To reach out with compassion to the distressed pregnant and/or parenting woman. To help her deal with her concerns and support her in continuing her pregnancy and the care of her child.
Vision Statement
Our goal is to nurture responsible motherhood and empower a woman to make healthy life choices for herself and her baby.
We do this by offering emotional, spiritual, and material resources, including advocacy, referrals, and life skills training.
Our pregnancy care center, Clarity Women’s Center, assists women with referrals for medical services and options consultations. The Elinor Martin Residence for Mother & Child (EMR) is our residential program for mothers and babies, preparing them for transition to independent living.
A Testimonial
Haley’s Story
I will never forget the day I arrived at the Elinor Martin Residence for Mother & Child (EMR). I had less than twenty dollars in my pocket and was four months pregnant. It didn’t take me long to realize EMR had my best interest at heart when they immediately supported me with two of my goals – registering for college classes and finding employment.
The great part about EMR is that everyone in the house is a mother. There is always someone available to teach you, whether it be one of the housemothers or a fellow resident. Everyone there became my extended family. It all happened so fast, and I realized I was doing everything people told me I couldn’t or wouldn’t do in no time.
While I was living at EMR during my pregnancy, doctors diagnosed my daughter with trisomy, a condition in which an extra copy of a chromosome is present, causing developmental abnormalities. When I found out this news, I was heartbroken and ready to give up on myself and my child.
Between counseling, the staff, and the other residents in the house, I had so much love and support around me. That December, I gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl, born without trisomy.
I had so much love and support around me. What makes EMR different from other homes is that you have staff that cares about you, and the love is real. I am so thankful that God brought me to EMR. As scared as I was in the beginning, it turned out to be one of the greatest experiences of my life.
I believe EMR helped mold me into the young lady I am today. Living there, I learned self-respect and a lot about priorities. To Michelle and the Elinor Martin Residence staff, I say thank you, and I love you all from the bottom of my heart!
Our Legacy
Elinor Martin, founder of The Pregnancy Care Center and the Elinor Martin Residence for Mother & Child had a bonfire of commitment to finding pregnant women in need and offering real help and support. She saw firsthand that housing was an issue for many of them.
More than 20% of abortions are because of issues related to housing. As a solution, the Elinor Martin Residence for Mother & Child was born. Knowing most women abort because they feel coerced, it offered women in need a safe place.
Over 800 women and children found their way to the Elinor Martin Residence for Mother & Child during the 35 years of its existence. They were homeless and pregnant or recently gave birth with nowhere to turn. They were living in cars, on the street, or worse.
In 1985 this was the first shelter of its kind in Westchester County. Because of our goal-oriented approach for residents, it still remains unique.
