About
Pregnancy & Family Resource Center:
Our organization began as The Pregnancy Counseling Center in 1974 in a tiny office on Baseline Street in San Bernardino. From that small house we moved to another and then finally to a prime location on Hospitality Lane where we saw thousands of women over a number of years. In 2004, we lost our lease in that complex due to pressure on the property owner from his tenant, Family Planning Associates, Inc. What we thought was a problem turned out to be a blessing. At our present location at 114 Airport Drive, we are situated between Planned Parenthood and Family Planning, Inc, but we share no common parking with either one. The new location has enabled us to increase services, and our property owner is supportive of what we do. It is because of this we recently expanded our facility from the original 1,500 square feet to three suites totaling 4,100 square feet—with plenty of warehouse space to store donated goods for our clients.
Initially, like many Pregnancy Resource Centers we opened to be a counterbalance to legalized abortion. Our intention was to provide information and support to women and their families who face an unplanned pregnancy. At that time, we were open just a few hours a week. As time passed the demand for help and support increased, so we began to share material goods with women who came to us. These items came through donations from people and organizations in the community. We developed a “points program” to enable a woman to get the things she needed in a way that developed a sense of responsibility and accountability in her. We have increased our hours of operation to be more accessible to women who work or who are in school.
As the need grew we began to lend books and videos to provide information for our clients on various topics (Childbirth, parenting, nutrition), and then began to offer free pregnancy tests and various means of support through referrals, follow up phone calls, friendship, Christian mentoring and abstinence education.
With time, women’s needs have changed and so we have evolved our ministry to meet those needs. Pregnancy & Family Resource Center implemented a Post Abortion healing Bible study (SaveOne) when we realized the great need in the community for women and men to find wholeness, forgiveness and healing after an abortion in a safe and nurturing environment.
As the attacks have come from the pro-abortion camp, we updated our Fictitious Business Name (FBN) to Pregnancy & Family Resource Center, so there will be no chance of anyone thinking we are posing as licensed “counselors.”
We collaborate with other community organizations and agencies to provide comprehensive material needs, professional counseling and medical care. We have begun to see we do not need to use our valuable assets to duplicate quality services offered elsewhere. What we want to do is to continue to do what we do best-provide a safe environment and support to enable a woman with an unplanned pregnancy to make healthy choices for herself, her baby and her family. To do this effectively for today’s women we have begun to offer limited, non-diagnostic ultrasound under the supervision of a licensed technician, a medical doctor or trained registered nurse.
Another desperate need we see on a daily basis is for women of all ages to see themselves as valuable. As a result of living in our sex-oriented, sex-saturated society, females in general have accepted that their worth is derived from their physical appearance and how sexually desirable they are to men (or in same sex relationships as well). Because of what we have seen and heard, we are convinced that we need to offer more than just a “don’t do it” admonition to our clients. We must show them why engaging in premarital and extra marital relationships is physically, emotionally and spiritually damaging. We share the truth of God’s Word as well as scientific evidence, with those who need to make lifestyle changes, but who have been unsuccessful in doing so alone and in her own strength. We tell her that God, her Father is ready to empower her for a life change!! Studies prove that people who engage in multiple sexual encounters especially in the teen years not only jeopardize their physical health, but their emotional, spiritual and mental health too.
There are approximately 600 abortions performed in our end of town each month. To meet the needs of these women we continue to expand our hours and services. At this time, we log an average of 300 client visits each month during the 36 hours per week the office is open. We currently have over 50 volunteers who put in over 500 hours per month seeing clients, making follow up phone calls, helping with special events, teaching classes, cleaning and doing clerical work. The need is great for women and men to train as Advocates (not counselors) to work one-on-one with our clients during the day and on Monday evenings. Men need help too, and our goal is to provide a wide-range of services for them as well.
As we grow, we will continue to do what we do best: tell the truth to anyone who will listen that all life is God-breathed and therefore sacred and is to be defended, supported and valued by every means possible.
Please call 909-382-4550 for more information.