A Message from Our
Executive Director
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Dear Friends of CPC,
We all are breathing a little easier this month, literally and figuratively, as local mask mandates have been lessened or eliminated in our region. Many families are returning to church, gathering with friends and loved ones as COVID-19 hospitalizations decline. We thank and praise the Lord for these blessings!
June also marks the last month of our fiscal year. Thankfully, we were able to fund all FY 20-21 operating costs - during a pandemic, no less! The Lord has great plans for CPC. I also want to send a "big, huge thank you" to our donors and supporters who were instrumental in helping us with their prayers, supplies, and financial donations for our existing resource centers and our new medical services facility, Options@328. Please know how much your ongoing support means to our ministry and our clients. Please see below some of the fruits of your support.
This month, we bid farewell to Gretchen Carney, our outgoing Development Director. Gretchen has been instrumental in the advancement of CPC and the building of Options@328. Throughout the pandemic and facing transitions during an incredibly challenging year, Gretchen helped move everything forward and we could not have done it without her. We thank Gretchen for her untiring efforts and offer best wishes in her retirement.
We are blessed to welcome a new Development Director, Paula Caponiti. Paula comes to us with a wealth of experience, firm faith and commitment to our pro-life ministry. Read more about Paula below.
Finally, we recognize all dads, affirming their essential role in building strong families. CPC wishes all dads an incredibly happy Father's Day! May you take delight in your children and may the Lord send his favor upon each of you, in heart, body and mind.
In closing, we continue to be truly blessed by your faithful support and are excited for our ministry's future!
Every good wish,
Gina Ruppert, Executive Director
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Biblical Reflections for Father's Day |
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Luke 15:20
"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him."
"Do everything in love."
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Welcome Paula Caponiti, Director of Development |
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CPC welcomes Paula Caponiti, Director of Development! Paula joined CPC in mid-April. She graduated from St. Joseph's University with a B.A. in English. Originally from the Philadelphia area, she relocated to Baltimore in 1998. She has 25 years of work experience, many of those in non-profit fundraising. Most recently, Paula spent five years at the Archdiocese of Baltimore where she served as a Director of Advancement, a Major Gifts Officer, and the Director of the Archbishop's Annual Appeal. Paula resides in Phoenix, MD, with her husband, John, and daughter, Ava. Together they have five children and four grandchildren. Paula attends the Church of the Nativity in Timonium. In her free time, she serves as a volunteer minister at church and as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for CASA of Baltimore County. Paula is already right at home at CPC and believes strongly in our mission. Paula can be reached at 443-884-9208 or paula@centerforpregnancyconcerns.org. Welcome aboard!
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A distraught dad entered Options@328 alone, as a walk-in client, wanting to save his baby. He said his girlfriend was 17 weeks pregnant with his son and she wanted an abortion. As the father, he wanted to know what resources were available to him. After a few minutes, he called his girlfriend to come inside our center. She agreed but was initially cool and detached. Our Client Advocate spoke with her while our Sonographer spoke with the dad. Both were experiencing a stressful time in their relationship and needed our support. Then Kelly, our Sonographer, scanned the mom privately. During this time, she started opening up about her feelings about her current situation. When Dad came in, he was so excited to see his baby boy on the sonogram monitor! Because of COVID mandates, he had not been allowed to attend any prior prenatal appointments. Both parents were smiling, watching the baby move and react to Kelly’s gentle nudges. Then Dad placed his hand on Mom's belly and started talking to his unborn son. That is when Kelly snapped this photo of Baby reaching out for his father. The parents walked out that day, happy and excited, both choosing life! |
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Thank you Mars Hill Baptist Church |
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Thank you, Pastor John Lee, and Mars Hill Baptist Church. We love our new Resource Center in Essex!
CPC’s roots run deep in Eastern Baltimore County and this space perfectly houses the many donated material items that women count on in Essex and the surrounding neighborhoods. Click here to learn more about Mars Hill Baptist Church, the Church with a Heart.
Pictured: Mars Hill Baptist Church. The Church with a Heart: (Honoring God in all things, Encouraging others always, Assisting those in need, Reaching the lost, Training disciples).
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Client and baby receiving material goods at CPC's Resource Center at Mars Hill Baptist Church in Essex, MD. |
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Pictured left is Wendy Valenzuela, our First Impressions Coordinator with mom and one year old baby boy at the Essex Resource Center.
This mom, like many of our clients, can make an appointment at CPC's Essex or North Baltimore Resource Centers to pick up material resources. The Essex Resource Center is open to clients each Monday, North Baltimore's Resource Center on Tuesdays. We provide moms with diapers, formula, and wipes.
Thank you to all area churches for your support of CPC's Resource Centers. We are grateful for your material and financial donations. We cannot do this ministry without you!
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Meet our first Options@328 baby! |
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Prior to the doors of Options@328 officially opening last fall, a pregnant woman in need came to us for help. We were able to provide her with a pregnancy test, sonogram, and the resources she needed to choose life. Late last month, she gave birth to a baby girl - our first Options@328 baby. We are so proud. Thank you, Mom, for choosing life! We are blessed to have been at the right place at the right time for many in need. Being at this downtown location helps both men and women from all walks of life. Please pray we continue to be a blessing to families, women, and their unborn babies! |
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Left: Gina Ruppert pictured mom and 5-day old baby girl. Right/Above: Baby girl is so pretty in pink! |
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A Person Is a Person, No Matter How Small! |
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Above: 4D Ultrasound of human life - 7 weeks gestation. |
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Our talented Sonographer, Kelly Wargo, R.D.M.S. (Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer) captures images of a growing baby, approximately 7 weeks gestation, using our new 4D Chison ultrasound machine. This machine was donated by the Maryland Knights of Columbus. Thanks, Kelly, for the amazing look at life!
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Above: CPC's Sonographer, Kelly Wargo, R.D.M.S. |
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Church Support is our Lifeblood!
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CPC would like to recognize the following churches and groups who have held or will be holding baby bottle campaigns, baby showers, Mother's Day flower sales and Father's Day material assistance collections this fiscal year. Especially during a pandemic, your support keeps our ministry going!
Baby Bottle Campaigns
Baby Shower Campaigns
Father's Day Collection
Mother's Day Flower Sale
These events are easy to do and pay big dividends. If your church would like to speak with us about ways we can partner, please reach out to Paula or Gina at 443-884-9201.
In the months to follow, we will begin to spotlight churches, groups, foundations and their leaders who are regular supporters of our pro-life ministry. Your investment keeps our doors open!
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Consider Hosting a Baby Bottle Campaign |
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With Father's Day on Sunday, June 20th, it's not too late to hold a Baby Bottle Campaign at your Church, group or place of business!
You can hold an In-Person or Virtual Baby Bottle Campaign! We can provide donation links, QR codes, Text to Give information, giving envelopes and/or bottles. For more information please call Paula at 443-884-8209 or email her at paula@centerforpregnancyconcerns.org.
To make a Baby Bottle contribution now, click the button below.
Please be sure to indicate your Church Name so we can assign your donation to your place of worship.
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Left: Thank you to Henry Madden, a student at Robert Morris University and a Calvert Hall alumnus, for freshening up the flower box outside Options@328.
We appreciate you making a welcoming and attractive space for all who pass by our center.
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Right: Last month, Will Low, chef and owner of Rathskeller Restaurant on Main Street in Elkridge, donated $600 to CPC after advertising that a portion of his Mother’s Day Platter sales would be used to support our ministry. Will, his wife Megan, and their 3 children live in Halethorpe. They attend St. Alphonsus Church in Baltimore. Check out Rathskeller Restaurant here!
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We are so pleased to have young adults support our ministry. |
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Two ministries meet on the streets of Baltimore |
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Last week, CPC’s Gina and Paula ventured out of Options@328 and came upon a food truck ministry, run by Fr. Leo Patalinghug, called Plating Grace and Grub . It was great to meet Fr. Leo as he is a supporter of our pro-life ministry! Like CPC’s outreach to women in Baltimore City, he is on a mission to provide formation and training to ex-offenders (formerly incarcerated), while serving those most in need in our communities! Thank you, Fr. Leo. Our food was delicious!
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We are Expanding our Reach - Follow us! |
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We are expanding our social media reach and need your help!
Please click on each link below and follow us. We want you to know what is going on with CPC in between newsletters. We invite you to "share", "like", "comment", and "follow" CPC.
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The Greater Baltimore Center for Pregnancy Concerns is a locally organized and funded volunteer ministry demonstrating the love of Jesus Christ by providing abortion alternatives to women who find themselves in the midst of an unplanned pregnancy. We service clients by addressing their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. We also strive to provide accurate and complete information on prenatal development and abortion. We believe access to this information is needed in order to provide our clients with the facts, allowing them to make informed decisions. Ultimately, we desire to protect the physical, emotional, and spiritual health of our clients and their unborn children. We also provide emotional support and resources to any woman who comes to us having had an abortion. We believe our ministry to these and all women is to share the love of Jesus Christ. |
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Center for Pregnancy Concerns | 443-884-9201 |
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