Pathway Pregnancy Resource Center is coming to the Texarkana area in March of 2022 with two different locations to service those in Texas and Arkanasas. Created and led by Christian organizers Laura McDowell, Carla Clayton and Joe Dillahunty. Pathway is 100% donor based and ran.
“We all have past experiences in crisis pregnancy center settings, as well as experience going to abortion facilities in Shreveport working with young mothers and fathers by providing information on options other than termination of life. So this is all very close to our hearts. Carla is a Sonographer and she has volunteered and worked at a crisis centers providing ultrasounds and counseling clients. After talking to 100’s of girls and guys, we realized that we wanted to do more than just pass out bandaids for these cuts, we had to get to the root of the issue, and we thought the best way to help our community with teen pregnancy was to start earlier by reaching our youth before life altering choices are made,” said Laura McDowell.
“Over the past two years, Carla and I wrote curriculum for middle school aged children and up, that teaches life skills and risk avoidance. It contains 8 lessons and it goes over many of the issues youth are faced with. We help provide information on goal setting, communication, relationships, social media, pregnancy and STD’s, through the use of an interactive workbook that is backed by scripture. We don’t want to ‘hit kids over the head’ with what is right and wrong, instead we want them to consider the choices they will have to face and work through them ahead of time so that they will know the best choice to make before they are ever faced with them,” said Laura. “The Pathway Life Skills and Risk Avoidance curriculum is being taught throughout our community, in various states, and even in another country through a missionary that ordered a copy of the workbook,” said Laura.
“Even though our hearts at Pathway are led towards working with our youth and preventing a lifestyle crisis, we want to also be there to provide resources and life-affirming optionos to help alleviate a crisis if it should occur. It’s important that those individuals don’t just get left behind, and that’s where Pathway Pregnancy Resource Center comes in. We have had so many doors open for us, and so much support from our community that our doors will be opened, fingers crossed, in March,” said Laura. “We will be offering Christian-based counseling, verification of pregnancy, baby care classes and ultrasounds. Pathway will be 100% faith based. Sharing the gospel will be a priority of ours. We won’t be harsh with our words, but we will be intentional with those that we service,” said Laura.
Pathway Resource Center will have two locations across the Texarkana area. On the Arkansas side, one center will be located in the old Washington School building at 1900 Marietta St., and another at Rise Church in Wake Village. They plan to be open several day a week including Monday and Saturday, so that those who are in need of crisis intervention can be serviced at any time. Pathway is 100% donor funded. They have received funding for their portable ultrasound machine from one generous donor as well as two exam tables from another. Although most of the higher priced items have been taken care of, they are still in need of some of the smaller priced items and funding for reoccurring expenses. You can learn more about Pathway or donate to this organization by visiting their website, www.PathwayTXK.org. You can email Pathway at info@PathwayTXK.org.
