About Us

Mission Statement

The Abel Pregnancy Resource Center is a life-affirming Christian ministry serving needs of women with unplanned pregnancies through God’s love, help and hope.

The History of Abel Pregnancy Resource Center

In January 1992, Carrie Bradshaw, a member of First Baptist Church, sat listening to her pastor deliver a message about the value and humanity of the unborn child and the church’s responsibility to reach out to his or her mother with compassionate help. As pastor Ken Frazier continued, Carrie began to envision a place in her community where free pregnancy services and resources would be offered to her so that she would know that she has the option to continue her pregnancy and give birth to her child. From this initial vision, a community interest meeting was held at the Bluefield Union Mission, a steering committee was soon formed and from this committee was birthed a board of directors. During this time, the Abel Crisis Pregnancy Center (since then we have done business as Abel Center and currently as Abel Pregnancy Resource Center, hereafter Abel PRC) was incorporated, received its not-for-profit 501C-3 tax-exempt status, hired its first executive director, trained its first group of volunteer patient/client advocates and opened its doors to the community in March 1994. Then in 1999, two local foundations awarded the Abel PRC with matching grants which enabled the organization to purchase, renovate and then move into its current facility located behind the First Nazarene Church just off Stadium Drive in Bluefield, WV. Soon after this relocation, another local foundation awarded the Abel PRC with a seed-money grant that started the Abel PRC on a path toward becoming a medical clinic that would provide pregnancy testing and limited obstetrical ultrasound services, under the orders and protocol of a medical director and supervised by a nurse manager. In 2006, the Abel PRC hired and trained a nurse manager to perform limited obstetrical ultrasounds and received a grant that enabled it to purchase an ultrasound machine. We began offering medical services in October 2006. Eleven years later, through funding from a couple of local foundations and generous supporters, we were able to purchase a new ultrasound machine, exam table, large screen TV to finish the ultrasound exam room.

Since opening its doors in 1994, the Abel PRC has never received any state or federal funding, relying entirely on the generosity of individuals, businesses, churches and organizations in the Four Seasons area and beyond. Because of this support, the Abel PRC has been able to maintain a consistent presence in the community, offering hope and help to those in need of its pregnancy resources.

FREE and confidential services provided to the community by the Abel Pregnancy Resource Center include:

• Medical related services:
  • Pregnancy Testing
  • Patient education including but not limited to: healthy pregnancy, prenatal development & care, pregnancy options, sexual health & STI risk factors, and lifestyle & healthy relationship choices.
  • Referrals for prenatal care & other available appropriate community resources.
  • Limited obstetrical ultrasound exams.
  • STI testing and educational materials on STI risks.
• Material Needs – The Abel PRC provides a method to meet material needs while enabling clients to take responsibility & initiative to meet those needs through its Earn While You Learn program. Clients receive education & training about pregnancy, parenting skills, infant care, healthy relationships, life skills, money management, men’s issues and the Bible. Completion of these lessons allows clients to earn credits used to purchase items (i.e. diapers, cribs, car seats, etc.) provided by the Abel PRC. This sense of accomplishment helps to foster self-esteem in those that participate in the program.

The service region for our programs primarily extend through Mercer and Tazewell Counties. However, we accept patients from surrounding counties in West Virginia and Virginia.