A Beacon Of Hope Womens Center Inc

TO EMPOWER WOMEN AND FAMILIES THROUGH PREGNANCY DIAGNOSIS, DECISION SUPPORT, AND SEXUAL HEALTH SERVICES BY PROVIDING COMPASSIONATE MEDICAL, EMOTIONAL AND LONG TERM-CARE.

THE WOMEN'S HEALTH CARE SERVICES PROVIDED AT THE TWO BEACON CLINICS INCLUDE PREGNANCY VERIFICATION, SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTION TESTING AND TREATMENT, OPTIONS EDUCATION, LIMITED ULTRASOUND, BIRTH CONTROL EDUCATION, PAP SMEARS, UTI, YEAST, BV TESTING AND TREATMENT, PLUS HOLISTIC SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION. A BEACON OF HOPE'S PATIENTS ARE FEMALE, BUT THE ORGANIZATION DOES SERVE THE FATHER OF THE BABY, IF THE FATHER OF THE BABY COMES TO THE APPOINTMENT: 66% BECAME SEXUALLY ACTIVE BEFORE AGE 18 51% SELF IDENTIFIED AS CHRISTIAN 46% AGE 29 AND YOUNGER 57% EARN $20,000 OR LESS LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS ARE ON STAFF AT BOTH OF THE CLINICS, AND A DIVERSE GROUP OF MEDICAL EXPERTS OVERSEE ALL THE WOMEN'S SEXUAL HEALTH SERVICES. THESE EXPERTS INCLUDE: NURSE PRACTITIONERS, OB/GYN AND A RADIOLOGISTS. EACH PATIENT IS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPLETE A CONFIDENTIAL EXIT SURVEY AT THE END OF THE APPOINTMENT, AND IN 2021, 98% OF THE PATIENTS STATED THEY WOULD RECOMMEND THE CLINIC TO A FRIEND. THE FOLLOWING TESTIMONIALS ARE DIRECTLY FROM NEW PATIENTS CONFIDENTIAL EXIT SURVEYS: "I LOVED HOW SUPPORTIVE THEY WERE. THE QUESTIONS THEY ASKED MADE ME FEEL THAT THEY CARED ABOUT MY DECISION AND SHOWED SUPPORT." "THE OVERALL ATMOSPHERE IS VERY WELCOMING AND WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A GENUINE DESIRE TO HELP. IT DEFINITELY HELPED ME FEEL COMFORTABLE TALKING ABOUT AND RESOLVING MY ISSUES." "THE CLINIC TREATS THE WHOLE PERSON. THIS CLINIC IS DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO MAKE WOMEN SAFER AND HEALTHIER. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THEIR SEXUAL HEALTH, BUT ALSO THEIR PERSONAL AND MENTAL WELL-BEING. THANK YOU FOR A REFRESHING APPOINTMENT." "I DID NOT EXPECT THIS TYPE OF EXPERIENCE AND I APPRECIATED BEING ABLE TO BE TAUGHT AND LISTENED TO. IT HAS BEEN SUCH A DIFFICULT TIME AND I FELT THAT THEY WERE REALLY PAYING ATTENTION TO ME." "COMING TO WOMEN'S CLINIC OF ATLANTA WAS THE BEST HEALTH CARE EXPERIENCE THAT I'VE EVER HAD. THEY WERE PREPARED TO HELP ME WITH MY PROBLEMS, AND EVERYONE SHOWED COMPASSION."

THE BRIDGE CLASSES AND INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PROVIDED THROUGH A BEACON OF HOPE'S LONG-TERM CARE PROGRAM ALLOW PATIENTS, WHO HAVE COURAGEOUSLY CHOSEN TO CONTINUE THEIR UNPLANNED PREGNANCIES AND PARENT THEIR CHILDREN, THE SUPPORT SYSTEM THEY NEED. OFTEN OVERWHELMED WITH FEAR AND LACKING A SUPPORT SYSTEM, QUALIFYING PATIENTS WILL BE THRILLED TO RECEIVE NEARLY THREE YEARS OF EDUCATION AND PRACTICAL SUPPORT THROUGH THE BRIDGE LONG-TERM CARE PROGRAM UNTIL THEIR CHILD REACHES TWO YEARS OF AGE. BY ATTENDING PARENTING CLASSES, NEW MOMS EARN "BABY BUCKS" TO SHOP FOR CRITICAL BABY SUPPLIES IN THE BABY & ME BOUTIQUE SUCH AS DIAPERS, WIPES, BABY CLOTHES, TOYS, CRIBS AND CAR SEATS. GROUP CLASSES ARE OFFERED FIVE NIGHTS PER MONTH IN TWO LOCATIONS, WITH DINNER AND CHILDCARE PROVIDED FOR ALL ATTENDEES. IN ADDITION, INDIVIDUAL CLASSES ARE OFFERED DURING BUSINESS HOURS TO MEET OUR PATIENTS' DIVERSE SCHEDULING NEEDS. TOPICS INCLUDE CPR TRAINING, CRIB AND CAR SEAT TRAINING, CHILD DEVELOPMENT, POSITIVE DISCIPLINE, RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION, BUDGET AND FINANCE EDUCATION, ETC. THE BRIDGE ATTENDEES LOVE THE COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT THAT BRIDGE PROVIDES, CONNECTING THEM TO OTHER MOTHERS AND TO BEACON TEAM MEMBERS WHO PROVIDE A SAFETY NET DURING THIS NEW CHAPTER IN LIFE. THE GOAL FOR BRIDGE IS TO EMPOWER NEW FAMILIES TO TRANSITION FROM CRISIS TO STABILITY, SO THEY CAN BECOME CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. IN 2021, APPROXIMATELY 96 NEW MOTHERS PARTICIPATED IN THE BRIDGE PROGRAM AND EARNED "BABY BUCKS" TO PURCHASE HUNDREDS OF ITEMS FROM THE BEACON BABY & ME BOUTIQUE. DONORS HELP MINIMIZE PROGRAM EXPENSES BY DONATING MEALS FOR CLASS ATTENDEES, AND BY DONATING NEW AND GENTLY USED ITEMS TO STOCK THE BABY & ME BOUTIQUE. EXPENSES FOR THIS PROGRAM INCLUDE CHILDCARE, MEALS, TRAINING MATERIALS, AND SALARIES FOR THREE PART-TIME COORDINATORS. IN ADDITION, CRIBS AND CAR SEATS MUST BE NEWLY PURCHASED ACCORDING TO FEDERAL REGULATIONS. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT BRIDGE LONG-TERM CARE OFFERED THROUGH A BEACON OF HOPE: HTTPS://WWW.FRIENDSOFBEACON.COM/FOB/DONATE/OTHER-WAYS-TO-GIVE/ ONE PATIENT PARTICIPATING IN LONG-TERM CARE SHARED THE FOLLOWING: "WHEN I HEARD MY BABY'S HEARTBEAT, I FELL IN LOVE. BUT I FELT PRESSURE FROM MY FAMILY TO HAVE AN ABORTION, SO EVERY TIME I SAW MY BABY ON THE ULTRASOUND MACHINE, I WOULD CRY. WHEN YOU FEEL AS THOUGH YOU WON'T GET SUPPORT FROM ANYONE, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE NO CHOICE. BUT NANCY, MY PATIENT CARE ADVOCATE, SAW THE PAIN IN MY EYES FROM THE PREVIOUS ABORTION I HAD. SHE KNEW I WANTED TO PARENT THIS CHILD. SO SHE KEPT ENCOURAGING ME TO PAUSE AND NOT RUSH INTO A DECISION. SHE LET ME KNOW THERE WAS STILL TIME. I VISITED BEACON EVERY WEEK, AND MY FAVORITE MOMENT WAS WHEN THEY PRAYED WITH ME. IT MEANT SO MUCH TO NOT FEEL ALONE IN THOSE MOMENTS. WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT THE BRIDGE PROGRAM WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE MAJORITY OF MY BABY'S NEEDS FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF LIFE, THAT MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE. I LOVE THE PARENTING CLASSES, BECAUSE IT'S HELPING ME FIGURE OUT HOW I WANT TO RAISE MY CHILD, AND NOW I'M CONNECTED TO A COMMUNITY OF NEW MOTHERS WHO ARE SO SUPPORTIVE. IT'S LIKE A CLOSE-KNIT FAMILY. I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO SUPPORT A BEACON OF HOPE. WOMEN LIKE ME OFTEN FEEL LIKE THERE'S NOWHERE TO TURN. WITHOUT A BEACON OF HOPE, MY LITTLE ALEX MIGHT NOT BE HERE TODAY."

TODAY'S SEX-SATURATED CULTURE PRESENTS SEVERAL OBSTACLES AS TEENS SEEK TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. BY THE AGE OF 18, 54% OF TEENS HAVE HAD SEX, SO A BEACON OF HOPE IS DILIGENTLY WORKING TO DECREASE THE NUMBER OF TEENS ENGAGING IN AT RISK-SEXUAL ACTIVITY. A BEACON OF HOPE'S PREVENTION INITIATIVE PROVIDES INNOVATIVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT EMPOWERS APPROXIMATELY 5,000 STUDENTS PER SCHOOL YEAR TO LIVE HEALTHY LIVES AND TO HAVE HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS. THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS OFFERED THROUGH A BEACON OF HOPE EQUIPS TEENS TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE CHOICES THEY MAKE TODAY, WILL INFLUENCE THEIR TOMORROW. IT OUTLINES THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS AND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS. TOPICS COVERED DURING THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS INCLUDE: CULTURE COMPARISON, THE TYPICAL PROFILE OF AN AMERICAN TEEN, THE EVIDENCED BASED DEFINITION OF AT RISK SEXUAL ACTIVITY, THE PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, SOCIAL, AND FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF UNHEALTHY CHOICES, STI AND PREGNANCY FACTS, THE FINANCIAL REALITY OF TEEN PREGNANCY, THE EVIDENCE BASED FACTS ABOUT PROTECTION, AND HOW DRINKING ALCOHOL AND USING DRUGS IS OFTEN CONNECTED TO TEEN SEX. AS A RESULT OF THESE PROGRAMS, THOUSANDS OF TEENS ARE IMPACTED AND HUNDREDS OF UNPLANNED TEEN PREGNANCIES AND SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS ARE PREVENTED.