Pregnancy center helps parents young and old

This is part of a series of story about United Way of Richmond County agencies. Their annual Day of Caring event will kick off on Friday, September 17, 2021. Stay tuned for stories featuring their agencies leading up to the event and learn how to get involved at http://unitedwayrichmondnc.net/.

ROCKINGHAM — The Pee Dee Pregnancy Resource Center is more than just a destination for diapers and wipes.

It’s a resource for parents to-be where they can learn how to be the most effective parent through educational programming.

“Mostly, we’re a place where they can come and feel completely at peace, with no judgment,” said Executive Director Charity Short. “You’re kind of expected to know what you’re doing when you’re having a baby, but the truth is, is how can you be expected to when you’ve never been taught?”

They serve clients as young as teenagers or individuals in their 40’s. Resources are available for their clients from the moment they realize they are pregnant up to when their child is two years old.

Currently, the Pee Dee Pregnancy Resource Center is serving 14 women. Short said that the most surprising thing that people learn about the facility is the longevity of their programming, which is equipping parents with not just immediate fixes, but long-term goals and lessons.

A few of the classes available through their curriculum are prenatal care, the importance of bonding, goals and benefits of breastfeeding, moving through labor, infant milestones, finding balance to discipline, and anger vs. action. A typical session takes about an hour.

“Seeing the client come in the door and see them be able to use those tools and say, ‘I learned it and I did it!’” is the most rewarding, Short said.

Baby Bucks can be earned through taking classes and meeting with a mentor at the center. The bucks can purchase childcare items at a discounted price.

Short added that they’re not giving items away for free, but parents are working toward acquiring childcare items through the programming and lessons.

“It’s not just ‘let me walk in the door and get out,’” Short said. “It’s a process of helping you develop.”

Short said that in the future, they plan on hosting group classes for parents of all ages to meet and talk with each other. A new Spanish curriculum will be available, potentially in August. Grief counseling is also offered for those who have had a miscarriage.

“Everybody is just so sweet and understanding,” said one client from an anonymous testimonial. “Knowing that I’m not being judged while I’m here is huge for me.”

Short said volunteers are always welcome at the Center, and can train to become a mentor. The best thing that people can do is simply share with others that the Pee Dee Pregnancy Resource Center is available to anyone who needs their service.

“The biggest thing, the easiest thing, is to share with anybody you know who is pregnant,” Short said.

You can find more information about the Pee Dee Pregnancy Resource Center at https://pregnantwhatnow.org/connect.html. Their phone number is 910-997-3040. United Way of Richmond County Executive Director Michelle Parrish can be contacted at [email protected] or 910-997-2173.

United Way’s local service organizations

The other United Way programs are as follows:

• Leak Street Alumni

• Pee Dee Pregnancy Resource Center

• New Horizons Life and Family Services

• Sandhills Children’s Center UW

• Back Pack Pals

• Richmond County Rescue Squad

• Samaritan Colony

• Salvation Army

• Richmond County 4-H

• Red Cross

• Richmond County Schools Exceptional Children’s Department

• Boy Scouts of America

• Richmond County Aging Services

• Habitat for Humanity of the NC Sandhills

• Our Daily Bread