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 Headline News:
An inmate gives birth in a county prison.
Media hype follows.
Officials deal with spin control.
Headline News:
An inmate has a taxpayer-funded abortion while doing time in a county prison.
Media hype follows.
Officials deal with spin control.
An inmate decides against abortion,
has healthy baby in hospital.
No headlines or media hype.
No spin.
In fact, most people are unaware.
Barb Giordano was aware.
She was right in the middle of it, thank God.
As a counselor with the Catholic Social Services’ (C.S.S.) FirstSteps program in Wilkes-Barre, Barb sees a lot of pregnant women and touches a lot of lives. You probably won’t read about her in the paper or see her in the news.
No hype. Just quietly spreading God’s love.
She prefers it that way.
But somebody noticed.
Real Alternatives, the state’s leading crisis pregnancy service provider, honored Barb this past year as “Counselor of the Year” for the state of Pennsylvania, among hundreds of eligible applicants. Remarkably, fellow counselor Julie Burke, who works out of the C.S.S. Hazleton office, was also selected to share the honor among an elite group of nominees.
Barb and Julie were presented plaques by Real Alternatives President and CEO Kevin Bagatta for their outstanding work with pregnant women and mothers in our local community. C.S.S. Executive Director Msg. Thomas Kelly was on hand with Program Supervisor Denise Rowinski at the 12th Annual Service Providers Banquet in Hershey to proudly witness the special event.
Although the plaques were a nice recognition, both Barb and Julie would tell you their greatest reward was seeing abortion-minded women give birth to two healthy babies. Their work with these women, however, didn’t end with the births. One of the key features of the FirstSteps program is it allows counselors to work with the women and families throughout the first year and beyond in providing vital support services such as housing, education, job training, pantry items, and weekly counseling.
Here are excerpts from the beautiful testimonies the hundreds in attendance heard that special night:
“Sherri was referred to our program by the prison’s chaplain,” said Barb. “She was in her first trimester of pregnancy and wanted an abortion. When she first spoke with me, she not only wanted an abortion but insisted the prison pay for it. She was firm with her decision and had her mind made up.”
Barb had her mind made up, too.
She did not want Sherri to make such an important life-changing decision based on fear, lack of knowledge and support.
“I contacted her mother and I found out she did not want her to have an abortion either. With her mother’s help, Sherri began to think about the possibilities of keeping the child, but there were many unanswered questions, challenges and fears,” said Barb. “She wondered if she would have the baby in prison. Would Children and Youth take the baby from her? Where would she and the baby live after she was released? How would she support the child? Would she be able to still fulfill her dream of going to college?”
Barb, whose husband Guy also works with expectant fathers in the Luzerne County prison, worked weekly with Sherri and said the turning point came with the help of some technology.
“When Sherri went for her ultrasound and saw the living baby inside of her and felt the baby move and kick, it was the biggest turning point in making up her mind.”
Barb used that opportunity to discuss fetal development and long term support available. Over time, Sherri began to talk about different names to consider for the baby instead of having an abortion.
Sherri was still worried about where she would have her baby and what would happen after.
Barb was able to accompany her to her probation hearing, emphasizing the services that can be provided through the FirstSteps program as well as other community resources. Sherri was able to be released a few weeks before she gave birth. The new mother and child were able to find temporary housing at a family shelter program through the Salvation Army, and through her volunteer work, she was able to establish a stable work history. Sherri was able to keep her child and credits Barb and the FirstSteps program with “saving her life and the life of her precious son” as well as helping her believe the future can be much brighter for them both.
Julie’s testimony, which was included in the event’s program as well as read out loud, also touched the hearts of hundreds in attendance.
The young woman she elped during a crisis pregnancy found out she was pregnant with her fourth child and was living with her elderly grandparents with her other three children: ages one, three, and five years old. “She was unemployed, felt overwhelmed, and strongly considered having an abortion,” said Julie. After working with Julie, the mother became aware of various services and resources that wereavailable for her and her child even long after the baby was born.
She decided to keep the child.
With the help of Julie, the mother was able
to find resources, including subsidized child care, which enabled her to go back to school and eventually find a job after she gained her Certified Nursing Assistance license. She later took an exam to be accepted into an LPN program and was one of a few candidates accepted into the program- exciting news she first shared with Julie, who she developed a close relationship with.
These are just two local stories that made a huge impact on two families’ lives.
No headlines.
No media hype.
Just love and life.
And a couple of “little” rewards these four women will share forever in a journey that started out with a few first steps.
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