At 17-years-old, Tiffany Lee found out she was expecting a child — “I was about three months pregnant when I found out. I was terrified.”
Lee is one of many women who have found themselves in this situation — pregnant and unsure of what to do. She explained, “Being a young mom it is frustrating and it is scary… terrifying especially not knowing if you’re going to keep the baby or not or be good enough of a mom to keep the baby.”
But places like Shannon’s Hope are making unexpected pregnancies a whole lot easier. The maternity house for young mothers was founded by Leslie Pottebaum nearly 40 years ago and has helped hundreds of women.
Pottebaum’s vision was to provide a safe place for women in unplanned pregnancies— offering them “a place to call home, an opportunity to rebuild their lives, and a hope for the future.” Not only do they provide the women with housing, they also point them to resources and help them “initiate a ‘plan’ for their future to work towards, both during and after their pregnancy.”
“When you’re involved in a difficult pregnancy … you don’t have anyone to turn to, you can turn to us,” Pottebaum said. “We will be your second family and many times we’re the first family.”
This holistic approach towards pregnancy and motherhood is what gave Lee and her child a second chance at life. Today, abortion is often pushed as the only real option for an unplanned pregnancy. Instead of offering women long-term solutions, our culture sells us “quick fixes.”
Now, as a mother of two, Lee hopes more women will be met with the care and love she found at Shannon’s Hope — “Just look for help before anything,” Lee said. “Before you make any decisions, just look for that help.”
