HURON — Holy Trinity Respect Life Group and Rainbow Flower Shop are hosting the annual Roses for Life fundraiser to benefit Plus One Guidance Center in Huron.
Held over Mother’s Day weekend, May 7-9, people can order roses through the promotion to be picked up Friday, May 7, between 4:30 and 7 p.m.
To order roses, call 354-4069 or 352-2203.
Plus One Guidance Center assists teens, women and couples facing unplanned pregnancies in making the healthiest choices possible for themselves and their unborn children. They provide a safe, compassionate atmosphere for free and confidential services, including free pregnancy tests, peer counseling and support and education and referrals. The center is located at 35 Market St. E., next to Domino’s Pizza.
Since opening in Huron in February 2015, Plus One Guidance Center has worked with more than 300 clients, said Director Mary Helen Wipf.
Over the past year, they have served 52 clients, a number that was down due to the COVID pandemic.
Because most clients schedule return visits with client advocates, the Center has logged nearly 1,800 peer counseling sessions with clients and approximately 725 peer counseling sessions with client support people.
“We have seen clients aged 13-40 from a variety of social-economic backgrounds,” Wipf said. “Clients facing unplanned pregnancies have been unmarried, in a relationship, some have been unmarried and alone, some have been married and not interested in having another child. Some clients have come alone and looking for support. Some clients come with a parent (mother or father or a grandparent even) ... some come with a significant other.
“While an unplanned pregnancy may have you feeling overwhelmed and confused right now, we want you to know that you don’t have to walk through this alone,” Wipf said. “No matter what your pregnancy situation is, we are here to listen. We provide assistance in a wide range of pregnancy-related issues. Plus One Guidance Center cares about you. We do what we do without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other situation.”
The organization is completely donor supported, with two main fundraisers each year. Their annual Snowflakes & Sweets entertainment and dessert event was cancelled due to the pandemic, although they are planning on holding their baby bottle fundraiser, “A Little Change Saves Lives.” Empty baby bottles are dropped off at churches and businesses for people to fill with loose change to give to Plus One.
Programs they offer include:
• Healthy U! — A program designed to help young people understand and maintain healthy dating relationships. Classes can be done individually or as a small group of friends.
• Pregnant U! — A program designed to help you understand what to expect during pregnancy and delivery. Points are earned at each appointment, including appointments outside of Plus One. Clients are able to redeem points at the PlusOne Boutique for things they and their baby need.
• Empower U! — This program is designed to provide peer support and education on baby care and parenting techniques while allowing the client to earn the things their baby needs at the PlusOne Baby Boutique. Topics covered include home safety, milestones, growth and development, nutrition, etc. Learn to parent with love and confidence.
The Center currently has two paid employees and 20 volunteers, who do peer counseling with clients/answer phone, clean, manage the Maternity and Baby Boutiques, help with the fundraising events and mass mailings. They also have a group of dedicated people who serve on the Board and the Advisory Board.
“We offer services until the child is 2 years old,” Wipf said. “Assistance is in the form of clothing, diapers, parenting classes, community support connections and peer counseling.
“There are many hurting women and families in our community,” she added. “Our goal is to widen our circle of contact to surrounding communities to provide information to hurting and overwhelmed people so they can make the healthiest choice possible for themselves and their families. We want to make a difference in people’s lives and help them in meet their goal of providing their children with the best future possible.”
