Contributed EXTENDING HELP — A mother shops the Aim Women's Center Baby Boutique in search of new baby clothing for her infant son.

STEUBENVILLE — One Aim Women’s Center mother often found herself needing more diapers, wipes, clothing and baby items than her monthly allotment from the center could provide. Aim staff encouraged her to come to class, where she could learn, earn points and use those points to shop for additional items in the Baby Boutique.

But for this mother, getting to class was not simple.

She is the mother of four children and the guardian of one more. Without reliable transportation, coming to Aim often meant walking nearly a mile with five children. Even when she made every effort to attend, she often could not make it to class or had to leave early because of the demands of caring for so many little ones.

Now, through Aim’s new online class option, that same mother has already completed five lessons from her phone and is asking for more.

For Aim Women’s Center in Steubenville, that is exactly why the technology matters. It does not replace the value of in-person classes and relationships. It extends that support to mothers whose lives, work schedules, transportation challenges or child care responsibilities make regular attendance difficult.

Aim Women’s Center has upgraded two areas of technology to better serve its clients and the community. Thanks to increased donations from the public, Aim has strengthened its training curriculum and its scheduling and reporting capabilities. These systems now integrate with one another, allowing the center to better track client participation, progress and earned credits.

Aim Women’s Center offers women with unexpected pregnancies services such as pregnancy testing, sexually transmitted infection testing, ultrasounds, 3D and 4D ultrasounds for a modest charge and counseling. When a woman decides to parent, Aim provides support throughout her pregnancy and after the birth of her baby. During the infant’s first year, Aim offers free formula, diapers, wipes and clothing. Aim also operates a Baby Boutique, where mothers can shop for baby items and supplies beyond their monthly allotment using points they earn through education and training.

In this way, mothers are not simply receiving assistance. They are investing time in learning, earning points through their own effort and then using those points to provide for their children. The model gives women a greater sense of dignity, accomplishment and confidence as they prepare for motherhood.

Prior to adopting the new training technology, BrightCourse, the agency relied largely on in-person education. Those classes have been successful and remain an important part of Aim’s work. However, the addition of an online option has allowed even more mothers, especially working moms and those with transportation or child care challenges, to participate in education and earn points to use in the boutique.

Aim Executive Director Rebekah Cohen Morris said the goal is not to replace in-person support, but to expand access for moms whose lives are already full.

“Our in-person classes have been very successful, and we love seeing moms build relationships and community here at the center,” she said. “But having this online option has allowed even more moms, especially working moms, to participate in education and earn points to use in the boutique.”

BrightCourse is a video-based curriculum that helps pregnancy centers educate and support clients through topics such as prenatal care, parenting, relationships, life skills and more. Aim nurses can choose specific courses from the extensive catalog and send them directly to a client’s phone based on her individual needs. Because BrightCourse is delivered by smartphone, clients can complete lessons at home, on their own schedule, with no limit to the number of courses they can take.

“BrightCourse has opened the world to our clients in many ways,” Cohen Morris said. “They are participating in more education, learning more about themselves and how to care for their children and earning more credit to come to the boutique and shop. They feel empowered because they are working through learning to provide more for their children while also becoming better informed.”

Course titles include Eating for Two: Pregnancy Nutrition, BrightBaby: Stages of Pregnancy, Your Body & Birth, The Importance of Bonding, Teething Time and range to life topics such as financial literacy and maintaining a positive relationship with the baby’s father.

Aim has also adopted CoolFocus, a system that integrates with BrightCourse. CoolFocus brings fundraising, client management, scheduling, communications and online giving into one unified platform designed specifically for pregnancy centers. When a client completes a BrightCourse lesson, CoolFocus records the completion and assigns credit while supporting other administrative tasks that help Aim staff serve clients more effectively.

Cohen Morris said the increase in completed trainings and earned credits means the center now needs donations of new or gently used, in-season baby items and clothing more than ever.

“We are so blessed with community support,” she said. “This is an incredibly generous area. I know that all we have to do is let people know we have a need and they will show up to help support our clients and their families.”

To donate new or gently used, in-season baby items to Aim Women’s Center, call (740) 283-3636 to arrange a drop-off.