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The needs of women experiencing unplanned pregnancies have long been a concern in Lewis County. A group of pro-life Christians met in the mid-1980s to determine how they could open a crisis pregnancy center to help these women. This early effort to organize planted a seed that bore fruit in the following decade.
In December 1991, Nancy and Roger Grist, a priest at the Episcopal Church in Centralia, called pro-life friends and fellow Christians to meet at their home and talk again about opening a crisis pregnancy center. A steering committee met regularly for a year and developed a plan. A formal board of directors began to oversee the center in mid-1992, and tireless efforts of many volunteers eventually led to the opening of the Lewis County Care Center at 604 W. Main St. in Centralia in June 1993.
Initially, the ministry was called the ABC Crisis Pregnancy Center of Lewis County, an acronym for "A Better Choice." The logo included toy blocks with the letters A, B and C. In the mid-1990s, the name was changed to Care Center of Lewis County and eventually the subtitle "Family Life & Pregnancy Resource Center" was added.
In August 1998, the center moved to its current home at 1017 W. Main St. Over the years, both buildings have been remodeled and decorated by the hands of amazing volunteers. The front building houses counseling rooms, a place for children to play, and administrative offices. The back building holds the Executive Director's office, the Care Closet, two conference rooms, laundry room and two apartments. The apartments are a special gift, bringing in the funds to help cover the monthly mortgage payments.
The Care Center's services include: free pregnancy tests, education on all pregnancy options (parenting, adoption, abortion), prenatal and parenting education (Earn While You Learn Program), material support, Post Abortion Recovery Classes and an Aspire in Life and/or Excel in Life program. The Care Closet is a store with a variety of items from maternity clothes to diapers, baby clothes to strollers. As the clients attend educational sessions, they receive Care Dollars to exchange on all the items they will need for the new baby, thus earning while they learn.
The Lord has blessed the Care Center throughout the years of ministry with various board members, directors, staff and volunteers. His hand has been on this ministry and His people have answered His call. We at the Care Center now look forward to see what God has in mind for the next 20 years of ministry. |
