Hudson center serving women and children first

Hudson center serving women and children first

Today, the ALIGHT Pregnancy Center provides free education, counseling and support to women who find themselves in a "crisis pregnancy" and who are considering abortion.

The center's new director, Donna Ferlazzo, is dedicated to seeing that women are as informed as possible so they can make the right decisions for themselves and their families.

Abortion alternative

She explained that when a woman comes to their facility, she is often overwhelmed about her situation. Sometimes, she is an adolescent or young adult that still lives with her parents. She may already have had one or more abortions. She is often poor and cannot afford health care for herself or her baby.

The purpose of ALIGHT is to help the expectant mother see her pregnancy as more than an inconvenience or a problem.

Ministry

A volunteer with ALIGHT since its inception, she has always had a deep concern for the unborn. "For me, it has always been a ministry," she said. "The little babies that have no voice mean so much to me."

A woman comes to ALIGHT "because she is scared, because she has questions, or because, deep inside, she doesn't want to have an abortion," Mrs. Ferlazzo said. The staff of volunteers works hard to give her as much information and support as they can.

"Her situation won't change just because she has come to us," the director continued. "Her boyfriend or husband doesn't become more trustworthy; her parents don't become more accepting; she doesn't win the lottery and lose her fear of poverty. When a woman comes to us, the only thing that changes is her heart and how she feels about her baby."

Options

If the mother chooses adoption, the center can refer her to attorneys through regional and local adoption agencies.

"Our main purpose is to support the woman so she knows what her options are, other than abortion, so she can make the right decision for herself," she said. "When they come through our doors, there are two golden opportunities. If they choose to keep their baby and parent their child, they have a friend for life. If they choose not to keep their baby, they have made someone else's dream come true through the process of adoption."

Other services provided by the center include counseling, a telephone hotline, free pregnancy testing, physician referrals, housing and employment information, and clothing assistance for mother and baby.

Soul food

"We ask them, 'Have you asked God what to do?' when they are trying to figure out what option is best for them," she said, noting that all staff and board members are committed Christians. "We believe that abortion contributes to our world's devaluation of human life and the vocation of motherhood. We do not refer for abortions.

"Basically, ALIGHT is a Christian ministry dedicated to the spiritual, physical and emotional needs of men and women facing unintended pregnancies."

(Editor's note: Donna Ferlazzo can be contacted at 822-9008. The Center is located at 454 Warren St. in Hudson.)

(06-20-02) [[In-content Ad]]