MAKING A DIFFERENCE — News additions are coming to the AIM Women’s Center, located at 248 N. Fifth St. in Steubenville. Rebekah Cohen Morris took over as the nonprofit’s executive director in October. She, her husband and two daughters moved to Steubenville from Georgia after searching the country for a city which encompasses a strong value in faith. The center will be starting the abortion pill reversal and preparing to open a maternity home once a property is located which meets the center’s needs. -- Julie Stenger

However, during the COVID pandemic, the couple gave serious thought to moving from their newly-remodeled Georgia home, as there wasn’t a Catholic community nearby.

They searched Texas, Maryland and even Steubenville for a place they could call “home.”

“We put faith first, then our children and then our careers last,” she stated. Following a visit to Franciscan University of Steubenville in 2021, they decided to keep the Ohio city in the forefront of their minds.

Approximately two years later, they sold their home, left their friends and families who lived in close proximity, and moved to Dean Martin’s hometown.

CLUB GIVES TO MOTHERS — The Women’s Club of Steubenville held its June meeting at the AIM Women’s Center, where a baby shower was held for six expecting mothers. The club purchased several items for the upcoming little ones, including car seats, bassinets, strollers, clothes, blankets, bottles, formula and diapers. Some of the mothers-to-be had the opportunity to meet the women in the club during the shower and thanked them for their generosity. Club members included from left, front, Eleanore Welday and Parliamentarian Barbara Sweeney; and back, Treasurer Cookie West, Lorena Mercer, Kimberly Hahn, Saundra Palmer, Program Director Charlotte Christian, President Dr. Susanne Curn-Escobar, Iris Craig, Linda Wells, Judy Brancazio and Communications Chair Marge Bedortha. -- Julie Stenger

Morris said the people here come from all walks of life. The couple wanted their children to experience growing up in that type of environment. People have struggles, there has been a loss of industry. And still, people here are a community, she exclaimed. “It isn’t just a small, Catholic bubble,” she added.

“There is so much beauty here in Steubenville, but sometimes, if you don’t have the ability to fix up the house, the house just crumbles,” she stated. “So, we are very much wanting to be a part of rebuilding Steubenville in everything we are doing. Whether it is the house we buy, the places we work, the schools we send our kids to. We want to be a part of strengthening the community. And not just the Catholic community, but the entire community.”

Morris was serving on the AIM Women’s Center’s board when it’s newly-appointed executive director stepped down just three weeks after beginning the job.

Morris wasn’t sure why, but she knew this was the role for her to take on. She had been given the sign she was waiting for.

But a mere $5,000 remained in the general spending account and the center would have had to close its doors within two months if it continued on in that direction. She says through God’s grace, donations came in and two nurses and two ultrasound technicians were added to the staff, which had consisted of two, one being an intern.

BABY SHOPPING — Rebekah Cohen Morris became the executive director of the AIM Women’s Shelter in October. The center houses a small shopping space filled with various baby merchandise which the women at the center can purchase for their baby. Purchases can be bought with points acquired through a point program. Expecting mothers earn points by attending classes and other activities during and after pregnancy. -- Julie Stenger

Morris said AIM has clients living in apartment complexes or isolated situations.

“Part of my desire is to make this a very welcoming place where we help people see they have assets — even if they are in a desperate, unplanned pregnancy — they still have something to give, even when they don’t feel like they do.”

But first, AIM needs to meet the immediate crisis, which for most women is: “I’m pregnant. I wasn’t planning on this.” Or “I’m pregnant because I was raped.” Or “I’m pregnant because my birth control didn’t work.” Or “I thought I wanted to have a baby but my partner left me.”

“Before you can feel strong enough to be an asset, you have to address the immediate crisis,” Morris noted. “We are here to help them walk through that crisis.”

The center has a lay counselor who will talk with a woman who has no one, going to appointments and ultrasounds with them.

“We talk with them and find out the reasons why they think they can go through or can’t go through with the pregnancy,” Morris continued. “We tell them what an abortion is and allow them the chance to hear what people who have had an abortion has to say. We don’t want to tell you what to do, but it’s your choice and we want you to feel really empowered about whatever decision you make. But we don’t want to let you make any choice without having all of the options there.”

“We don’t just say goodbye once they have their baby, either,” she noted. “We say we are going to be here the whole nine months and after the baby is born.”

Morris stated she loves her job, but the most exciting part is when someone comes in and says, “I can’t have this baby.”

“They think they want an abortion and have their appointment ready, but then come in to the center and realize, people love me and care for me right here,” Morris said. “Not because of anything I’ve done. Not because of anything I’m giving them. They just love me and sincerely want to walk with me through this entire process.”

She said a sad reality is when she sees people allege that pregnancy centers trick women into thinking they can come in and receive an abortion and the center then turns around and makes the woman feel bad by telling her she is a sinner and just lets her go.

“Those places should be shut down,” she stated. “As long as I am at this center, no one ever comes in here thinking, ‘I’m here for my abortion today.’ We tell them upfront, we do not do the procedures here. We can give you an ultrasound to let you know how far along you are. The ultrasound is free and lets them know if they are more than 10 weeks or not. If they are more than 10 weeks along, they will need to consider getting a surgical abortion. If fewer than 10 weeks, the abortion pill is still an option for them.”

Those at the center say the women actually have time to decide and quick decisions do not have to be made. “By waiting a week or two, some are actually relieved and happy they didn’t rush into a quick decision to abort their baby because they were in ‘panic mode.'”

“That’s real choice, and we want to give them choice,” she added. “If we were a different kind of place where they could come in, quickly get an abortion and leave … it feels so easy to make those tiny little decisions that solve your problems. But then, you can have a lifetime of regret unless you learn how to deal with it.”

Beginning this week, the center will be offering abortion pill reversal. Here’s why.

Morris explained many women will take the first of two pills that will abort their baby anytime prior to their being 11 weeks pregnant. The woman then regrets their decision. Since the abortion has not been completed and only the progesterone has been cut off to the baby, there is still time for the center to step in. Progesterone is the hormone needed for the baby to thrive.

There is, however, a 72-hour window from when the first pill was taken, that the client can call the abortion pill reversal hotline and speak with a health professional who will do an assessment, determining if they are eligible to receive the abortion pill reversal. If they are, officials will get in touch with AIM’s medical director who will do his own assessment. A nurse from AIM will give the client an ultrasound and administer a high dose of progesterone.

“There is a 67 percent chance of saving the baby by receiving the reversal,” Morris explained, compared to the 50 percent survival chance if they do not take that second pill. “So, there is an 18 percent higher chance that your baby will survive.”

The sooner one decides they should not have taken the abortion pill and contacts the hotline, the greater chance for the baby’s survival, Morris said.

“We are not claiming we can reverse an abortion that has been completed,” she stressed. “Once you’ve taken the second pill, we’re not claiming we can save the baby. We are saying, if after you’ve taken the first step of the abortion procedure — which is the first pill, within those 72 hours, we can help reverse what has been done.”

“We’re unsure how many clients will be sent to us, but anyone can call us directly and we can put them in touch with the network so they can do their assessment,” she said. “We’re just really excited we will have a place close by. Planned Parenthood is 40 minutes away in Pittsburgh. We are in driving distance for a woman to get here and get started.”

“It is giving women more opportunities for choice,” Morris commented. “If you’re saying you want women to have choice, you want to maximize their opportunities for choice. A woman has a right to know that if you have taken the first of those two pills, you still have an option to explore regarding your pregnancy’s outcome.”

AIM Women’s Center also in the process of looking for property in which the building can be converted into a maternity home.

Regarding the group home, Morris said, “The holistic approach of helping women to understand that you can do this, that we will be there when they are in that most desperate of situations — whether it’s her family has kicked her out because she’s pregnant, she has dropped out of school, is living hundreds of miles away from her family because she was in college, whether it’s someone who has just gotten out of a domestic violence situation or someone who is coming off of a substance abuse problem — we want to be able to say, ‘Here, we have a few spaces at our maternity home and will make sure housing, food, counseling, that those things don’t stand in the way between you being able to keep your pregnancy or not.’ So, we’re realty excited.”

Morris said they are still exploring properties and hoping a home will become a reality within one to two years, as it is definitely needed.

She is hoping the city will work with the center as far as any kind of zoning and building inspections, and work quickly with governing authorities, so the home can open in the near future.

“I don’t want this to take two years,” she replied. “We have so many women coming in that are homeless, almost homeless or waiting for their Section 8 voucher. They’re having to stay in the shelter and there isn’t enough room at the women’s shelter at times. Unfortunately, we had two families, one was a family with seven children as she was pregnant with twins, and they had to stay at the men’s shelter because there wasn’t any room at the women’s.

“Urban Mission is amazing and they help as many people as they possibly can,” Morris commented. “If it wasn’t for them, that family wouldn’t have even had a place to live. But women who are pregnant and their children … no one thinks, ‘Oh yeah, the men’s shelter is the perfect place for them to go.’ We want to be able to offer an additional offer in which to serve Steubenville and Jefferson County residents first.”

“The home could be filled today with its current clients,” she continued. “So the quicker the home can be up and running and we can get the upgrades and safety upgrades completed with whatever property we choose, the quicker we can get women who are pregnant off the streets or out of the shelters. This will be more of a group home where they can live. They can stay however long they need, based on their situation. They can definitely stay until the end of their pregnancy until they are able to get on their feet.”

“Our board and staff are really excited to see what is going to happen in the coming months and years, because we know it’s going to happen. We just don’t know how quickly we are going to be able to get it going. I think if the community is around to support it and if the city is supporting it, if we have the donors, the foundations, the grants, that will be incredible.”

Anyone possessing property in the nearby area who believes it would be the right fit for a women’s maternity home can reach out to the center by calling the office at (740) 283-3636 or e-mail rcohenmorris@aimwomenscenter.com

The abortion pill reversal hotline can be reached by calling (877) 558-0333.