Real Choices Pregnancy Center Providing
Real Solutions for New Moms
By Lisa Olson
“Each year pro-life
pregnancy centers save thousands of lives. Women in their most desperate time
of need, searching for answers and just a simple helping hand, have been
ministered to. Countless future doctors, nurses, engineers, inventors, and moms
and dads of the next generation have been saved because their moms made the
choice to let them live. Those unborn children were given a chance because
someone gave their mom a chance, a chance for hope, a chance for success”
(Real
Choices Partners Website)
Last summer I became involved with Real Choices Pregnancy
Center after years of God patiently pushing my heart. I would drive by the center on South Boulder
Road and pray for them and the women they helped. God constantly reminded me of this during my
day-to-day life. After
completing my Masters in Nonprofit Management at Regis University, my son
Alistair was born and I was looking for a way to use my time and gifts to
further share Christ’s love and keep my brain active while being a stay at home
mom. So I decided to stop by and see what kind of help they needed. I really
never intended to become a pro-life advocate but sometimes God has other plans
for our lives. Maybe I'm just pro-motherhood,
supportive of every woman who makes the tremendously scary choice to bring a
life into this world. I want to encourage this type of courage and
bravery. I quickly realized they need moms in the local community to
partner with them. As mothers, we have unique abilities to relate to and help
other moms who are dealing with the same daily struggles that we are. For me,
helping at Real Choices became a personal and rewarding way to serve meaningfully
in our community; providing both tangible and intangible benefits for both
ourselves and the women we serve.
One of the most important lessons that I've learned through
this experience is to share my passions with my children, by demonstrating
Christ’s love to others I can embody my faith and lead by example. I hope to
instill a heart of compassion and empathy in my children and I believe
community service is one of the most powerful ways we can do that. I love
bringing my kids with me to serve because it shows them that although I don't
work outside the home that I am doing a good work; what I do is both valuable
and important.
“Let us not lose heart
in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.”
Galatians 6:9
Galatians 6:9
Real Choices is an organization dedicated to providing a
support system for those who might otherwise be walking though one of life’s
most stressful periods without help. The mentorship program is incredible
because it provides one on one teaching about pregnancy, newborns and
parenting. It’s a pretty easy time commitment of one hour a week but the
investment has a lifelong impact.
“O Lord, you
alone are my hope. I’ve trusted you, O LORD, from childhood. Yes, you have been
with me from birth; from my mother’s womb you have cared for me.
No wonder I am
always praising you!”
Psalms 71:5-6
I started serving as a volunteer mentor but noticed my strategic
planning skills were better put to use on the advisory board. One of the things
that drew me to this organization was that how no matter what our gifts or
talents are, they had needs for moms to help other new moms, figure it all out.
I remember thinking as my son struggled through a year of colic how hard it
would have been if I had to do that alone, and it broke my heart to think other
moms were doing just that.
We are currently growing the number of our centers and the
services we offer through a partnership with Catholic Charities and Bella
Clinics (http://www.bellanwc.org). This
enables us to provide a full continuum of care to all women who need aid. Women
come from all backgrounds and walks of life. Thanks to generous financial
support of our donors and volunteers we are able to offer the following
services: pregnancy testing, obstetrical ultrasounds, pregnancy options
education (parenting, adoption, vs. abortion), parent education, relationship coaching,
material resources (diapers, wipes, etc.), community resource referrals (food
banks), and after abortion care & counseling. All services are provided
free of charge and are available to women & men regardless of income.
Expanding into Bella style clinics will provide us with the opportunity to
offer even more OBGYN services, abortion pill reversal, hormone therapy,
infertility treatment, STD tests and treatment. Enabling us to reach a wider
range of women with a message that they are valued and loved by our creator.
One of our big annual fundraisers is on April 9th,
the Ladies Tea. If you’d like to attend, volunteer or donate a silent auction
item for the High Tea please contact Connie at connie@realchoicesboulder.org.
We are trying to put together a table or two from MOPS so please let her know
if you’d like to join us! If you are curious to learn more about ways you could
become involved please contact me at lisakolson@gmail.com or volunteer
coordinator Jen Boryla at jen@realchoicesboulder.org.
You can also get involved as a volunteer or mentor!
Real Choices Mission, Vision, Values
“Real Choices is
a Christian organization providing free services and education enabling clients
to make real choices concerning pregnancy, sexual health, and healing from past
choices in a safe, non-judgmental environment.
At Real Choices, we meet people where they are at, and
address their immediate needs relating to sexual health and wholeness. We
help people with unexpected pregnancies, sexual or reproductive health issues,
and relationships in a safe environment. We use the opportunity with each
person to plant “seeds of Christ’s joy and love,” to steer them toward healthy
choices about themselves and their relationships, based on God’s design, while
respecting and empowering and supporting them in making their own choices.
We let each client know that there is a community
supporting them – a community acting as the body of Christ – that cares about
them – through prayer, through financial support, and through volunteer time,
with the desire to see the client live and experience a life of joy because
they experience and are guided by the love of Christ.
We work with other organizations to “surround each client
with love” – to support them, and to enable them to be the “best version of
themselves” – to achieve the full potential that God intended for them” (Real
Choices Partners Website: http://realchoicespartners.org).
Photo by Danielle Bigham. Lisa, Hadley & Alistair Olson bring
diapers to donate to Mary’s Closet. Jen Boryla, volunteer coordinator, manages
the supplies and helps to ensure all new moms in the mentoring program receive
what they need for their families.
