Hannah’s Home moves fundraiser to online event

The novel coronavirus pandemic has left not just restaurants and other businesses struggling but also non-profit organizations as well.

That includes Hannah’s Home in Mentor, says Vicki S. Krnac, its executive director. Hannah’s Home opened its doors in 2001 with a mission to provide single, young, pregnant women with a safe and nurturing home where they can receive counsel, continue their education and become thoroughly equipped to make life decisions.

Typically, the women who apply to live at Hannah’s Home do not have support networks they can count on during their pregnancies or to raise their new babies. They also do not have a way of providing for themselves or their babies.

“The novel coronavirus pandemic that has swept the globe has landed in our local community, putting the women in these crises at even greater risk,” Krnac said.

The virus has affected the organization on all fronts, including housing, food, clothing, baby items and transportation.

They have had to suspend all in-kind donations, which is how they provide all of the material goods and non-perishable food items for the home. They also had to halt volunteer aid that allows the women to have adequate and safe transportation.

“We have also continued to perform intake work for newly expectant mothers needing our services,” Krnac said. “We must secure funding for operating expenses so that we can continue to serve the women currently residing with us as well as additional women in the coming months.”

Despite the many worries surrounding the pandemic, the staff at Hannah’s Home is dedicated to serving their residents, Krnac said, adding that they have followed all the state regulations and have been open to the community.

Staff continue to provide 24/7 care. To maintain the health and safety of every woman and baby, they have created “quarantine rooms” for all new mothers stocked with microwave, refrigerator and food to remain social-distanced for the first two weeks of their time in the home.

Counseling, pregnancy, parenting, life skills education and social work services have continued as usual with current mothers and gone virtual for quarantined ones, Krnac said.

They also plan to continue with their baby bottle campaign by converting it online.

“Our traditional baby bottle campaign runs from Mother’s Day to Father’s Day, and 5,000 baby bottles are handed out to every person at over 70 participating churches in the local community,” Krnac said. “Due to COVID-19, those bottles cannot go out, and we converted our largest fundraiser to an online campaign.

“Although our doors did not close — in fact, we saw an increase in applications of women in need over the last several months — we had to halt our much needed and loved volunteers from coming in,” she continued. “They are just coming back as this placed an ever-increasing strain on the staff.”

Private donations fund Hannah’s Home. A link to donate to the baby bottle campaign can be found on its website.