A pregnancy help organization based in Oregon is continuing its work while celebrating 25 years of life-affirming services for mothers in need.
Road 2 Hope Maternity Homes has served pregnant women for a quarter of a century, offering programs that help them not only choose life during unexpected pregnancies but also teaches them how to manage various aspects of life, from childrearing to relationships to work.
“Looking back at the thousands of lives, over 25 years, that may not be alive today if it weren’t for their time at this ministry is something to be very thankful for,” Road 2 Hope President and CEO Leona Bicknese told Pregnancy Help News. “We know there are hundreds of babies that were at great risk, and many of the pregnant women have said, ‘I wouldn’t be alive today if it wasn’t for you guys.’”
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Bicknese explained that the ministry first opened in 1999 and, during its first “167 days of service,” two clients were served through its programs. Today, she said, “the numbers have continued to grow.” The organization, which seeks to “offer an alternative to abortion by providing housing, help, and hope to pregnant women and their children,” is motivated by the belief that defending the unborn must begin with “care and advocacy for their mothers.”
“Road 2 Hope has an established history of skillfully blending biblical counseling principles with trauma-informed care in such a way that it has irreversibly changed the lives of 1,000 moms [and] their children, which proves their commitment to care and competency,” Heartbeat International’s Director of the Maternity Housing Coalition Valerie Harkins told Pregnancy Help News.
As detailed by Bicknese in an email exchange, Road 2 Hope operates on an “in it for life” basis, intending to “glorify God” and “love others” while it “serve[s] for the long haul.” She added that the ministry works to serve “with a biblical worldview” so that it can rely on God and respond to His call to serve others.
“There are things that we can do and perspectives we must have on the personal, relational, and organizational levels,” Bicknese explained. “I call this the P.R.O. framework. This becomes P.R.O.L.I.F.E. when we love well, ignite hope, fight the good fight (the spiritual battle), and equip with truth.”
Road 2 Hope offers a variety of services, including life skills training, personal goal setting and achievement, reuniting families in collaboration with the state’s Department of Human Services and adoption help. Notably, Road 2 Hope offers housing programs for women and babies in need of shelter.
The first part of this program, called Hope House, welcomes women to stay “for up to a year after the birth of their baby.” Following this time, Bicknese explained, “those who would benefit from extended residential support may apply for HopeForward House or HopeForward Annex where they may stay for up to two additional years.”
The time spent living at Road 2 Hope homes provides an opportunity for “mothers to continue to work on their goals,” whatever they may be, to be able to take care of their children on their own. Some opportunities available for women during their stay include finishing education, saving money, finding jobs, learning life skills, and growing in their relationships with God.
Bicknese added that “non-residential aftercare clients” may also benefit from the same programs and that women can “be a part of the Road 2 Hope family as long as they choose to be.”
“We like to count our clients by heartbeats,” Bicknese said about the work conducted by the ministry. “Right this minute, we are serving 21 heartbeats at Road 2 Hope through residential services. In addition, we served 153 families through Hope Line—this was over 300 heartbeats—and 53 families, well over 100 heartbeats, through HopeForward Aftercare.”
Tweet This: We like to count our clients by heartbeats. Right this minute, we are serving 21 heartbeats at Road 2 Hope through residential services.
Looking ahead, Bicknese told Pregnancy Help News that the ministry “work[s] to be responsive to the needs of the clients we serve.” This motivation, she said, has led to the development of services beyond the housing programs, such as “an in-house addictions program” and “family reunification program.”
The ministry is currently in the process of “converting a garage into a classroom and meeting room” while also “exploring other opportunities to grow.” Even now, Road 2 Hope is “continually operating at capacity with a waiting list.” The organization “doubled in size” in 2023.
To accommodate the continuing growth, Road 2 Hope is “focused on strengthening our infrastructure” and “prepare organizationally” to be able to serve more women in need. Additionally, the ministry is working towards establishing paid positions for a deputy director and a development director.
More details about Road 2 Hope Maternity Homes and its services can be found here.
Editor's note: Heartbeat International manages Pregnancy Help News.
