SECTION, Ala. (WAFF) – A Jackson County couple is joining forces with their community to provide a safe, healthy place for women in need.
Where Hope Begins is a non-profit organization created by Melissa and Chris Hancock. They are currently fitting out a building on Main Street in Section that will be the headquarters for their mission.
Melissa Hancock says while working at Turning Point Pregnancy Center in Scottsboro, she saw the need for more resources for expectant mothers, teenage mothers and at-risk women.
“I plan to serve all types of women, whether mom or not,” Melissa Hancock told WAFF 48.
Hancock says women will be able to come through and access a world of resources. She says the building will resemble a home as much as possible, with a kitchen, playroom for visiting mothers with children, living room and storage space.
The couple will stock formula, food, clothes, toys and furniture for women who are getting back on their feet.
It will be at these headquarters that women who may be low-income, expectant mothers, expectant teenagers, or fleeing domestic violence can receive the support they need.
“We’ll have those resources. If there’s anything they need outside of us, we can delegate them to the right sources,” Melissa said.
Not only will women be able to have their basic needs met, but Melissa says they can also have their spiritual needs met. She intends to start Bible studies at the section site and encourage mentoring with other women.
“I’ve found that women need women and women exist in different ways in life. We might (could) start some small groups for different things like teenage mothers, or adoptive parents, foster parents, parents who have lost babies so different things like that,” says Melissa.
Melissa’s husband Chris Hancock has been a cheerleader all the way, doing much of the heavy lifting, yet fully supporting his wife’s dream. He says the couple is excited to have such a blessing close to home.
“We’re excited to find a building here and be able to do it here because we have a lot of support here,” said Chris Hancock.
The nonprofit now has a website up and running that allows women to make appointments to talk to someone or take advantage of the items and supplies stocked at Where Hope Begins.
You can find these resources listed at hopebeginstoday.org.
“I hope women realize that they are not alone and that they can always have someone in their corner and someone to always mentor them and tell them that they can do it,” Melissa said.
The couple says they’ve already raised about $3,000 in T-shirt sales for supplies for the center.
They expect the shelter to be open in March, but they are already accepting women in need. They expect to have more collections in the spring.
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