Step inside many a Stanly County kitchen or office this month and catch sight of one, two or three baby bottles sitting on countertops or desks, waiting to be filled, not with milk, but with spare change, currency or checks — a sure sign the Baby Bottle Boomerang is underway.

“I love that the Baby Bottle Boomerang is so simple,” Mandy Emerson said. “Everyone brings home pocket change at the end of the day, and to be able to put it directly into the bottle instead of on the counter makes the process easy.”

She’s passed out baby bottles at North Albemarle Baptist Church for several years.

The BBB has been a growing tradition in this area since about 2006. It’s one of the largest fundraisers of the Pregnancy Resource Center of Stanly County, which exists to provide emotional and material support to women and families facing unplanned pregnancies.

The PRC receives no state or federal funding.

“We don’t want to charge women who need our services, so we rely on private funding,” said Sorina Crabtree, director of development.

“We are really thankful for the churches in our area. In 2022, 60 churches took up the vision and helped us surpass our goal of $55,000, and that was a huge blessing,” added Crabtree.

The BBB goal for 2023 is $60,000. That’s a lot of pocket change, but each person who fills a baby bottle helps to save the lives of unborn children and to make a difference for their mothers and families.

“We all know that little things can go a long way, and this is a perfect example of that,” said Emerson.

“We want to be a blessing to the women from the minute they walk in our door,” added Crabtree.

Client advocates stand ready to listen to each woman’s story and to share information with her about pregnancy, fetal development and abortion procedures and risks. Lab-quality pregnancy tests and obstetric ultrasounds are available free of charge through the center’s Insight Medical Services.

Client advocates, in partnership with the center’s licensed medical professionals, also provide confidential options-counseling to women facing an unplanned pregnancy. They say that after viewing an ultrasound image a client’s perspective often changes — she sees a person instead of a problem. The staff believes no one has to make a life-altering decision alone. Their goal is to empower women and families to choose life.

Women can also visit the PRC’s mobile medical unit for free pregnancy tests and ultrasounds by calling the PRC for an appointment or by looking for the colorful van at Greater Grounds Coffee in Locust on Tuesdays, the Food Lion parking lot in Richfield or the Walmart parking lot in Biscoe (Montgomery County).

“We want to meet people where they are,” said Bonnie Grigg, a registered nurse and the nurse manager for the PRC.

“We believe that life begins at conception in the womb and that every life is valuable to God,” added Crabtree.

The center offers continued care for mothers, fathers and families after the baby’s birth. Learn, Earn, and Parent (LEAP) is an incentive program designed to help mothers and fathers grow in all areas — emotionally, intellectually and spiritually.

For the first 15 months after a baby’s birth, clients earn LEAP dollars to spend in the center’s boutique which is stocked by individuals and churches with everything from diapers to strollers.

PRC staff have built relationships with doctors and agencies such as the Stanly County Health Department. Clients are sometimes referred to community agencies for such things as housing, legal advice, professional counseling and other needs.

“We want to work together with everyone,” said Crabtree.

Churches participating in Baby Bottle Boomerang typically hand out bottles on Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, which is Jan. 22 this year.

Individuals and families may also request a bottle by calling 704-983-2100 or messaging the PRC via Facebook. Further information and testimonials are available at www.prcstanly.com, on YouTube or Friends of Pregnancy Resource Center of Stanly County Facebook page.