A young, professional woman missed a period. 

Only another woman can understand that feeling, a thrill of joy or chill of fear. No matter the age, stage, or station of life, a woman’s realization that she is pregnant can be stunning. 

The young woman was unmarried and the thought of confessing her situation to her family was unbearable. Manic conversations began to circulate in her head. The “what ifs…?” and “what nows…?” drowning out the voice of hope and possibility. 

Fortunately, she had an older and wiser friend that took her hand and gently counseled her through the initial uncertain days of her pregnancy. The 11^th century proverb, “A friend in need is a friend indeed,” was fulfilled tangibly, easing the young woman’s anxiety.

This proverb is the mission of the Alpha Women’s Resource Center (AWRC) in Jackson, Alabama.  The AWRC and other centers like it in Alabama and across the nation are committed to serving women and their families who are facing unplanned pregnancies and related issues.