Pregnancy Help Center’s Dubinsky: Grateful for Donors
Sally Dubinsky, executive director of Pregnancy Help Center in Boardman, is coming back strong. You can learn more about the organization at its website.
What are some ways the COVID-19 outbreak has affected your organization, and how is it rebounding?
When COVID-19 hit the country, we had to shut down for weeks like everyone else.
We applied for and received a loan through the Payroll Protection Program, which helped us maintain our staff. Through the shutdown, we did not stop providing for our clients. One employee at a time was at the center, listening to all messages, returning calls, and meeting the material needs of our clients, by getting their list of needs, packing them up, and leaving them at our upstairs entrance with their first name on their bags. They were told when and where their items would be ready for pick up that day. The system worked well for us and for our clients. They did not go without the essential items that were needed for their children at any time during the six-week shutdown.
One way we took advantage of the shutdown was by replacing our client room furniture.
We had cloth couches that could not be sanitized, and a wonderful donor provided four new pleather couches and five pleather chairs at a very low price. We can easily wipe down and sanitize after each client visit. We also had the entire center repainted for a clean, fresh look.
When we re-opened, we were only allowing one client in the waiting room at a time. We handed out masks and had hand sanitizer for everyone. We want everyone to be safe. When each client leaves, we sanitize the rooms they were in.
Our center is large, but none of our rooms was large enough to accommodate more than one client with one staff member. Our classes typically have a minimum of five people, which meant we would have to stop classes, which would also prevent them from earning points to get all the material items they needed. We are blessed to have been able to take on a large room in another part of the building that can now accommodate our larger class size. The furniture has been moved in and classes are meeting each week!
How has the outbreak affected your personal life?
I am single, and the shutdown kept me from seeing my children and grandchildren. We could FaceTime, but that doesn’t quite satisfy the human need for physically connecting with friends and loved ones. I must admit that I struggled through the first few weeks. The first time I got to hug my grandkids in the midst of this was a glorious day.
I attend Old North Church in Canfield, and I can’t remember how many weeks I sat at home and watched church on TV. While I was delighted that we could do that, nothing can replace actually attending, fellowshipping with friends and worshipping in person. Being together again was what I needed, but we still had to social distance.
What steps are you taking to come back strong?
We have three fundraising events each year – our Walk for Life in May, our Golf Outing in September, and our Fundraising Banquet in November. Last year, 478 guests attended the banquet, our largest fundraising event, and of course, we are unable to have it this year. I am communicating with those that attended and supported last year’s banquet asking if they would consider matching their last year’s gift to the ministry to help us end 2020 coming back strong. The response has been overwhelmingly YES! Our hope for 2021 is that coming back strong means we can have each event as we always have in past years before COVID hit.
Thankfully our donors have been tremendous. Their love of the ministry is what keeps us going and keeps our doors open. We are so blessed by those that attend our events and make them successful. We are looking forward to seeing their beautiful smiling faces at our Walk for Life in May!
We continue to be cautiously optimistic that at some point in time, this will all be a memory. In the midst of this, we realized how important people are to us. We need to always care for each other and be kind to each other. We wear our masks for the sake of others. Our client load continues to increase, classes are being attended, and our nurses are doing pregnancy testing and ultrasounds. And we are especially grateful for our donors that never stopped giving to us during this entire time.
What advice are you sharing with the people you love?
To love your kids, play outside, stay safe, wear your masks when around others, keep your hand sanitizer handy, social distance, and remember that this isn’t forever. Things will return to normal. I believe that with all my heart.
What is the mission of the Pregnancy Help Center and what services/programs does it provide?
Pregnancy Help Center exists to share the love of Christ with women experiencing an unplanned pregnancy and empowering them to choose life over abortion. It is important to note that each client is met with compassion and understanding and without judgment.
We are a medical facility offering all services at no costto women at risk for abortion in the Mahoning Valley. Medical services include pregnancy testing and limited ultrasound to diagnose a viable intrauterine pregnancy. We have two registered nurses on staff — our nurse manager and a staff nurse — who have been trained in fetal ultrasound, and Dr. Joni Canby, a Boardman OB/GYN, serves as our medical director.
In 2019, we had 1,660 client visits to the center. Our Earn While You Learn Program includes our classes ‒ Life and Parenting, Sewing, Coffee and Conversation for our girls, Dad.Ready. for our guys, Bible studies for both women and men, and a post-abortion support group Bible study for both women and men.
Our female clients have access to maternity clothing throughout their pregnancy. Our Earn While You Learn Program for both women and men, enables our clients to earn points to shop in our 2,000 sq. ft. Baby Boutique for material items, such as diapers, baby food, infant and toddler clothing size Preemie to 4T, and baby equipment, including brand new cribs and car seats, and many other baby and toddler accessories.