“We’re your next step” is the tagline of the Living Alternatives Pregnancy Resource Center (PRC), 3223 Griffin Ave. in Pekin. For 12 years, the faith-based nonprofit has been a critical first step in the pregnancy journey of women in Pekin and throughout Tazewell County.

Sherry Sherwood, CEO of Living Alternatives, which operates clinics and residential facilities in Illinois and northwest Indiana, said the Pekin location is the only clinic in Tazewell County offering free pregnancy testing, ultrasound examinations, education, and women’s support services. She said women often seek services at PRC before seeking prenatal care with a physician, or because they do not have access to prenatal care.

“If you think you’re pregnant, come here first,” said Sherwood. “We’re that first step, and we will refer you into the community for additional services.”

The Pekin clinic, one of 15 facilities currently operated by Living Alternatives, opened in 2013. It receives no government funding and is not connected to any government agency. Sherwood said funding comes exclusively from churches, individual and group donations, and private grants, making it possible for all services to be available at no cost. Health insurance is not required or accepted, Sherwood said.

Angie Payton is the director at the PRC in Pekin. She said on-site pregnancy testing is administered by a trained medical professional and is completely confidential. Ultrasound scanning is also available to determine viability, verify fetal cardiac activity, and determine gestational age. Ultrasound scans are evaluated by a local group of volunteer physicians.

“We exist for the woman who just wants to verify whether she’s pregnant or not,” Sherwood said. “Maybe she’s excited about that but wants to verify it so she can announce it to her family and make plans and find prenatal care. For her to be able to come in, get that pregnancy verification and initial ultrasound, it’s kind of a gift as she waits to get in for an initial appointment with an OB-GYN.”

“We also exist for the woman who’s not really sure what she’s going to do if the pregnancy test is positive, or maybe she’s already taken a positive test at home, and she wants someone to talk to and just process what her options are and gather information,” added Sherwood. “Our nurses come alongside her and answer her questions.”

The critical question of “what’s next” can be answered through education and mentoring. Clients learn about their options, including carrying the pregnancy to term and adoption. Payton said PRC does not arrange adoptions but can help women connect with resources that do. She emphasized that PRC does not perform abortions or refer clients for abortion. But when that option is chosen, she said PRC is there with support and counselling after the procedure.

The clinic continues to support clients after a positive pregnancy test with parenting education programs and a mentoring program called HOPE (Helping Others Parent through Education). One participant in the program described it as “amazing.” 

“My mentors are amazing,” she said. “The program is great for new and expecting parents. I love the culture of the program; I feel so relaxed here.”

Women experiencing a miscarriage, stillbirth, prenatal diagnosis, or other loss can find counseling, support, and comfort through the Willow Story perinatal grief program. Payton said studies have found that 80 percent of women with a prenatal diagnosis will carry the baby to term if they have a strong support system.

Payton said, “One of our first clients had a baby diagnosed with a hole in their heart. They were thinking the baby wasn’t going to last, but they chose to carry to term. By the time the baby was born, it was such a minor hole that they didn’t have to do any procedures on the child. It was just amazing to get to watch that and be a support system to them.”

Most aspects of health care were impacted by COVID-19, and the PRC is no exception. During the lockdown, when families were struggling financially and unable to get what they needed to care for themselves and their child, PRC began offering curbside distribution of diapers, wipes, formula, baby food, and hygiene products donated from the community. That monthly sharing continues today. Everyone receives these items at no cost, and there are no minimum or maximum income requirements.

“We’ve heard stories where, because we’ve helped with diapers, the money in their pocket could fill their car with gas so they could make it to work, buy groceries, or buy Christmas presents for their kids,” Sherwood said. “We love to hear those stories.”

Sherwood said PRC operates from five values that describe a FIERCE love for their clients: Faith, Integrity, Excellence, Respect, Compassion, and Every day in Every way to Everyone.

“We’re always asking ourselves, ‘How can we do this better?’” said Sherwood. “This program is really great, but is there something we need to change to make it even better? We really do want to be a trustworthy organization in the community.”

In its 12 years in Pekin, PRC has served more than 1,000 clients with nearly 5,500 unique visits, including more than 400 ultrasound scans, Payton said. System-wide, the Living Alternatives organization serves more than 4,000 women and their families each year.

PRC in Pekin is run by just one full-time and two part-time employees, and more than 20 volunteers, including physicians and other medical professionals. “There’s a lot of training and oversight that goes into being a volunteer, but we couldn’t do what we do without them,” Payton said. 

Sherwood said, “We’re a faith-based organization, so women can participate in spiritual conversations and spiritual growth opportunities if they want to, but they don’t have to. No one is forced to participate in any kind of faith-based activity, but a lot of women do take advantage of it.”

Payton quoted a client who said: “Walking into the Pregnancy Resource Center (PRC), I had zero expectations. No one in my family knew, and I feared the rejection I would receive and the loneliness I would step into if I continued with this unforeseen pregnancy. I was not judged or advised one option over another, but simply asked how I was, what my fears were, and walked through each moment I feared the most. I was not left alone at any step in the process.”

The PRC office is open 9am to 6pm on Tuesday and Thursday, 9am to 4pm on Wednesday, and is closed Monday and Friday. Walk-ins are accepted, but an appointment is recommended, especially for ultrasound scanning. Contact PRC at 309-620-9227 or [email protected] about volunteer opportunities, donations, and financial support, or visit www.pregnancyresourcecenter.org/locations/tazewell-county/. On Facebook, visit https://www.facebook.com/TazewellPRC or find them on Instagram at @tazewellcoprc.