Heartbeat International is reaching out to affiliated pregnancy help organizations in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene to check in on them, offer support and prayers, and facilitate connection and assistance among them.
Hurricane Helene hit the Big Bend region of Florida on September 26 before moving inland, impacting Georgia, the Carolinas, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.
The storm’s destruction has been catastrophic in certain areas with numerous accounts of devastation shared on social media and the full extent still unknown. As of press time Oct. 3 the death toll was over 200, with hundreds more still missing or unaccounted for, damage estimates into the billions, and many people still without food, water, and power.
Despite the high winds, torrential rain, and raging flood waters from the hurricane, many Heartbeat affiliates—pregnancy centers and maternity homes—have still been able to provide full services for those in need.
Heartbeat International is the largest network of pregnancy help organizations – pregnancy centers and medical clinics, maternity homes, and non-profit adoption agencies – in the U.S. and the world. With over 3,500 affiliates worldwide, Heartbeat has more than 2,100 affiliated pregnancy help locations in the U.S.
Efforts to connect with centers that may have been directly impacted by Hurricane Helen are ongoing.
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As of Thursday, afternoon, October 3, Heartbeat was aware of two pregnancy help organizations had sustained losses, including property damage and loss of income.
Piedmont Women's Center in South Carolina experienced damage when a tree hit their facility, and Sira in Gainesville, Fla., has a large part of the roof damaged.
Additionally, Heartbeat was seeing power outages and conditions affecting different areas of North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee where affiliates are located. At least one center has canceled its fundraising banquet event.
Heartbeat inquired with pregnancy help organizations in the affected areas with a request for information any centers may have on other organizations that have yet to check in.
Information on any pregnancy help organizations affected by Hurricane Helene and in need of assistance can be referred via
Option Line, Heartbeat International's 24/7 contact center is continually available to connect people in need with pregnancy help at OptionLine.org for live chat and 1-800-712-4357 for calls or text.
As expected with any natural disaster, fundraising becomes difficult amidst the crisis. Heartbeat has a special fund called HALO—Helping Affiliated Life-affirming Organizations—through which donations can be made to provide encouragement and financial assistance to centers and maternity homes affected by the hurricane.
Heartbeat helps in delivering contributions made through the HALO fund so that pregnancy help organizations can keep their doors open and continue to serve women and families in need in various unplanned conditions created by the tragic storm.
Tweet This: Heartbeat has a fund where you can donate to provide financial assistance to centers and maternity homes affected by Hurricane Helene.
The pregnancy help network stood ready to aid and prayer as the rescue and recovery from Hurricane Helene continued to unfold.
Heartbeat International asked for prayers as well as efforts continued to stay updated and offer support, concluding its inquiry message with Psalm 18:2:
"The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."
Editor’s note: The impact of Hurricane Helene on pregnancy help in the United States is a developing story. Watch for updates from Pregnancy Help News and Heartbeat International. Heartbeat International manages Pregnancy Help News.
