Publication:The Gaston Gazette;
Date:Jan 29, 2007;
Section:Hometown;
Page Number:1B

Abbey eyes maternity home

Site would house pregnant women,kids

BY AMANDA MILLARD Gazette Staff Reporter

BELMONT — Plans continue for a maternity home to be built on Belmont Abbey land that would allow a Charlotte maternity program to expand its services.

“The project is moving forward,” said Cindy Brown, executive director of Room at the Inn. “The board is still working through the details.”

The Charlotte organization has a counseling and community outreach center on Weona Avenue and provides homes for pregnant women and children at nearby apartments.

“Our current site and location and property would not allow us to expand,” Brown said. “It was not sufficient for our vision of the future.”

Details of how much money will be needed and the size of the facility continues to be finalized, Brown said.

“It’ll be a residential facility for pregnant women and their children,” Brown said. “It’ll be prenatal and post-natal care.”

The Abbey location makes it an ideal place for pregnant college women to come should they need help because of its proximity to Belmont Abbey College.

“We want to reach out to college women,” Brown said. “They can go through the program and stay in school.”

Professional counselors also will work with women to help them plan for after the baby’s birth, whether they choose adoption or wish to raise the child themselves.

While a focus might be on college women, no pregnant women in need would be excluded because they were not college students.

The program also would work with any supportive boyfriends who wished to be in the mother’s life and also provide counseling for other family members if needed.

“We have designated property for them,” said Belmont Abbey Abbot Placid Solari.

Property on the north side of I-85 has been reserved for Room at the Inn and will be set aside should other developments come before the facility is built, Solari said.

“Obviously we’re very concerned with the question for respect for life,” Solari said. “This enables us to make a concrete action for something we say.”

You can reach Amanda Millard at (704) 869-1839.