Catobia Avery rolls her wheelchair into Women's Hope Medical Clinic feeling anxious, eager and looking for answers. The scent of fresh chocolate chip cookies and the calming sound of gospel music fill the air.
Could she really be pregnant? A little pink plus sign appears on the test.
Positive.
She notices the image of baby Jesus on the wall and finds strength in her heart to handle another baby.
Avery found the support she needed in Women's Hope Medical Clinic of Auburn.
Women's Hope is a non-profit clinic that provides tests for pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, as well as parenting education, adoption education and abortion alternatives and recovery support.
All staff members are certified nurses. Nursing students can work with clients, but they must be supervised by a nurse practitioner.
Funding for the clinic comes primarily from fundraisers such as the annual banquet and the Walk for Life. Last year, the banquet brought in up to $120,000, and the Walk for Life raised $65,000.
Individual donations, "Choose Life" bumper stickers, grants and various church donations account for 10 percent of the money running Women's Hope.
Women's Hope does not discriminate against any type of client, including men.
"We see anybody and everybody," said Bethany Kirby, publicity and events coordinator. "We actually see a lot more men for STD tests than most people would imagine."
Kirby said most of the women that come in are minority residents of Auburn or Opelika.
"These are two different groups of people with two different motives for choosing Women's Hope," said Rhonda Gottfried, client services director. "The minority, low-income Auburn resident typically comes to us because they need free testing and classes or help with baby items. The Auburn student comes to us for the confidentiality aspect."
There is a religious influence at Women's Hope that all of the staff members and volunteers share.
"We take each opportunity to educate people of our faith, and we love sharing what Jesus has done in our lives through counseling," Kirby said.
Each appointment involves pre-testing counseling and post-testing counseling, which is when the staff members speak with clients about their spiritual and social life.
"I loved that they asked me about my faith," Avery said. "Jesus needs to be a part of every second of my baby's life."
Although there is religious discussion at the pre-testing counseling, the staff of Women's Hope will respect a client's wishes if he or she chooses not to talk about their faith.
"If a client does not want to talk or hear about faith we do not push the discussion," Gottfried said. "We just move right along to the testing. At least we're serving them somehow."
In addition to free testing, Women's Hope provides resource options if parents cannot afford to take care of their baby properly. For example, clients can earn "caring cash," which resembles Monopoly money, and cash these dollars in for baby food, clothes, diapers or other necessities.
Avery found this very helpful in her third pregnancy, but the Women's Hope staff and support were most helpful, she said.
"The people of Women's Hope never once shunned me or made me feel guilty for being an unwed mother," Avery said.
"Women's Hope is a wonderful environment. I am so comfortable here, and they have helped me out so much and been by my side every step of the way."
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