Rosenberg
Texas
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Pregnancy Resource Center of Fort Bend County
Mission Statement
Our purpose is to prevent abortion by offering women the information, emotional support, spiritual encouragement, and practical help that will empower them to choose life for their child and sexual integrity for themselves.
We offer all of our services without cost or judgment. We are dedicated to educating all on both the value of human life and the detrimental effects of abortion.
We encourage the community at large to offer a supportive and understanding attitude toward women in crisis pregnancies.
History
The idea began on the return drive from a March for Life in Austin. What if our daughters got pregnant and didn’t feel that they could come to us? Where would they go? Dolores Wolff and her companions knew that a young woman facing an unplanned pregnancy has a critical decision to make, one that will have a lasting impact, not only on the very life of her child, but on her own life as well. They wanted the community to have a place where women could go to stop, think, listen, and receive help from volunteers in making that decision. In October, 1981, Birthright of Rosenberg/ Richmond was incorporated as a non-profit corporation in the state of Texas, and chartered as an affiliate of Birthright International. The three charter members were Rosalie Byrd, Iris Hrncir, and Dolores Wolff.
Dolores Wolff was the first Director of Birthright of Rosenberg/Richmond, and began operations with 10 volunteers and the moral and financial support of several other friends. In the first year of operation, there were 37 clients, the following year 136 office visits and 80 pregnancy tests. In our 2004-05 fiscal year, there were 943 clients served, with 853 new pregnancy tests. 162 of our clients were considering abortion.
Debra Higginbotham became our 8th Executive Director in June 2006. We have moved the center five times, with the last two moves taking us from 1200 sq. ft, to 2400, and now 3600 sq. ft. Our budget has grown as well. In the early 1980’s the budget averaged $3- 3,500. In our last fiscal year, ending in Oct 05, our income was $129,000, and we had invested over $97,000 in our program and operating expenses. As the cost of materials, advertising, and insurance increase, and as we move forward to open a second location in Sugar Land, our budget will undoubtedly continue to grow. It is only by the generous support of the community that this growth has been possible, and we try hard to be good stewards of the money that is entrusted to us.
After many years as an all-volunteer organization, the financial support of the community allowed us to begin, in 2001, to hire paid staff who are dedicated to our mission. While we continue to depend on volunteers to provide direct service to our clients, as well as help in many other ways, our paid staff members recruit and train volunteers, give them the support they need, and develop and administer new programs. In addition to our original program of pregnancy test peer counseling, we have added our Learn/ Earn/ Plan program, post-abortion peer counseling, and the Sexual Integrity program. One staff member administers the LEP program.
Our affiliation with national organizations who support pregnancy centers, as well as attendance at conferences, has allowed us to learn a tremendous amount from others around the country. In 1998 we separated from Birthright International and changed our name to Pregnancy Resource Center of Fort Bend County. This change was made only after much thought and prayer. We believe that our current affiliation with Heartbeat International allows us to better serve our clients.
Perhaps even more important than all the ways we have changed are the ways we have remained the same. Our mission remains the same: to prevent abortion by helping women who are faced with unplanned pregnancies. We continue to reach out to help others the way we would want someone to help us or to help our daughters.
Our purpose is to prevent abortion by offering women the information, emotional support, spiritual encouragement, and practical help that will empower them to choose life for their child and sexual integrity for themselves.
We offer all of our services without cost or judgment. We are dedicated to educating all on both the value of human life and the detrimental effects of abortion.
We encourage the community at large to offer a supportive and understanding attitude toward women in crisis pregnancies.
History
The idea began on the return drive from a March for Life in Austin. What if our daughters got pregnant and didn’t feel that they could come to us? Where would they go? Dolores Wolff and her companions knew that a young woman facing an unplanned pregnancy has a critical decision to make, one that will have a lasting impact, not only on the very life of her child, but on her own life as well. They wanted the community to have a place where women could go to stop, think, listen, and receive help from volunteers in making that decision. In October, 1981, Birthright of Rosenberg/ Richmond was incorporated as a non-profit corporation in the state of Texas, and chartered as an affiliate of Birthright International. The three charter members were Rosalie Byrd, Iris Hrncir, and Dolores Wolff.
Dolores Wolff was the first Director of Birthright of Rosenberg/Richmond, and began operations with 10 volunteers and the moral and financial support of several other friends. In the first year of operation, there were 37 clients, the following year 136 office visits and 80 pregnancy tests. In our 2004-05 fiscal year, there were 943 clients served, with 853 new pregnancy tests. 162 of our clients were considering abortion.
Debra Higginbotham became our 8th Executive Director in June 2006. We have moved the center five times, with the last two moves taking us from 1200 sq. ft, to 2400, and now 3600 sq. ft. Our budget has grown as well. In the early 1980’s the budget averaged $3- 3,500. In our last fiscal year, ending in Oct 05, our income was $129,000, and we had invested over $97,000 in our program and operating expenses. As the cost of materials, advertising, and insurance increase, and as we move forward to open a second location in Sugar Land, our budget will undoubtedly continue to grow. It is only by the generous support of the community that this growth has been possible, and we try hard to be good stewards of the money that is entrusted to us.
After many years as an all-volunteer organization, the financial support of the community allowed us to begin, in 2001, to hire paid staff who are dedicated to our mission. While we continue to depend on volunteers to provide direct service to our clients, as well as help in many other ways, our paid staff members recruit and train volunteers, give them the support they need, and develop and administer new programs. In addition to our original program of pregnancy test peer counseling, we have added our Learn/ Earn/ Plan program, post-abortion peer counseling, and the Sexual Integrity program. One staff member administers the LEP program.
Our affiliation with national organizations who support pregnancy centers, as well as attendance at conferences, has allowed us to learn a tremendous amount from others around the country. In 1998 we separated from Birthright International and changed our name to Pregnancy Resource Center of Fort Bend County. This change was made only after much thought and prayer. We believe that our current affiliation with Heartbeat International allows us to better serve our clients.
Perhaps even more important than all the ways we have changed are the ways we have remained the same. Our mission remains the same: to prevent abortion by helping women who are faced with unplanned pregnancies. We continue to reach out to help others the way we would want someone to help us or to help our daughters.