What drew Laurie Huff to serve at The Pregnancy & Parenting Center was the desire to mentor young women. She had always mentored children and enjoyed personal contact. Huff and her husband were donors to the Center, and she felt it natural to want to volunteer there.
Huff said, “I received an email from the center one day and it spurred me to call the volunteer coordinator. At first, I had no idea in what capacity I would serve but as I learned more about the Client Services Advocate role, I felt it would be a good fit.”
She underwent training which consisted of shadowing staff and other volunteers as well as participated in online training and in-service training.
In her capacity as Client Services Advocate, she meets with women who are pregnant or may have young children at home, two to three times per week to determine individual needs which can range from learning about childbirth, how to “potty train” a toddler or what to expect at each developmental stage of childhood.
Huff said “The Pregnancy and Parenting Center has an array of excellent educational videos on a wide range of topics to help women acquire the information they need. I let my client chose what topics they want to learn about, and we watch the videos together.”
The Center offers a “Learn & Earn” program where clients can earn points to redeem in the boutique after meeting specific requirements such as answering questions about the video topics they’ve seen and completing their homework.
Huff says she’s seen more women choosing to breast feed their babies, especially after the recent formula shortage.
“It’s healthier for the baby and can be a big financial help to women, especially those who struggle to pay for baby formula.”
Huff encourages those seeking a way to serve their community to explore the Client Services Advocate role at the Pregnancy and Parenting Center.
“I love what I do,” Huff said. “I’m encouraged to share my faith with my clients and to be the hands and feet of Jesus. I respect wherever my clients are in their lives, because they come from diverse backgrounds, but I always offer to pray with them. I am grateful for the opportunity to assist them and to walk alongside them in their journeys.”
If you are interested in learning more about the Client Services Advocate role or other volunteer opportunities at the Pregnancy and Parenting Center, contact Pam Princehorn at 330-455-7500, extension 126. You can also visit the volunteer page on this website.
https://thepregnancyandparentingcenter.com/get-involved/volunteer/