this year, the center partnered with a local church to start an Embrace Grace program.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt began in the spring and then COVID happened,\u201d Miller said. \u201cWe did a drive-in baby shower, people honking their horns and celebrating. That was a unique and sweet experience. Embrace Grace has been a beautiful ministry in our community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another session is planned for the fall.<\/p>\n