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 OPEN HEART PREGNANCY RESOURCE CENTER, INC. 1 West 41st Street, Suite E Sand Springs, OK 74063 Office Phone (918) 419-2662 Hours Monday through Thursday (9:00am – 12:00pm - 1:00pm – 4:30pm) Closed Friday Website: www.openheartpc.com Email: openheartpc@yahoo.com
We opened the doors to Open Heart Pregnancy Resource Center,
Inc, on November 1, 2005. We help ANY woman who is in need of baby
supplies. We have seen women whose husbands are in Iraq and their
income is low due to him not working. We have helped women whose
husbands have been laid off from their job. We have helped women who
have no family support. We have resources of all kinds to assist women
with baby needs. We also help out with gas vouchers to families who
have a baby in the hospital for an extended stay. The family must be
referred to Open Heart PRC by a Social Worker of the hospital. We help
all of Sand Springs, Tulsa, and surrounding counties. Mission Statement - To help ANY woman with "FREE" baby
supplies who is pregnant or has children and to assist families
with a baby in the hospital for an extended stay. Purpose Statement - We provide help and resources to
women or families in helping them deal with all aspects of their
Spirit, soul and body. Information - We are a non profit 501c3 organization; ALL volunteer staff and receive no government-state funding nor are we associated with any organization. All funding is through private donations and/or contributions. When A Woman Is In Need Of Help:
DIRECTOR’S CORNER I just wanted to share from my heart about my experience and how I came about running a pregnancy center. This was not something on my part that was planned. I have not gone the last few years thinking, “One day I want to run a pregnancy center.” In fact,,,that thought never crossed my mind through the years. My story begins like this…… I was adopted at the age of 8 to a family in Muskogee, Oklahoma. I grew up going to church all the time. I had an older sister who was 2 years older than me. She was also adopted at the age of 5 weeks old. But with this family I did not always feel like a part of them. It was not their fault; I just could not accept it that I really did have a mother and father now. During my Jr. and Sr. year in High School it was a rough time for my mother and me. I never really accepted her as my mother and she knew that. I was very close to my father and we did everything together. She was jealous of this and it just put a wedge between us even more. Through those years at school we fought horribly. She was always telling me that I was a horrible person and was not living the right life. She just knew that all I wanted to do was drink and smoke. Oddly enough I did not drink nor smoke…pot that is.I did smoke cigarettes if someone offered them to me but I never bought them. No matter what I would tell her she never believed me. I was a rebel rouser but not a horrible kid. I did make good grades but I was always argumentative with her. She just never understood me nor tried to. My older sister was the apple of my mother’s eye. She would always say to me, “why can’t you be like your sister, she never gets into trouble for talking in school, or she doesn’t rip her clothes on the playground like you do.” It seemed no matter what I did it was never good enough for her. I became more and more angry with her and the relationship through the years. During my 9th grade year I met a guy and we ended up dating all through high school and we did break up the summer before my Senior year. I was heart broken. All through this dating time with him, my mother would accuse me of having sex and that I was going to end up pregnant. I never slept with that guy from high school because I really wanted to save myself for marriage. So..during my Senior year the boys who did date me thought I would go to bed with them just because I had been with this guy for almost 3 ½ years. I was so angry by the time I graduated High School. If they dated me it was to get me in bed, and then the ones who did not want to go to bed.they wanted to get married immediately. That was not for me. So…when I graduated High School, I left home 3 days after graduation and moved to Texas. That was the stage of my life that would end up spiraling out of control for the next few years. I traveled…moved…several times..and became a wild young lady. I did not care about myself or frankly anyone else. I felt no one really loved me so why should I love myself. I finally at the age of 19 I came back home to get my life straight. Then it happened…I became pregnant. I did not expect to pregnant when I was Texas….never thought about it…but now that I had come home to get my life back on the right road…I was pregnant. After I found out I knew I had to tell my family so not to embarrass them. When I told them in the living room of our home…my mother looked at me and said, “Oh my, what are the women of the Sunday School class going to say” and she walked out of the room. My dad just sat down with me and talked to me about the pregnancy. He mentioned about how I could not take care of myself much less a child and how about if I opted for adoption. I said…Ok, I would do that. It was the best thing for that time. I knew I couldn’t raise a child myself. That weekend my parents had to leave to go to Texas due to my older sister having complications with her pregnancy. I was alone.....time with my thoughts. Time to consider all my options. In the phone book at it listed was “Abortion”. So I sat down and really thought about my life and my future. I knew if I kept this child it would always be an “illegitimate” child in my mothers’ eyes and I knew my child would never have real love from his/her grandparents. I knew I could not take care of myself much less try and raise a child. I knew the father of the baby was not going to help, I did not even tell him about the pregnancy. He was not working and I knew he couldn’t take care of himself much less a baby. So I called a friend who had a previous abortion herself and asked her to take me to Tulsa for an abortion. I called and made the appointment. I did not tell my family… they had been through enough. When I called for the appointment they told me it would be $275 cash up front. So we drove to Tulsa. When I got to the clinic...I had to wait awhile. It was tough…seeing all the women in there waiting....to have an abortion. To get rid of the problem. At last I was called. I went to this little window down the hall where a nurse was taking my information and having me fill out a form. I started to cry and I told her I did not know if I could go on with this. She just took my hand,,,patting it and said, “Honey it is going to be ok, it is like writing on a chalkboard, you can easily erase it and go on with your life.” I knew then I must do it…not for me but for my family and the humility of it all of me being pregnant. I went into a room and they had me change clothes into a gown. I laid on this table with a big light over my head. There were two glass bottles side by side with a suction hose attached. The doctor showed me the “stick” a tube with a knife on the ends. It reminded my of my granny’s hot water bottle that had the long tube and at the end there were holes in the tubing. Well, instead of the holes on this tube,,there were little blades on all three corners. I told him, “I am scared” and he said, “Don’t worry it will be over before you know it.” I just remember the suction and it felt like my insides were being sucked out. Once it was all done they helped me sit up on the table and as I was getting off..I saw the bottles filled with blood. I knew right then what I had done. I knew I had just killed my baby. You could not see the actual baby but you could see the bits and pieces in those bottles. I just turned my head and went to lay down as instructed. I just cried and cried. Once I was allowed to leave I went out to the lobby and told my friend, Let’s go. I did not say a word all the way home. After a couple of weeks I knew I had to tell my parents. I honestly did not want them to learn this from anyone else. So I went to their house to tell them. Once I told them..mom just walked out of the room. Dad..he was dad…he took my arm and said..Let’s go to your room and discuss this. As we got to the bedroom he started to raise his voice. This was unusual for my dad to do this with me. He was always so patient and kind. We started arguing and he could not understand why I did this. After yelling back and forth he threw me on my bed, straddled over me and proceeded to beat me. Then he told me to get out..to leave and never come back. I once again had failed him and my family. It was the last straw that broke the camel’s back with my family. I had lost them forever. After this I moved to Tulsa to start my life over. To start a new a new beginning. I had a horrible past to overcome. Pregnancy, drinking, drugs, a divorce and men..all the signs for disaster. I wanted a new life with God. I started attending a church and joined in with the Singles group. But yet on the weekends I was still going to the bars. Not to just drink but to meet people. That was how we met other people..going to the clubs. So…I had a full time job at Tulsa Junior College, working and going out with my friends. I was really tired of this life. I wanted more from God. One day I prayed to God and asked Him that if He would bring me a Christian man I would turn my ways and devote my time to God and I vowed I would stop going to the bars. After several months..it happened. I met my husband I am married to now..we have been together for 28 years, have two grown daughters and I love life and God. He gave me another chance! When we first married, I would not even talk about children. I knew, I knew that God was not going to give me a chance. I had murdered my first child and that He would not allow me to ever have another child because of the abortion. I didn’t want to look at kids clothing. I told my husband when we were dating…do not even plan on children. He would just tell me that do not worry..you will want them some day. You are just not ready. After we were married for a while, I started working in a pregnancy center in Tulsa. I started seeing children’s clothing and thinking…I would love a child but will God allow me to have children? Through this center I went through some healing. The Director talked with me about my abortion, showed me videos and counseled with me. Also, my Pastor at my church at the time called me and wanted to pray over me about my abortion. Through all of this…I called my mother. We had barely spoken for years. I was estranged from my family. They wanted nothing to do with me after the abortion. But..when I called my mother and told her about my healing through my church and the center, I asked her to come to the pregnancy center the next day to see what I had experienced. She did come. We were both counseled and she was counseled. What I learned that day was shocking. Remember when I told you that my parents went to Texas because my sister was having complications with her pregnancy? What I did not know all those years ago was the day I had my abortion my nephew was born. What a shocker. Anyway..after spending the whole day together my mother went home a changed woman. Both my parents were changed after that. My mother went back to Muskogee and opened a pregnancy center. It is still in existence today. It is not run by her anymore…that was years ago. My father started writing letters to the Editor about what an abortion does to a family. He wrote for the Tulsa World and for the Muskogee Daily Phoenix. They both became huge pro-life advocates. Later they moved to Texas where mom started picketing abortion clinics in Waco. Sadly my parents passed away …mom died in 1998 and dad died in 2000. Until their dying days they were “soldiers” for the unborn children. I became involved in an organization called WEBA. (Women Exploited By Abortion). I became the State Director of Oklahoma and I traveled on weekends to pregnancy centers training them how to hold a post abortion support group. After a couple of years I became pregnant. Oh what a joy in my life it was. I knew that God had truly forgiven me because I was pregnant. During those two years…I became involved with other women from WEBA and we felt like abortion not only affected the women but it affected the whole family…husbands, boyfriends, mothers, fathers, grandparents, siblings. Etc. So we all got together and formed a National Organization called “Open ARMS”. (Abortion Related Ministry”). I was doing a lot of traveling…my firstborn was nine months old and was really sick. I was out of state, my husband had to take off from work and take care of her. I was really wanting to be an at home mother. I came home and stepped down out of the ministry to raise my daughter. Well we had another daughter and over the next 20 years I went back to work after they started school. I was at a point in my life that I felt God wanted something more of me. Not just to be a women’s director or dinner coordinator but there was something and I could not put my finger on it. Well in July of 2004 there was a newspaper reporter with the Tulsa World who gave her testimony about her abortion when she was 19 years old. At the end of her article she had left her email address. I emailed her and commended on her story..one… for being a Tulsa World reporter and two…that they would let her put her story in the paper knowing they were very liberal their self. Anyway, in October of 2004 she called me and wanted to do a story on me about my abortion and my adoption too. So during the two week interview she just stopped taping one day…looked at me and said….”Have you ever thought about taking over where your mother left off and opening a pregnancy center?” That was it! The light bulb came on….I was to open a pregnancy center. I went home that day all excited and told my husband that I was going to open a Pregnancy Center. He just said, “What! You do not know the first thing about running a pregnancy center.” I told him, “ I would research it and find out how.” I knew my job was going to end in a month or so and so I contacted my church and they had me speak with the Associate Pastor’s wife. I talked with her, shared my story and she told me at the end…”We as a church have always wanted to have a pregnancy center here in town.” She gave me some guidelines and on to training I went. I got laid off from my job and I went on to find an organization that trained people to become Director’s of a pregnancy center. So..all of 2005 I did my training. The Associate Pastor’s wife said that when I followed all of the guidelines then come back and she would talk to the Pastor and ask if I could do speaking engagement. In October of 2005 I called her and told her I was ready. I was scheduled to speak the first week in November and was told I would receive a love offering. Now, not knowing how much I was going to get..I was stepping out in faith to find an office. I went all over Sand Springs. I looked and looked but the rent was usually around $800-$950. I knew that was way to much for me. Then one day I went into this little shop to have a purse fixed…it was boot and shoe repair shop. That was on Thursday,,,I told him I would be back on Friday with some shoes and he said..”no you won’t because I am closed as of Friday. I am retiring. I was so excited…even though this store was so dirty and dingy I saw the potential. I asked about the rent and he told me where to go to ask about the office. Lo and behold, when I went to the Landlord and I told him what I was going to do. He told me the rent was $450! I was so excited…I just said…”I will take it!” Not even knowing if I had the money or not. Talk about blind faith. So I did my speaking engagement and lo and behold..I walked away with enough money to start my pregnancy center. The name of the center…how I came up with it? I never liked hearts…heart jewelry…etc. But…being in the ministry when I worked under Open ARMS I wanted it to be something similar to that name. So….I checked online for names..and thought..Open Heart…”we offer an Open Heart” to these women. That is it! So..in November of 2005 I opened up Open Heart Pregnancy Resource Center, Inc. My dream was to help all women in an unplanned/planned pregnancy. Here we are 3 and half years later..it will be our fourth anniversary November 1st, 2009. Praise God! We are an ALL volunteer staff including myself. I wanted all the money to go back into the center to help women with baby supplies. We receive no government/state funding nor are we associated with any organization. We receive funding only through donations/contributions. We are non profit 501-c3 organization and our tax ID is 20-2111877. All donations are tax deductible. Please come by for a visit. We would love to show you around. May God Bless each and everyone one of you and Blessings!
NEEDS FOR THE CENTER We are in desperate need of funding and/or donations for baby boy/girl clothing, diapers (Sizes Newborn to Size 6), formula, dry baby cereal or baby food jars, and baby furniture or any baby supplies you might have. We have women calling daily for these needs and we can’t keep them supplied fast enough. There are so many women needing help with baby supplies due to the cost of living, job losses and other family situations. Please help us by donating funding or items so we can distribute. DONATIONS If you would like to make a one time or monthly donation you can designate the amount below. Your donation is tax deductible as we are a 501c3 and you will receive a receipt. Also, if you desire you can make a donation through Pay Pal. We are an ALL volunteer staff, we do not receive any government/state funding nor are we associated with any organization. We are completely dependent on our community to supply our annual operating cost, baby supplies, etc. Every gift is invested in the lives of helping women in need. For any inquiries information below. _____$25 _____$50 _____$75 _____$100 _____Other BABY BOTTLE CAMPAIGN We presently do a Baby Bottle Fundraiser. We are asking businesses, churches, schools, organizations, etc if they would be willing to take a baby bottle, place it where the public can see the bottle every day. On the bottle we have a card that tells about Open Heart. People would place their change and/or bills in the bottle. When the bottle gets full you will call us and we will come by and pick up the money. If you are interested in participating in this fundraiser to help Open Heart Pregnancy Resource Center, Inc. please contact us at (918) 419-2662. GOODSEARCH Use GoodSearch.com every time you log onto the internet and support Open Heart Pregnancy Resource Center. Every time you use this search engine we get $.01 for every hit. Over time it will add up. Since we have registered in August of 2007 we have already had 258 hits which is a total of $2.58. Doesn't sound like much but if everyone makes GoodSearch.com their homepage and use this it will add up over time. On the GoodSearch webpage you will see a box that ask you to put in your organization. Type in "Open Heart Pregnancy Resource Center" and then click on the "verify" button on your right side. Click on the title that shows Open Heart of Sand Springs, Oklahoma. This will set this page that everytime you log into GoodSearch.com it will automatically show Open Heart. Use the search engine section to do your searching on the internet and support us!
CLIENT ADVOCATE VOLUNTEER
The Open Heart Pregnancy Resource Center will provide the client advocate staff with:
Client Advocate Volunteer Responsibilities
Training
CLIENT ADVOCATE AGREEMENT AND INFORMATION SHEET I understand that this is a ministry and that the primary focus of the center is to share the Gospel of His love with the clients with whom I come in contact. I have prayerfully sought the Lord's direction in my decision to become part of this ministry and therefore am committed to serve Him here. I am aware that although this is a volunteer ministry, my commitment to my shift, client advocate training and weekly staff meeting is a commitment to the Lord and how consistent I am in performing these duties both reflects on the body of Christ and impacts my sisters in service here at Open Heart Pregnancy Resource Center. I will therefore be on time for the shift to which I commit and will be faithful to attend all meetings. Client Advocate Signature __________________________________________ Date________________________________ Revised 4/09
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