Pregnancy Care Center offers help and support, not judgment

Myschell Pearson, executive director of the Pregnancy Care Center of Burke County, has an unusual description of her organization: “The Best Kept Secret in the County.”

While that might not quite be true, the organization is hoping to raise its profile so that, Pearson said, “People have a clear picture of what we do and the services we provide.”

In 2024, the center  3,789 client visits. This year, that number, Pearson said, is likely to surpass 6,000. Many of those clients are Hispanic, and the center employs two staff members who speak Spanish.

The center is supported by volunteer contributions, including donations from many local churches.

The organization’s office is tucked away on quiet and leafy Clay Street, just off Hwy. 181 North, on the southern edge of the Oak Hill community.

On a blistering hot late June morning, Pearson and Outreach/Marketing Coordinator Kirsten Poteat sit down in a comfortably cool meeting room with a visitor to discuss what the Pregnancy Care Center is all about.

“In a way, we probably contradict the stereotype that a lot of people may have in mind when they think of a pregnancy care center,” said Pearson.

“We are a pro-life center, but we are accepting and respectful to people regardless of their beliefs,” she continued. “We are grounded in Christian faith, but we don’t force it upon anyone. We simply open the door and let them walk through.

“And,” Pearson added, “we don’t make referrals to abortion clinics, but if a woman has decided she wants to have an abortion, we want to make sure she knows what questions to ask, and we want to make sure she has it done safely.”

“Everything we do is tempered by Christian love and compassion,” said Poteat. “We’re not here to judge, we’re here to help. We don’t offer handouts; we offer a hand up.”

So, what services does the Pregnancy Care Center offer?

Pregnancy Tests

The center offers medical grade, confidential pregnancy testing at no charge. “We want to take the guesswork out of the equation,” said Pearson. “We want our clients to have accurate information.”

Ultrasounds

The center offers limited, non-medical ultrasounds to pregnant women who have not already been seen by a doctor. The ultrasounds are performed by certified registered nurses at no charge in a comfortable, private environment.

Education

The center offers a variety of educational classes, aimed not only at pregnant women but at fathers and family members who may be supporting the mother. Successfully completing these classes, which are done on video, earns the participants points that can be used to redeem free items from the center’s boutique and from its wealth of baby supplies.

“Part of our educational effort is our Fatherhood Program,” explained Poteat. “We want to help men build the skills to be good fathers, to be a positive part of the foundation for their child’s life.”

“With each educational class completed, they earn points,” said Pearson. “They have to do the work; they have to earn the items they want.”

Clients can also earn points by bringing back sermon notes if they attend Sunday worship or Sunday school or by bringing in their grade reports if they are in high school or college.

“We want to do everything we can to support them and to see them improve themselves,” said Pearson.

Abortion Information

“Obviously, we don’t perform or do references for abortions,” said Pearson. “But we do believe it is a woman’s right to be fully informed about abortion procedures prior to making a decision. We want to provide them with medically reviewed, accurate information about all of their options.”

Supplies

“We offer needed items from diapers to strollers and everything in between,” Poteat said. “As we said, clients earn points through our educational programs that enable them to shop privately in our boutique.”

Case Management

The center has dedicated case managers who work to assist clients facing issues with housing, employment, transportation, and child care, among others.

“We try to help our clients with practical things,” said Pearson. “From transportation to budgeting to any type of struggle they are facing. We follow that child and their family until they are 2 years old.”

“We can provide guidance and assistance on housing, transportation, and higher education,” said Poteat, “as well as gas, groceries, and utility payments.”

Other members of the center’s staff include Client Services Manager Margaret Ruark, Client Services Assistant Genia Agustin, Client Services Manager Miriam Heagan, Registered Nurse Vickie Lovelace, and Finance Assistant Kimberly Hipps.

As the interview neared its close, Pearson said, “Again, we are a Christian clinic. We are respectful and there is no judgment. We see ourselves as being the hands and feet of Jesus and that thought guides everything we do.”

The telephone number for the Pregnancy Care Center is 828-437-4357. The center’s website is pccob.com.