Kiwanis welcome Paula Joy of Baptist Children's Home

Paula Joy, the director of development and marketing for the Baptist Children's Home and Family Services, gave a presentation Sept. 1 to the noon meeting of the Harrisburg Kiwanis Club.

The Baptist Children's Home is a Christian-based organization and ministry in Carmi that believes in the sanctity of life. Joy said according to the Centers for Disease Control website, there were 42,441 abortions in the U.S. in 2018, which equates to 116 abortions each day. The highest rates were among women aged 20-34.

Organization ministries include: Angel's Cove, a residential home for women facing an unplanned pregnancy; Baptist Children's Home Residential services, which house youth with behavioral challenges in a cottage setting; Faith Adoption Ministry, a fully-licensed agency serving all of Illinois; GraceHaven Pregnancy Resource Clinic, which offers free pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, STD/STI testing, parenting classes, adoption referrals and abortion recovery; and Pathways Counseling, which utilizes an individual's strengths while licensed therapists help him/her overcome challenges and help to achieve personal goals.

She reported that Baptist Home and Family Services is fully funded by donations. No state or federal funding is received.