After the End of Roe, a New Beginning for Maternity Homes
By Tiffany Stanley - Posted at MinistryWatch:
There has been nationwide expansion of maternity homes in two years since Supreme Court overturned Roe v. WadeORANGE, Va. (AP) — On the wall of the maternity home, painted in large letters, is the motto: “Saving Babies, One Mom at a Time.”
For founders Randy and Evelyn James, the home started with one baby — their own.
Paul Stefan was the last of their six children, born with a fatal condition. They had chosen not to abort the pregnancy as doctors advised. He lived just over 40 minutes, long enough to be baptized and named after their Catholic priest.
In the nearly two decades since, the Jameses have channeled their son’s memory and their pro-life beliefs into running maternity homes. “We knew that we were going to do something for women in crisis pregnancies,” Evelyn James said.
In August, their Paul Stefan Foundation plans to open a new floor with seven more rooms at their headquarters in a grand former hotel in Orange, Virginia.
Their momentum is part of a larger trend: There has been a nationwide expansion of maternity homes in the two years since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
“It’s been a significant increase,” said Valerie Harkins, director of the Maternity Housing Coalition, a nonprofit pro-life network of 195 maternity homes that has grown 23% since the court’s ruling.
There are now more than 450 maternity homes in the U.S., according to Harkins; many of them are faith-based. As abortion restrictions increase, pro-life advocates want to open more of these transitional housing facilities, which often have long waitlists. It’s part of what they see as the next step in preventing abortions and providing long-term support for low-income pregnant women and mothers.
“This is what supports the women in following through on their yes to carry that pregnancy to term,” Harkins said. “Whether that’s a yes that they chose or maybe they felt like they didn’t have a choice.”
The reasons for the surge in interest in maternity homes are complex and go beyond narrowing abortion access. Harkins said unaffordable housing, paychecks cut by inflation and higher birthrates in some states have all contributed.
“It created a perfect storm,” she said. “There’s quite a need.”
For founders Randy and Evelyn James, the home started with one baby — their own.
Paul Stefan was the last of their six children, born with a fatal condition. They had chosen not to abort the pregnancy as doctors advised. He lived just over 40 minutes, long enough to be baptized and named after their Catholic priest.
In the nearly two decades since, the Jameses have channeled their son’s memory and their pro-life beliefs into running maternity homes. “We knew that we were going to do something for women in crisis pregnancies,” Evelyn James said.
In August, their Paul Stefan Foundation plans to open a new floor with seven more rooms at their headquarters in a grand former hotel in Orange, Virginia.
Their momentum is part of a larger trend: There has been a nationwide expansion of maternity homes in the two years since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
“It’s been a significant increase,” said Valerie Harkins, director of the Maternity Housing Coalition, a nonprofit pro-life network of 195 maternity homes that has grown 23% since the court’s ruling.
There are now more than 450 maternity homes in the U.S., according to Harkins; many of them are faith-based. As abortion restrictions increase, pro-life advocates want to open more of these transitional housing facilities, which often have long waitlists. It’s part of what they see as the next step in preventing abortions and providing long-term support for low-income pregnant women and mothers.
“This is what supports the women in following through on their yes to carry that pregnancy to term,” Harkins said. “Whether that’s a yes that they chose or maybe they felt like they didn’t have a choice.”
The reasons for the surge in interest in maternity homes are complex and go beyond narrowing abortion access. Harkins said unaffordable housing, paychecks cut by inflation and higher birthrates in some states have all contributed.
“It created a perfect storm,” she said. “There’s quite a need.”
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