Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What types of classes and services are available to your young ladies?

A. Many things:
A loving, homelike environment.
Nutritional meals.
Proper role models
Clothing for young ladies and babies.
Help with personal problems.
Access to adequate pre-natal and medical care.
Pre-natal and birth classes.
Group Counseling.
Pediatric health care.
Parenting and infant care training.
Building healthy relationships and boundaries.
Health education.
Education (high school or GED).
Internet access for community resources
Money management classes
Bible studies and religious resources.
Adoption education and referral.
And much more. . .

Q. Do the girls get to have any fun?

A. Yes, most certainly. We try our best to provide a fun atmosphere
for our young ladies. Learning to enjoy life to the fullest is a value that is taught, whether it is a group of girls making homemade cookies on a Friday night or walking through a park on a Sunday afternoon. Some of the activities girls might experience while at our home include:

• Starlight Theatre
• Royals games
• Shopping malls
• Carriage rides on the Plaza
• Pizza Parties
• Picnics
• Zoo
• Off-campus day trips
• Movies
• Plus more. . .

Q. Do residents really learn anything while staying with you?

A. Absolutely. Naturally, some absorb more than others, but all of the more than 850 young women that have called Mother's Refuge home have benefited in some way their stay.

One lesson many girls have learned is proper money management. Mother's Refuge has been an innovator in teaching young ladies personal money management and responsibility. The system we instigated several years ago even was featured on the former "Phil Donahue Show" on television. Our method is a simple "play money" system.

Here is how it works. Residents earn "money" by doing chores around the house, which then is used to learn responsible money management. She "pays" the house for rent, utilities and food, just as in real life. Money left over then can be used to purchase items from our in-house store or to purchase privileges, such as taking a walk or weekend visits to her family.

The system has been very successful, and many other homes across the country have modeled our program.

Q. Why do you need 35 Pack n Play cribs per year?

A. Our goal is to give each young lady in our residential program a new Pack n Play for her newborn baby. Because of state regulations and safety recalls, we can no longer give them used cribs. The portable Pack n Plays are ideal for our residents because they are often mobile so they can easily move them.

Q. Do girls ever cause you a hard time or get into trouble while staying there?

A. Yes. Our residents are all 19-years old or younger, and just like any adolescent, they can be moody and troublesome. However, our goal is to help mold their young lives into responsible young women. Just as at most homes with proper parents, we must discipline a young lady by removing privileges or grounding. We also fine them with their "play money". It's not easy being a house parent and the mom to eight adolescent pregnant teenagers.

Q. How old are your residents, and how long can they stay?

A. Our program is designed for young women 19-years old and younger. A young lady has the option of staying for as long as one year after her baby is born. Each girl, with the guidance of our social worker, develops an individualized plan for her future.

Q. Why do you accept only young women 19-years old or younger?

A. We feel that they are the most vulnerable. A young woman under the age of 18 has very few options. She is not of legal age so therefore cannot enter into rental agreements for housing, automobiles or even a cell phone. Her opportunity to obtain gainful employment is very unlikely because of her age. Her choices are extremely restricted; therefore, she is very susceptible to emotional, physical and sexual abuse. Since we are limited on the number of people we can house at one time, we made the decision to help those we feel need assistance the most.

Q. How much do you help the girls with their babies? Shouldn’t they be taking the bulk of the responsibility?

A. Absolutely. Our philosophy is to help our teenaged moms be as self-sufficient as possible. Each girl is responsible for the care of her own baby. Although we are here to teach and assist them, we feel they must take responsibility for their own lives. Soon, they will be on their own. The more we are able to help them learn responsibility the more likely they will learn self-reliance and be successful.

Q. What can I do to help promote Mother’s Refuge and raise funds for your program?

A.We are so glad you asked that question. There are many things you can do. Many groups, businesses, churches and individuals have conducted numerous fund raising events for us. Some groups have conducted garage sales, collected gifts and money, hosted bake sales and many other fund raising events. Please let us know if you are going to host an event and we will be glad to send you brochures and other information to share about our program.

If you have additional questions please feel free to call us at 816-353-8070 or e-mail us at, web@mothersrefuge.org