The next six recipients of Heartbeat International’s life-saving pregnancy help start-up grant have been announced.
Six new pregnancy help centers throughout the U.S. will receive $30,000 in services, resources and funding to augment their life-saving mission through Heartbeat’s Life Launch program.
Sara Littlefield, Heartbeat’s Life Launch Grant Specialist, welcomed the six newest recipients and praised their work, which, through the grant, will be even more effectual in saving lives.
"We have the privilege of coming alongside our Life Launch centers, each driven by hearts of faith and hope,” Littlefield said.
“Life Launch Grant recipients have responded to a call for help within their unique communities with a resounding and hopeful "YES!" Littlefield told Pregnancy Help News, “and through the Life Launch Grant Program, they are receiving training and partaking in resources that will help to launch their ministries further, faster."
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The Life Launch Grant is aimed at supporting new pregnancy help center start-ups to open their doors, focusing on pregnancy help in under-served communities. Centers can be either brick and mortar or mobile. Existing pregnancy help centers planning to open a new satellite site, or pregnancy help centers that have been open less than six months prior to grant application may be also eligible.
The Life Launch Grant provides:
- $10,000 in Heartbeat International training resources and services
- $15,000 in funds granted once $30,000 is raised by the center within the first year
- $5,000 in funds after one year of operation and completed legal review
In addition to the training offered by Heartbeat experts, Life Launch recipients have access to resources such as Heartbeat International’s Pregnancy Help Starter Kit, fundraising webinars, and two years’ worth of web services.
A few among these six latest Life Launch pregnancy centers have recently begun serving the community in support of life, while others are just about to open their doors for the first time. 
The newest Life Launch Grant recipients are:
- Moreno Valley Women's Health Center in Moreno Valley, CA
- Ohana Pregnancy Center of East Hawaii in Hilo, HI
- Hope's Place Pregnancy Support Center in Goodland, KS
- Life Options Green Hills in Trenton, MO
- Alpha Life Pregnancy Center in Raeford, NC
- Life Choices of Roane County in Rockwood, TN
The centers were extremely grateful for being awarded the grant.
“The Life Launch Grant is such a great blessing to us,” said Mike Brady, of Moreno Valley Women's Health Center. “It will help us get on the right footing with so many resources like the Pregnancy Help Starter Kit with sample policies and procedures.”
“Getting the grant encouraged us in this time when we need to have a lot of perseverance to start a new center,” Brady told Pregnancy Help News. “We live in an under-served area of over 200,000 people and there was no pro-life center in the city. The grant, and God's help, will make the difference between success and failure.”
Hope’s Place Executive Director Donna Swager said the center is honored and grateful to have been chosen to receive the Life Launch Grant.
“This grant has lifted a huge weight off the shoulders of our steering committee and new board,” Swager said. “As a fledgling start up, we really needed the guidance and wisdom of many years of experience in order to see our direction forward.”
“Heartbeat has given us not only a clear direction, but all of the steps necessary to accomplish our goals,” she continued. “We are so grateful and empowered by the generosity of Heartbeat and the expertise this grant has shared with us.”
“Changing the world, it's a daunting task,” added Swager, “but with Heartbeat guiding the way we are able to go forward boldly and proclaim life with Jesus Christ as our light.”
Tweet This: Changing the world, it's a daunting task, but with Heartbeat .. we're able to go forward boldly & proclaim life w/Jesus Christ as our light
Life Options Green Hills Executive Director Rachael Brothers said the grant was an example of how God's provisions have been abundant and surprising.
“The savings in services being given to Life Options and the $15K cash donation is closing the gap we have in our 2020 annual budget,” said Brothers. “Hallelujah!”
“The more I meet our community partners the more I realize the urgency in providing hands-on compassionate care that a pregnancy help center gives,” she said. “This grant has lifted financial start-up obligations to allow us to focus on a few build-outs needed for the ultrasound room, the lab area, privacy in our waiting room and a private area for our receptionist to greet clients. Thank you!”
Kathleen Cherry, Executive Director of Life Choices of Roane County, provided a statement on behalf of the entire Life Choices team.
“What a blessing to be chosen as a Life Launch Grant recipient!” it said. “The Life Choices of Roane County team is overwhelmed with gratitude for the opportunities this grant affords us.”
“This grant not only provides funds to help Life Choices of Roane County with start-up costs, but also provides essential resources that will be used to establish a solid foundation for sustainability,” it continued. “We realize there are many facets to operating a pregnancy resource center, and many obstacles in both the physical and spiritual realm. To know that people with valuable experience are available to answer questions, provide guidance, pray for us and cheer us on as we seek to open our doors is both humbling and exciting!”
Alpha Life Pregnancy Center Chairwoman Danita Cummins told Pregnancy Help News that being a recipient of the Heartbeat International Life Launch Grant will provide the center with a solid foundation to provide critical resources to North Carolina families as they navigate a pregnancy decision. Alpha Life's parenting programs, adoption referral, post-abortion support and miscarriage counseling will provide a holistic approach to issues surrounding pregnancy, she said.
"The Alpha Life Pregnancy Center team is excited to be a recipient of this grant," said Cummins. "We deeply appreciate the care, encouragement, prayers and support we've received thus far from the Heartbeat International team."
Cummins added that,"As a new pregnancy resource center we are experiencing growth pains and believe this grant will give our volunteers and board of directors exceptional education and practical resources to help families in Raeford, NC grow and thrive."
Heartbeat International President Jor-El Godsey expressed gratitude in return for the Life Launch Grant recipients and their life-saving ministry.
“These brand-new pregnancy help centers are striving to provide life-saving services in under-served communities throughout the U.S.,” he said. “We are excited to catalyze these efforts to support women, children and families with compassion and grace, thanks to our generous donors.”
Begun in September 2018, the Life Launch Grant had previously been awarded to six pregnancy help centers so far.
The inaugural grantee centers were the Juneau Pregnancy Resource Center; the Pregnancy Help Center of Galveston (Galveston, Texas); The Unexpected Pregnancy Center (New Iberia, Louisiana); North East Kingdom Pregnancy Care Services (Lyndonville, Vermont); The Beloved Community Coalition (Harvey, IL); and Pregnancy Choices Center (Stafford, Texas).
The Life Launch Grant team anticipates integrating six more grantees into the program over the next year.
To be considered for the Life Launch Grant, hopeful pregnancy centers first must take an online assessment to see whether they qualify to apply. Individuals interested in taking the assessment can do so at any time.
For more information, contact Sara Littlefield at
Editor's note: This report has been updated to include comment from the Alpha Life Pregnancy Center.
