Parents/Guardians…Have your child(ren) bring in loose change from around the house…have them check those couch cushions, that junk drawer, those car cup holder, the bottom of Mom’s purse, or Dad back pocket (with permission of course :) We are raising money for two beautiful causes that you can familiarize yourself with by clicking the blue buttons below!
We’ve all been in need of financial and spiritual support at one point of another, and been on the receiving end of generosity! Thank you for realizing the importance of paying it forward—thank you for teaching your children how important it is to give back!
Womankind Maternal and Prenatal Care Center was founded in 1975. The dream of Michele Rogers, RN and Elaine Eberlin was to provide a free prenatal clinic staffed primarily by loving and non-judgmental volunteers as the way to meet the medical and emotional needs of women who were pregnant or thought they might be. For nearly 50 years Womankind has been doing just that by providing our free services to women from all over Northeast Ohio who have often lacked the health insurance, financial resources and/or emotional support needed to access traditional care providers. At Womankind, they find care that is confidential, comprehensive and compassionate. We encourage and support each woman who comes to us for care. We do all we can to ensure that no woman faces a pregnancy without hope, help and possibility.
MISSION
Since 1975, Womankind walks with women along the journey of pregnancy and beyond by providing free prenatal care, personal support, and social services in a caring and non-judgmental environment.
Our Core Values
We respect, affirm, and nurture human life in all its stages.
We provide confidential, comprehensive, and compassionate care.
We create a safe, positive, nonjudgmental, nondiscriminatory, and welcoming environment.
We treat our clients and each other with sensitivity, kindness, and respect.
We focus our services on the needs of the client and will work collaboratively with community agencies to assure the best possible outcome.
We will…
Provide all services and support at no cost to the client.
Provide professional, prenatal medical care up to 28 weeks gestation.
Provide professional client support services including counseling, advocacy,
case management, and assistance obtaining essential baby items.At 28 weeks gestation, we will transfer the client to the provider/hospital that will handle her third trimester care and delivery. After that time, we remain available to assist or refer to the best of our ability, for as long as we are needed.
For the client uncertain about continuing her pregnancy, Womankind’s Director of Counseling and Support Services will coordinate counseling to address her particular physical, emotional and material concerns in a manner that is positive and non-judgmental.
In 2001, Fr. Don Dunson traveled to Uganda on an academic sabbatical to visit a fellow priest from seminary. Although the pair had to cut their visit short, the struggles of the children-soldiers swept up into the militia to fight in the civil war moved Fr. Dunson. Additionally, many of these boys' parents perished, leaving nowhere to return home.
Fr. Dunson started the St. Kizito Foundation to help a few boys assimilate and return to society. Since then, this small endeavor has flourished into the St. Kizito Foundation, which has supported thousands of boys and girls in Uganda. Fr. Dunson chose St. Kizito as the patron saint and name for our organization because he was one of a group of Ugandan martyrs who suffered death rather than renounce his Catholic faith. At the time of his death, he was only 14 years old. St. Kizito symbolizes the struggles and unending faith of many students in Uganda.
The St. Kizito Foundation's humble beginnings helping child soldiers at the turn of the 21st century have blossomed into a transatlantic scholarship foundation that supports approximately 300 students annually. Our primary focus is to provide students with appropriate and sufficient education to help them earn a living and attain success in life. Our students enroll in schools of their choice based on school and government standards of acceptance. St. Kizito's counselors and staff assist students to determine the best placement.