Angelcare House ready to help women in crisis pregnancies

Young women facing a crisis pregnancy needed help.

Rita Norwood felt it in her soul. The Greenwood resident had worked throughout her life as a nurse, nursing instructor, counselor and leader of women’s ministries. In those roles, she had seen young, unwed mothers become pregnant and suddenly find themselves with no support from friends and family.

“This vacuum creates a breeding ground for all kinds of social problems, such as poverty, abuse, neglect and substance abuse,” Norwood said in a statement before her death in 2016.

The community needed a place where they could be supported and thrive. After years of hard work and fundraising, Norwood’s vision has become a reality in the Angelcare House.

The Trafalgar-based facility offers a place where mothers facing a crisis pregnancy can be housed, get counseling, continue their education and learn meaningful life and parenting skills. The community is invited to a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house at 3 p.m. Sunday to celebrate the facility’s grand opening.

Though Norwood is not alive to see the finished house, the complex is a continuation of the legacy she laid down, said Yadi Garcia, Angelcare president.

“We’re just grateful to God that he brought us through it, that he didn’t give up on us and to see his faithfulness,” she said. “When others were ready to give up on us, and some did, God didn’t. He was with us through it all.”

Angelcare organizers have tried to create a hub for women in crisis pregnancy, bringing together a wide range of services under one roof. The 9,000-square-foot home features four dorm rooms, each one able to accommodate three young women. The rooms have their own bathrooms and ample closet space.

In the basement, residents of the home will take classes, work with counselors and just relax. Two separate apartments, with their own entrances, will house the “housemothers,” paid Angelcare employees who will watch over residents and provide assistance if they need it.

Downstairs, a fully equipped kitchen, with refrigerators, microwaves, ovens and other appliances, opens up to a spacious gathering area that will serve as a “community room.”

“This is the completion of a dream. I knew Rita (Norwood) fairly well, and it’s so unfortunate that she’s not here to see it all to fruition. But God bless Yadi and the rest of the team for carrying that dream forward,” said Mahota Williams, a registered nurse who has been hired as house mother for the house. “To see this come to completion and change lives the way it was intended to is amazing.”

Residents are referred to Angelcare by social service agencies, hospitals, churches, schools and other partners. Once established in the house, social workers will provide counseling for residents who need it. Women will take parenting classes, and receive prenatal care in addition to post-partum care. They also learn life skills such as loading a dishwasher and doing laundry.

“In a world where Roe v. Wade has been overturned, our services, our ministry is that much more needed. It it that much more important, because we serve the most vulnerable age group,” Garcia said.

Norwood started working on Angelcare in 2000, providing support and services for young pregnant women. The ultimate goal was a large group home that would provide stability, necessities, health needs and a nurturing home, which would be free of charge for young women facing a crisis pregnancy.

Norwood shared her vision throughout the community, finding supporters in area health care organizations, churches and other groups. To learn the best approach to setting up the home, she visited similar group homes for pregnant teens in Marion County; Springfield, Illinois; Columbus, Ohio and various cities in Texas.

Angelcare purchased a property in Trafalgar, and designed a facility that could accommodate up to 12 young women, as well as two live-in housemothers. Numerous fundraisers, donation drives and pledged support from community partners helped Angelcare raise money for the home without incurring any debt.

In creating the house, Angelcare has had a small army of supporters. Just in the past six months, churches such as Grace Assembly of God in New Whiteland and The Crossing in Nineveh held work days to help finish aspects of the house.

Transformation Salon and Spa in Indianapolis donated funding for the furniture in the house. Monica Hobbs with Monat Global donated $35,000 towards furniture and other touches.

A Leadership Johnson County group focused its community service project on helping the organization purchase and install light fixtures, bathroom fixtures and donated a garage door opener, among other work. One of the group members, Christina Paris and her husband Brandon donated material for the driveway through their business, Backhoe Worx.

“Our group very quickly felt that passion for getting this organization up and running, because there is such a huge need for it in Johnson County,” said group member Elizabeth Wetherholt in January. “They are pretty close to being finished with the house, and they’re on their last-minute list of getting things checked off.”

Indiana Right for Life has been supporting Angelcare with resources such as helping financially and resources, in addition to mentorship.

“Yadi and her team know specifically how to work with these teenage girls,” said Mary Williams, director of advancement for Indiana Right for Life. “The focus they’ve been giving to these teenagers is very much needed.”

One of the greatest challenges for Angelcare organizers was learning that state regulations required the home have an elevator. Faced with a $60,000 unexpected expense, construction came to a halt until Grace Assembly of God stepped forward to do a fundraising campaign to cover the cost of the elevator.

Even as the house was slowly coming together, Angelcare was reaching out to young women in crisis pregnancies. They partnered with Indy Birth Services to offer doula care off-site. Young women could learn about pregnancy and childbirth, receive help with lactation and more.

The organization has also opened up assistance and mentoring to young men to prepare them to be fathers.

“Being able to help these young women was exciting. We were able to put into practice the mission of the ministry outside of these four walls, because Angelcare is more than just a house, it’s a ministry,” Garcia said. “It was exciting to be able to serve these young women and provide services for them where they were at when they needed it.”

Some aspects of the house are still under work, including finishing parts of the basement. But, finally, Angelcare is ready for the community to come see what their support has created.

“I’m grateful for God, grateful for my team, and grateful for the supporters who stood by us,” Garcia said.

IF YOU GO

Angelcare House ribbon cutting and open house

What: An opportunity to the new Angelcare House, a facility which will provide housing and support services for young unwed mothers. Visitors can tour the house, enjoy refreshments, ask questions and see opportunities to help.

When: 3 p.m. Sunday; ribbon cutting at 3:30 p.m.

Where: 289 S. Pleasant St., Trafalgar.

How to help: Those interested in supporting the ministry can find more information at www.angelcareinc.org