To the Editor,
My name is Rachel Geffers and I am the co-director at the Crisis Pregnancy Center of Northfield and also a St. Olaf alumna. I am writing today to share with you who we are and what we do.
Because we care about women, we respect a woman’s right to choose and to be fully informed of all of her options. Many women in a crisis pregnancy situation feel pressured to make a quick decision based in fear, and our job is to encourage each woman to take the time to make a thoughtful decision based in research and facts and to offer them nonjudgmental support as they work through their choices. We believe that women need to be empowered to make their own decisions and that they should have resources and support available regardless of their decisions.
Our center offers a variety of services, including free pregnancy tests and options counseling. During this process, our professionally trained counselors educate our clients using medically accurate and up-to-date information from resources like the CDC that share the facts about all of their options. We also offer limited obstetrical ultrasound, as defined by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, performed by a trained, registered nurse and overseen by a medical doctor who specializes in perinatal medicine.
We also offer many “post-crisis” services. We have an “Earn While You Learn” program, where clients can come in for customized parenting education and receive material items. Our new Stepping Stones program is a one-on-one mentoring program, where a client receives individualized support in achieving goals, continuing education and creating a career path for success. We also offer a safe environment for a highly-attended abortion healing group. Many women who have chosen abortion in the past are coming forward with strong voices looking for the option to talk with others who have chosen the same.
We understand that many students do not really understand who we are or what we do. Our desire is to make those things as transparent as possible. We openly welcome students to visit at any time. We will give tours, show you the literature we use and openly answer any question you may have for us. If you are interested, call our center at 507-645-7638, text us at 507-301-6333 or email help@cpcnorthfield.org. You can also check out our website at www.cpcnorthfield.org.
