Life Chain brings message of life, family support to town

Rain threatened Sunday's annual Life Chain gathering in Bryson City, but the clouds held back as a small group lined the sidewalk carrying signs and watching passing motorists respond with honks and raised thumbs.For Melanie Garuffi of Life Choice Pregnancy Center of Western North Carolina, one of the most memorable moments did not come from someone participating in the event—it came from a visitor passing through town."A young man named Tyler, who was a tourist to Bryson City, stopped by and prayed with us," said Garuffi. "He told us he supported what we were doing because he was adopted. He said that his birth mother could have chosen abortion but chose to give him the gift of life."Approximately a dozen people participated Sunday, Oct. 4, with Life Choice Pregnancy Center, despite forecasts. Victory Baptist Church was also represented farther down the street, with approximately 10 additional participants.The annual Life Chain is a Christian anti-abortion observance traditionally held on the first Sunday in October. According to its stated mission, participants gather in public prayer and witness against abortion.Garuffi acknowledged Sunday's gathering was relatively small but said she believes support for the pregnancy center and its work is broader than the number of people standing along the roadway."It appears to be a small amount of support, but my experience has been that we have many supporters of Life Choice Pregnancy Center of Western North Carolina," she said. "We are working to create a culture of life in Swain County and Western North Carolina, which is the area we serve. Support appears to be growing."The center's anti-abortion position is only one part of its work, Garuffi said. The Christian nonprofit also provides practical assistance to pregnant women, mothers, fathers and families — sometimes for years after a child is born."We encourage mothers to give life to their babies, but don't expect them to 'go it alone,'" Garuffi said.Through its "Earn While You Learn" program, clients can participate in educational classes covering pregnancy, childbirth, parenting and life skills. In return for participating, families can receive items ranging from diapers, wipes and clothing to cribs, car seats, bassinets, playpens and toiletries.For clients facing greater financial hardship, Garuffi said assistance has gone much further. Depending on available funding and individual circumstances, the center has helped families purchase car tires, a stove, pots and pans, flooring, work clothing and other necessities. It has also helped with first and last month's rent and medical-related needs, including a humidifier for a child with asthma."We provide a 'hand-up' and not a 'hand-out,'" Garuffi said. "Our goal for each client is eventual independence so they won't have to rely on outside help."The center may continue working with families through pregnancy and into a child's early years."They become like family to us," she said.Garuffi said approximately 35 clients receive ongoing, one-on-one assistance each year across Swain, Graham and surrounding counties. The organization operates a satellite office in Robbinsville and also assists clients in Cherokee and Jackson counties.Hundreds more may receive one-time assistance through diaper distributions and other resource giveaways in some years, she said.Garuffi said the center has recently experienced an increase in clients, although she does not know what is driving the change.For many of those families, the problems are familiar: the rising cost of living, transportation expenses, addiction, difficulty finding affordable child care and, most significantly, housing."The largest gap is housing," Garuffi said. "It is, by far, our greatest need and concern."That shortage has helped shape what Garuffi hopes will become the center's next major undertaking — a maternity home where pregnant women facing housing insecurity could live safely through pregnancy and for as long as a year after giving birth.Her vision includes job training and on-site support from older women who could assist with babies while mothers work toward financial stability without sacrificing time needed to bond with their children."This is the next move of our pregnancy center," Garuffi said. "It will need a great deal of funding from people who want to see change in our community. Good change starts in building a strong foundation for new families."She said the need for that kind of support is illustrated by families the center has already served.Garuffi recalled a young, unmarried woman who contacted the pregnancy center through Facebook while pregnant with her third child. Her grandmother was already caring for her two children, including one with special needs, and the woman told Garuffi she believed abortion was her only option.Although childcare vouchers were available, Garuffi said the woman still faced a 10% cost for all three children.Garuffi offered to cover that portion of the childcare expense and enroll the woman in the center's educational program while helping her obtain other resources."I asked her if she would keep her baby if we could help her in this way," Garuffi said. "She said yes."The center later helped the woman with housing and other needs, Garuffi said. She is now attending school in preparation for a career, and the child recently turned 2.Stories like that, Garuffi said, are why she pushes back against the perception that anti-abortion pregnancy centers are concerned only with babies before birth."Our hearts are full for each child, born and unborn," she said.The center provides children's clothing from infant sizes through approximately size 12, along with maternity clothing and other family necessities.Its services are also open to fathers.For someone experiencing an unexpected pregnancy without financial, emotional or family support, Garuffi said the message is simple."We want her to know that she can come to us for safe, non-judgmental support," she said. "We want her to know that we care."The organization also maintains a resource list and refers clients to other agencies for services it cannot provide directly.Garuffi said local churches, volunteers and donors remain essential to the nonprofit's work, but the organization needs more of each as the number of clients grows."Our staff and volunteers are essential to our existence," she said. "Their love for the clients and the pro-life cause of life for all are the backbone of our organization."She said volunteers can receive free training, including training to work directly with clients.Garuffi also recognizes that not everyone in the community shares the center's position on abortion. She said the organization has nevertheless found common ground with people who disagree with that position but support its efforts to strengthen families."We have had people who disagree with our stand on abortion come to agreement with our pro-family stand," she said.Life Choice Pregnancy Center is a Christian ministry, but Garuffi said receiving assistance does not depend on sharing its faith."The most important thing to know is that our doors are open to anyone needing our services, regardless of faith or background," she said. "We are committed to caring, confidential support during pregnancy and parenting. We are also committed to improving the quality of life for young families in Swain County."As Sunday's Life Chain ended and participants lowered their signs, Garuffi said she hoped the gathering would amount to more than a single afternoon along a Bryson City roadway."I hope they will have a sense of shared mission, community, and a continuing perseverance to defend the cause of life," she said.And, she added, perhaps a larger line will form next October."I hope the takeaway will be that we must bring more people to join us next year."The Robbinsville Center is located at 300 5 Point Road, Robbinsville and is open on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Appointments may be made by calling 828-623-8884.

Life Chain brings message of life, family support to town

Contact Us