According to a September 2024 report published by the March of Dimes, over 35% of counties in the United States are maternity care deserts, which means that there is little or no maternal care offered. Rural counties seem to be hit the hardest, with hospitals continuing to close labor and delivery wards and a shortage of obstetric departments.
Clinton County happens to be one such county where women are forced to travel to other counties to receive the most care. This is where the Pregnancy Resource Clinic hopes to help fill the gap. The center will hold its official grand opening on April 11th from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at their new facility at 53 West Main St. in Lock Haven.
“Over the past 10 years, our community of supporters has demonstrated their full support for our vision to open a second site in Lock Haven,” said Jenny Summers, Executive Director of Pregnancy Resources, which is based in State College. “Central PA congregations, businesses, and new and faithful donors all contributed to seeing this dream become a reality. In January 2024, we purchased our beloved building due to the generosity of kind donors. Just like our office buildings in State College, we believe this house will be a beacon of hope, which will enable us to serve our patients long into the future.” Summers went on to say that the project came to fruition with the help of many volunteers and businesses that donated their time to help renovate and bring the 100-year-old building to life.
“We are thrilled at the opportunity to live out our mission to educate, encourage, and empower men and women to make informed life choices right here in the heart of Clinton County in beautiful Lock Haven, Pa. Our hearts are full knowing that the Lord has walked us through every step that had led us to this opening day. We can’t wait to serve this community.”
According to their website, the Pregnancy Resource Clinic was founded in 1984, and they believe that people matter. Their mission is to educate, encourage, and empower men and women to make informed life choices by providing services that impact pregnancy, parenting, and sexual health decisions. All services are community-funded, which allows them to serve patients with services such as pregnancy tests, obstetric ultrasounds, options education, materials assistance, mother and fatherhood education and support, and abortion recovery care. Each year, PRC provides over 1,290 client appointments to over 553 patients, impacting 158 families in central PA, with over 70 babies born last year alone to the families PRC had the privilege to serve. Thanks to a generous donor, PRC provided over 89,352 packs of EveryLife diapers and 2,337 packs of wipes to families in need in the area. Each family member participating in PRC’s parenting programs can earn points to shop in their baby boutique, which provides new and gently used clothing for children from birth to two years old.
“In 2010, while I was speaking at a Lock Haven church, a friend of mine approached me and asked me if PRC would ever open a clinic in Lock Haven,” said Summers. “I approached the board about the possibility, but we were not financially able to move in that direction. Five years later, I approached my fellow board members again, and they gave me their blessing to move forward. I began by meeting with a group of pastors to see if they felt a pregnancy center was needed in Clinton County and what PRC could offer by opening a second site with their support. They unanimously agreed to support Pregnancy Resource Clinic’s mission and vision to open a site in Lock Haven.”
Since 2018, PRC engaged with the community through public informational gatherings to share the mission and vision by holding fundraisers, speaking among civic groups (i.e., Kiwanis, Knights of Columbus, Catholic Daughters), applying for grants through the Clinton County Community Foundation, and participating in health fairs. In addition, the center has offered open houses and tours invited businesses to take part in underwriting events, and eventually partnered with local businesses to fund and renovate their new building in Lock Haven.
“After nearly six years of searching for the best property that met our needs to serve both area residents and Commonwealth University students, we believe the Lord provided us the perfect property to meet the needs of our friends and neighbors in Clinton County,” said Summers. “A generous donor family approached me in 2023 and offered to gift us the funds to purchase the building we were renting to alleviate the mission from having to pay rent in years to come. This financial gift to buy the property also enabled PRC to invest in much-needed upgrades and renovations, making the new building a comfortable, efficient space that provides crucial services to the community.”
While opening its second site in Lock Haven, PRC will continue to provide services in State College, located in its two adjacent office buildings located on Pugh Street. Operations at both sites are made possible due to the generosity of over 1,622 regular donors, 64 churches, and 80 businesses that support PRC through financial and volunteer support. As a Private Provider of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, PRC has saved our community over $1,120,000 in Direct and Indirect Medical Costs by providing STD testing, treatment, and education. Since all services are community-funded and free of charge to every client, supporting PRC is a win-win for the community.
The Lock Haven PRC will be managed by Jen Redmon, who will oversee the Lock Haven site’s day-to-day operations and will begin serving patients on April 14, 2025. When asked if there was anyone who deserved recognition for helping to make the Lock Haven PRC a reality, Summers responded, “I would like to give a special thanks to our donors, churches, and businesses who financially support and prayerfully encourage us in this good work. Also, our volunteers are remarkable people who are a joy to work alongside daily, enabling us to provide excellent patient service.”
PRC is an affiliate and member of Care Net, the National Institute for Life Advocates (NIFLA), and the Pennsylvania Pregnancy Wellness Collaborative (PPWC). All three organizations provide best practices, encouragement in our work, and accountability to ensure we provide excellent services to our patients.
The Lock Haven Pregnancy Resource Clinic grand opening will be held April 11th from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at 53 West Main St. Lock Haven. For more information about the PRC, feel free to find them on Instagram and Facebook or go to their website, http://www.scprc.com.
