New director, same mission
Alison Sorenson has experienced the ups and downs associated with motherhood and now she has been called to help others who are in the same situation as she was.
Sorenson, the new executive director of the Auglaize County Family Life Center (FLC) in St. Marys, has the ambition to want to help others while finding new ways to get the word out about all of the services the FLC has available.
“My main focus since coming on as director has been publicity,” Sorenson added. “Because we have programs in place that are really helpful but if we are the best kept secret, than the programs aren’t helping anyone.”
Sorenson, 33, is the mother of three children, ages 1, 5 and 7 years old. She was a stay-at-home mother for the last seven years before joining the FLC.
Before becoming a stay-at-home mom, however, Sorenson worked in early childhood education and while she was staying home, she worked a lot in ministry at her church and started a mother support group in Celina.
“This job was right in line with that,” she added.
Sorenson took over in November and founder and pervious executive director Candice Dicke retired at the end of the year.
The Family Life Center’s mission statement is a Christ-centered ministry that provides education and services to support the sanctity of human life.
“And that is all human life, whether that is a grandparent raising their grandkids or a young mother with an unborn baby,” Sorenson added. “And while we are a pregnancy center, our hope is that anyone who comes here that needs help, we can either find a way to help them or get them in touch with the right agency.
“You don’t have to be pregnant or have an unexpected pregnancy to come here. We have services for a lot of people.”
The center also offers free pregnancy testing, crisis and options counseling, 24-hour hotline service, quality educational materials, prenatal classes, Earn While You Learn Program, Baby Boutique, maternity clothing, referral and assistance to obtain prenatal care, limited ultrasounds and housing referrals.
The FLC executive director added that anybody has access to the business’ Baby Boutique, discounted diapers and the online partnering classes, which allows customers to earn free store credits.
Since Sorenson has come on, the FLC began a play group from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and anyone is welcome. Sorenson added the storytime and craft activity is geared more toward preschool and late toddlers, but if parents have school-aged children, they are welcome to attend.
If St. Marys City Schools delays are cancels on those Wednesdays, the FLC will cancel the play group as well.
The event will run through May.
“The goal of that is just to get some publicity,” Sorenson added. “I’ve noticed after taking over is that we’re really lacking in the area of publicity. There are a lot of people in St. Marys who don’t know about us or they know about us but they are not sure what we do …
“But hopefully as word of mouth spreads, people see what we are doing to get more customers and get more exposure.”
To help with getting more exposure, the FLC is partnering with Wayne Street United Methodist Church for the inaugural Mom’s Day 5K, an event that was supposed to run last year but was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The event will take place May 8 at Wayne Street UMC along with the AuglaizeMercer Family YMCA as a fundraiser for the FLC. Families and pets are welcome to run or walk as the event hopes to draw in at least 100 people.
All proceeds from the event will benefit the FLC ministry.
Donations and sponsors are also being accepted.
For a donation of $100, donors can have their name listed as a sponsor on the back of the 5K T-shirt and in the race booklet and for a donation of $50, the name will be listed in the race booklet only.
Checks can be made payable to the Auglaize-Mercer Family YMCA, 4075 Wuebker Road, Minster, OH, 45865 before April 16.
The event is also looking for items to put in goodie bags, which will be given to each registered participant.
Items will be needed by May 3.
For more information about the event, contact Rev. Tim Benjamin at 419-3943615 or by email at PastorTimBenjamin@ gmail.com or visit the YMCA’s Facebook Page.
The FLC is also hosting a Mom2Mom Sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Wayne Street UMC.
Admission is $1 and food and drinks will be available on site for purchase.
Booth spaces will also be available for rent. A booth consists of two tables for $25. To reserve a spot, contact Sorenson at Alison@flcac.com or at 419-300-9756.
Sorenson said she believes her understanding of being a stay-at-home home and a mother of three has helped with her new role as she looks to help other mothers who were or are in the same situation.
“I struggled when I had my son, my middle child, and I was new to the area,” she added.
“I was just starting to get integrated into a church at that time so I didn’t have any friends and it’s really hard to make friend as an adult. That’s when I stated the Real-Life Moms Ministry at my church so I know what it is like to be a mom, not have any friends and spend all of your waking hours at home with the kids. So I know the struggles moms face in this day and age.”
Sorenson’s first daughter was an unplanned pregnancy, which was a shock while she was engaged. She added that with that experience she had, she has an understanding of the shock of unexpectedly being pregnant and not being prepared.
“I know that feeling, but I also know what it’s like on the other side and how God can use those things for good,” Sorenson added. “And he really has.
“He has used my struggles for good because being a stayat-home mom is hard and I can remember those long days and how tough it was but not that I am through that — God has been able to use my experience to connect with mothers here who are facing the same experience.”
Located at 104 E. Spring St., the center is open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The FLC can be reached at FLCAC. com, by phone at 419738-4673 and email at alison@flcac.com.