By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer
ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Helping Hands Thrift Store in Pineville has donated a portion of its proceeds from the sale of its facility to the CENLA Pregnancy Center in Alexandria.
Representatives of both organizations gathered at the pregnancy center office in Alexandria on March 11 to celebrate the unspecified gift that will help further the pro-life cause.
Although both parties preferred humbleness, over announcing the actual amount, both conceded it was a sizeable contribution. In that regard, CENLA Pregnancy Center Director Claire Lemoine said the generous gift will help expand services in such areas as: pregnancy decision coaching by trained advocates; pregnancy testing; ultrasound imaging; counseling about pregnancy options; distributing maternity and physical resources; and, providing post-decision support (parenting education and abortion recovery group classes).
“We are incredibly grateful to Mr. Ray Powell and the board of directors of Helping Hands for a timely gift to us,” Lemoine told the Baptist Message. “God has provided for our needs and continues to provide for the future needs of the center.”
Ray Powell, director of Helping Hands — who attends both the First Baptist Church in Pollock and the non-denominational Word of Grace Ministries in Pineville — said his organization sold the thrift store to Rolling Hills Ministries based out of Ruston so they could retool their ministry efforts.
Afterward, he said, the Helping Hands leaders decided to use the proceeds to bless a ministry whose mission is saving lives.
“My board of trustees is really passionate about what the CENLA Pregnancy Center is doing,” Powell said. “If it’s one just one baby who is saved from this sale, it’ll be worth it.”
Located next to the Louisiana Baptist Building in Alexandria, with an actual address of 1254 MacArthur Drive, the CPC also has grown from a full-time director on Dec. 4, 2017, to three other full-time staff, now: a client advocate coordinator, volunteer coordinator and officer manager/director of the Avoyelles Pregnancy Center at 115 Ferdinand Street in Marksville. Moreover, the center has served more than 500 women since serving its first client on that launch date.
Importantly, Lemoine said, nearly 70 percent of the expectant mothers who have met with CPC staff have opted to forgo abortion.
Moving forward, the CENLA Pregnancy Center expects to receive a new ultrasound machine, soon, provided by a donation from the Knights of Columbus. Additionally, Lemoine is excited about how God will continue to use the CPC to touch many more lives.
“We have seen hearts changed and lives saved within this ministry,” Lemoine said. “Through God’s divine providence, we have all intentions to continue providing care and support to mothers in crisis pregnancies.”
“My board of trustees is really passionate about what the CENLA Pregnancy Center is doing,” Powell said. “If it’s one just one baby who is saved from this sale, it’ll be worth it.”
Located next to the Louisiana Baptist Building in Alexandria, with an actual address of 1254 MacArthur Drive, the CPC also has grown from a full-time director on Dec. 4, 2017, to three other full-time staff, now: a client advocate coordinator, volunteer coordinator and officer manager/director of the Avoyelles Pregnancy Center at 115 Ferdinand Street in Marksville. Moreover, the center has served more than 500 women since serving its first client on that launch date.
Importantly, Lemoine said, nearly 70 percent of the expectant mothers who have met with CPC staff have opted to forgo abortion.
Moving forward, the CENLA Pregnancy Center expects to receive a new ultrasound machine, soon, provided by a donation from the Knights of Columbus. Additionally, Lemoine is excited about how God will continue to use the CPC to touch many more lives.
“We have seen hearts changed and lives saved within this ministry,” Lemoine said. “Through God’s divine providence, we have all intentions to continue providing care and support to mothers in crisis pregnancies.”
