NGO moving into former Jars of Clay building
Island Pregnancy Centre opening new location in Summerside
The Island Pregnancy Centre is expanding to Summerside. The non-governmental organization recently started renovating 314 First St, which until early March was home to the now closed Jars of Clay café.
Island Pregnancy Centre currently only offers services from its Charlottetown office at 220 University Ave.
Emily Gillis, executive director of the organization, said they are looking forward to expanding into Summerside.
“Bottom line, growth is exciting and we are looking forward to being able to provide practical support to women in Summerside,” said Gillis. The centre is expanding in part because it is starting to see more women from the Prince County area seeking services and it is often inconvenient for them to get to Charlottetown.
“These families were sharing with us how much they wished we were closer to them, then they could be more involved or come more often,” said Gillis. Island Pregnancy Centre is a Christian faith-based organization that offers a wide-range of support to women facing unexpected pregnancy.
That help can include practical things like providing free pregnancy tests, parenting classes and helping women navigate the adoption process. Peer counselling services are also offered to women trying to decide what to do with an unplanned pregnancy, during the pregnancy if they decide to proceed with it and after adoption or abortion. The centre’s statement of principles says that serving “abortion vulnerable clients” is a primary focus. Also, anyone working with clients at the centre, paid or volunteer, must have a personal relationship with Christ and their lifestyles should be conducted accordingly. It also outlines its view of “sexuality as being exclusively reserved for marriage between one man and one woman,” and does not provide contraceptives to clients.
The same statement commits the organization to providing judgement-free services to any woman with an unplanned pregnancy who finds herself in need, regardless of any other circumstances, including sexual orientation and faith.
It also commits to providing women with accurate information about sexuality, abortion and alternatives to abortion and to not discriminate against women who choose to have an abortion.
“We feel that every woman has the right to all the information and support she needs to make an informed decision about her pregnancy. We don’t want any woman to feel pressured by her partner, family or circumstances into making a pregnancy decision she doesn’t want,” said Gillis.
Island Pregnancy Centre staff is hoping to be open and offering services in Summerside by the fall, but no exact date and no details as to what services will be initially offered are available yet.
Gillis said more information will be provided in the coming months.