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OUR HISTORY

In August of 1990, our founder and first director, Patti Stoudt, had a prayer vision of hope for women facing unplanned or crisis pregnancy. That prayer became reality on January 22 of 1991 when Patti launched a small home-based ministry. She named the ministry “Your Loving Choices.” Mailings were sent to local doctors, attorneys and pastors explaining the ministry and mission of Your Loving Choices, and asking for referrals. The ministry focus was educationing people on parenting, adoption and abortion and supporting clients planning parenting and adoption.

Our first client was received in February 1991. She began a long relationship with YLC. In fact she still maintains contact with us.

As the ministry grew, so did our need for volunteers. Our first volunteers were trained in May of 1992. Our helpline was established at that time. By April of 1993 we had outgrown Patti’s home. Our first office in the Husky Korners building downton Bloomsburg was opened. In June of 1993, Your Loving Choices was recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt organization.

In January of 1995, Ginger Hock became our new volunteer Executive Director. Under her direction, we held our first fundraising walk-a-thon. The walk, held annually, became our main fundraiser.

The leadership of Your Loving Choices changed again in November of 1999 when we welcomed Linda Moran as our first paid Executive Director. Under Linda’s direction the office was moved from the Husky Korners location to 300 Chestnut Avenue in Bloomsburg.

Your Loving Choices marked many milestones in 2003. Sally Marasco joined our team as the new Executive Director in February. In August, we purchased a property of our own located on the corner of Ninth and Market Streets in Bloomsburg. We moved into our new home in September and began seeing clients there that same month.

In October of 2003 we implemented the “Earn While You Learn” parenting program. When this program began, clients working through the classes began earning “mommy money” which they exchanged for items in our gift shop. October 2003 also marked the beginning of our affiliation with“Care Net”. Care Net is a nationwide network of over 1100 Pregnancy Resource Centers that offers on-going training to allow us to keep up to date on the latest trends and concerns. Care Net also grants us access to a vast frontier of available resources that would otherwise have been beyond our scope as an individual center. Training is provided for the Board of Directors, staff and volunteers.

In 2004 Steve Wright, along with other volunteers from Wesley United Methodist Church in Bloomsburg, renovated the garage of our new facility into a beautiful board room. What a blessing! We utilize it for meetings, training sessions, liaison teas, newsletter folding and the list goes on.

In 2004 Patti Stoudt received training as an Adoption Specialist at the Care Net Conference. Your Loving Choices Board members obtained a copyright for Patti's new book "Doubly-Loved: Exploring the Option of Adoption."

In August 2005 Kathy Leamont was brought on board as Executive Director and served in that capacity until July 2010.

Your Loving Choices held its first fundraising banquet in October 2006 and this event has become a yearly source of income and relationship building for the ministry.

We initiated an EWYL group [Earn While You Learn] program to allow clients the opportunity to continue in the program beyond the first months of their child's life while opening up one-on-one slots with the peer-counselors for the new pregnant clients.

We re-invigorated the abstinence education program with the hiring of an Abstinence Coordinator who trained in Tennessee with the "Why Know" curriculum and began Your Loving Choices "Tackle the Issues" program with presentations for both Christian and secular groups.

In 2007 client intake numbers climbed to 119, with 29 babies born to our clients. Ruth Joy Capozzi, YLC board member, attended the Care Net Conference and received Post Abortion Counseling Education (PACE) certification. Our PACE program "Healing the Hurts" began to grow almost immediately.

On February 13th 2008 Your Loving Choices was privileged to sponsor THE SILVER RING THING abstinence event through our "Tackle the Issues" program.

From 2009-2011 we once again rented space in Husky Corners near Bloomsburg University campus. The YLC Navigating Center offered students free coffee and wi-fi access as well as lots of good information and education regarding Sexual Integrity. Our main office was referred to as YLC Options Center so we could distinguish between the two locations.

On October 2, 2010 Ruth Joy Capozzi, former board president and coordinator of our Post-Abortion program was hired as our Executive Director.

As we look to the future, we are excited about the new adventures that God has in store. Your Loving Choices will continue to offer compassion,education and direction to the people who walk through our doors - hope through a helping hand, and most importantly, the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is only through the transforming power of this gospel that lives are truly changed.

Your Loving Choices provides all services free of charge. We rely on the volunteer efforts, financial support and dedicated prayer of men and women just like you. YLC does not refer or perform abortions.

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OUR MISSION

Your Loving Choices is a Christian ministry promoting life as given from God, offering loving support to those facing unplanned pregnancies, providing education about the life-giving options of adoption and parenting, conveying God's healing to those traumatized by abortion, and advocating abstinence as the only true prevention of sexual crises. To achieve this mission we:

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OUR SERVICES

Your Loving Choices accomplishes its mission through services that support its ministry as follows:

Unplanned Pregnancy

A woman facing an unplanned pregnancy will experience one of the greatest personal challenges of her life. We don't want her to face this situation alone, or to make decisions in a panic.

We believe that women, couples, or families facing an unplanned pregnancy should have access to complete information about all of their options. We will help the crisis family (birth mother, birth father, parents, grandparents, siblings, etc.) explore their options and resources. Only by being fully informed can they make decisions and plans that are well thought-out. Through all we do, we seek to help meet our clients’ emotional, physical, and spiritual needs, leading in grace and truth.

Sexual Integrity

One-on-one Abstinence Counseling in our centers ~ most of our clients are single, and it’s our desire to see them make different lifestyle choices in the future.

Tackle the Issues our interactive abstinence presentation for schools and youth groups. It’s not a lecture or an opportunity to tell students to “just say no.” Instead, it is a speaking team who leads students to develop their own conclusions about why it is best to save sex for marriage.

Our free & confidential services include:

• Free pregnancy tests
• Options education and peer-counseling
• Education and Support for:
  * Parenting
  * Adoption
  * Abstinence
  * Fatherhood
• " Earn While you Learn" maternity & baby resources
• Education on abortion procedures and risks
• Post abortion education and healing
• Referrals to doctors and community services
• Information on STDs

Healing For Post-Abortive Women

The loss created by an abortion often leaves an empty space in one’s life that never seems to be satisfied, even long after the experience is passed. It is normal to try to fill that void with activities, relationships, or even having children, but eventually the emptiness surfaces again along with feelings of guilt, remorse or bitterness.

We believe that the best way to overcome those disturbing feelings left by abortion is to face them squarely with the support of others who truly understand and do not judge or condemn. Jesus said in Luke 4 that his mission is to bind up the brokenhearted and proclaim freedom for the captives, so that is our mission as well. Help is available at Your Loving Choices through our PACE (Post-Abortion Counseling & Education) groups. PACE is a life changing Bible Study that leads a wounded heart through the necessary steps to being " Forgiven and Set Free" . As with all of our services, all inquiries and participation is kept confidential.

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OUR TEAM

Board of Directors

Your Loving Choices is governed by a Board of Directors, from various churches and communities in the Bloomsburg area. Our 2012 Board includes:

Fannie Kapp, President
Roger Allen, Vice-President
Bill Kile, Treasurer
Patti Stoudt, Founder & Secretary
Camey Converse
Carolyn Diehl
Deb Halterman
Barbara Hawk
Becky Kramer
Dr. Richard Prisuta, Advisory
Dale Stiner

STAFF

		Ruth Joy Capozzi Executive Director Ruth Joy came to Your Loving Choices first as a board member in 2005, introducing the Annual Banquet Fundraising event in 2006 and went on to serve as President of the Board of Directors from August 2008 until September 2010. She was then hired as the Exective Director in October. Joy has served in various ministry roles most of her life. The daughter and grand-daughter of pastors, she also co-pastors with her husband Alfred at Bloomsburg Community Church. Author of "With Tender Hand" a book written to help women who are hurting and dealing with abuse issues, Joy has a passion for helping wounded women find healing and forgiveness through Christ's love. Joy is a certified facilitator for the PACE (Post Abortion Counseling & Education) Program at Your Loving Choices. Joy and her husband live in Berwick, they have a golden retriever, Daisy who is spoiled perfect. In her free time Joy likes to scrapbook and does web site work for various ministries.
		Samantha Oman Abstinence Program Coordinator Samantha Oman joined Your Loving Choices as the Abstinence Program Coordinator in August 2011. Sam is a Junior at Bloomsburg University pursuing a career within the American Sign Language Interpreting field. Late December of 2010, Sam felt God nudging her to reach out and share His love within the community. With prayer and trepidation she ventured out to volunteer at Your Loving Choices. In her own words... "Over the next few months, I saw God’s presence woven throughout every aspect of this ministry. Everyone who I have met was inspiration to me. They encouraged me and helped me learn. What happened next was so unexpected it was as if God said, “Pardon the interruption. I’m not finished.” I was still training for counseling and doing other volunteer work within the center, when I was asked to be the new abstinence program coordinator. At that moment, I had an overwhelming urge to say yes! Then, hesitancy set in. I had a few heated discussions with God, asking Him, “Did I not just agree to step out of my comfort zone? I have just gotten to where You wanted me to be.” Over the next few days, He reminded me why I have such a love for this generation and why this is a position I needed to take.  I have realized the abstinence program is not only reaching out to young adults and teens, encouraging them to “just say no”, it’s much deeper than that. This is message of waiting, self-control, and love that goes out to everyone who has that desire to say “no” to the way the world sees them, and says “yes” to their need of wanting to know the truth. God has instilled this generation with the desire to seek out something that is earth-changing. Young adults and teens know that they are deserving of something so much more than this world has to offer, but most just don’t know where to start or who to ask. I hope to speak words of wisdom and encouragement to those I meet, with the Holy Spirit as my guide."  Samantha, shares the message of abstinence at local schools and youth groups. Some of Sam's interests include music, the outdoors, zombies, adventure and anything out of the ordinary. Sam attends Emmanuel Dutch Hill Bible Church in Bloomsburg.
		Jackie Shuman Development Coordinator Jackie worked for Geisinger Health System as a system analyst, for over 25 years before retiring on January 3, 2011. Both Jackie and Bob volunteered at YLC for about 4 years in various capacities prior to coming on board at Your Loving Choices, August 1, 2011 as the Development Coordinator Jackie Shuman has lived in the Catawissa/Numidia area most of her life, moving to Bloomsburg (near Mainville) almost 6 years ago when she married the love of her life, Bob Shuman. They have one adult son, a lovely daughter-in-law and 4 beautiful grandchildren. Her son is active National Guard – and will be deployed once again in the near future (his 4th time) Jackie and Bob also have a nephew and niece raised by Bob when his sister passed away while they were children. Their niece has a handsome 6 year old – that refers to them as Grandma and Grandpa. Both Jackie and Bob are involved in their church, Emanuel's Reformed Church of Mainville. Jackie as the president of the women’s guild and Bob is the president of the church consistory. They both sing in the choir.
		Jennifer Sites Client Services Coordinator Jennifer and her family moved to Berwick from the Chambersburg area in 2009. Jennifer was hired as the Client Services Coordinator in January of 2012. She has been married to her husband, Troy for almost 15 years and they have two children; a son, Cameron, who is 13 and daughter, Ashtyn who is 11 years old. They attend church at New Covenant Christian Center in Berwick. Jennifer grew up in a Christian home where her parents were always involved in ministering to unmarried pregnant teens/women and their babies. They now direct a maternity home in Gettysburg, PA. Jen is passionate about missions work and will hopefully be returning to Haiti for a short term missions trip this Fall! Jen also loves photographry, and pursues that hobby through "Sites on You".  Jen studied at Valley Forge Christian College before her marriage to Troy.

Your Loving Choices, Inc. does not refer or perform abortions