Options for Women: Offering Essential Support to Those Facing Unplanned Pregnancy

When it comes to unplanned pregnancy, support can take many forms — and that support should go further than helping the parents choose life. The parents will need support after the birth of the baby and through the years to follow.

Options for Women in Sauk Centre serves as that essential support net for parents. The center offers free pregnancy and STI testing, ultrasounds, and life coaching. The center also offers classes and a baby boutique full of all the things new parents need. Most of all, Options for Women is a safe place for moms and dads. Staff is there to offer a listening ear, advice, and support to those facing an unplanned pregnancy.

“I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else,” says Kate Kerin, who has been with Options for Women since the beginning. She serves as a life coach and client mentor.

An affiliate of TLC Pregnancy Resource Center, Options for Women has been in Sauk Centre for 17 years. They’ve provided many important services to expectant mothers and fathers over the years. Their work is supported by our parishes, Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL), and private donations, among others. The Knights of Columbus helped Options for Women purchase an ultrasound. This past October, Options for Women hosted a fundraiser called Evening for Life with speaker Mary Ann Kuharski, who helped found Prolife Across America. The event was a great revenue generator for the center.

Another important service the center offers is education on everything from labor and delivery to handling finances and discipline. Because of the pandemic, the center moved the classes online. This has been a very successful change, and Kate says clients have been asking for more learning opportunities when they complete a lesson. Clients earn points to use at the baby boutique.

“We have clients doing at least three times more education,” Kate says. “It’s been so convenient for them. Education is a big part of our mission.”

The need for the center’s services didn’t stop during the pandemic, so it has stayed open. Kate says people have also continued to support Options for Women during the pandemic which has been a huge blessing.

“Our clients really needed support, especially when schools were closed,” she says. “It was very stressful, and they needed someone to be a listening ear.”

Kate asks parishioners to consider volunteering at Options for Women or offering financial support. The center’s work is so important to parents facing an unplanned pregnancy, and the community’s support is essential.

“There is often a misconception about what we do,” Kate says. “We absolutely want babies to be born, but we also stay with families as a source of support. We help them through what they are going through, and they often end up leading great lives.”

Options for Women also offers in-person classes on breastfeeding and infant nutrition, to name a few. Kate will soon be offering group classes to teach life skills.

Volunteers are needed at Options for Women, whether serving as client mentors and board members, or sorting baby clothes and making copies in the office. Donations of new or like-new baby clothing and items are also needed. Diapers are always in high demand.

“This is such rewarding work,” Kate says. “I get attached to these families. When you see their transformation of getting a job or getting out of a bad relationship, it’s just so amazing.”

If you would like to learn more about Options for Women, please visit optionsforwomen.us or contact Kate Kerin at 320-761-5412.

(From left) Colleen Cianflone, Director; Mary Ann Kuharski, Speaker; Kate Kerin, Outreach; Tami Rieland and Tom McFadden, both nurses at Evening for Life