Krystal Hannah has been working to help women facing unplanned pregnancy as the executive director of the Southern Ohio Pregnancy Center in Hillsboro since September.

“My goals are to lead this ministry in the way God intends for me to lead it,” said Hannah. “I know that there are lots of things here that we can improve on, and I just want to take it to bigger heights.”

Hannah worked in banking for 10 years before assuming the role at the Southern Ohio Pregnancy Center. “I quit in banking when I had my last baby, which was back in 2016, and I stayed at home to raise my kids, and I started college,” she said.

She decided to pursue a degree in Christian studies, and she said she knew that she wanted to be in ministry and work for a non-profit organization. “I was waiting until the right thing came up,” she said.

She said the center offers parenting classes, free pregnancy tests, material aid, diapers, wipes, formula and anything a mother would need to take care of an infant.

“They get parenting classes that we send to them, and they watch the parenting classes and answer some questions, and after every 10 classes they complete they’ll come in and we’ll talk with them and see if there is anything they need or they just stop in whenever they do need diapers or wipes, and that’s how we help them out,” said Hannah.

She said the center has a Circle of Friends group for new mothers that will begin meeting in March. “It gives them an opportunity to do parenting class together and be support for each other, and we do things for fathers as well,” she said.

The center also provides parenting classes for parents who are mandated by the court system to receive the education.

“A new thing on our list is to teach young moms how to cook and different nutrition facts to use to care for their kids,” said Hannah.

She said the emotional support provided to new mothers through the center is an important service.

“It’s all free, and we are all community funded, so when these mothers come in, they feel loved, and they know that we’re there to support them and to walk alongside them when maybe they wouldn’t have chosen life,” she said. “A big thing that we do is to help moms feel empowered where they can handle this pregnancy, and we’re there to support them through their pregnancy, and they don’t make that rash decision at the beginning to take an abortion pill or have an abortion, and then we walk alongside them and help them with what they need to raise this child.”

Four people work in the center full-time, and a volunteer helps at the center once a week. Additionally, an abstinence educator director leads a team of four people who go to schools to teach the center’s abstinence education program.

The center is funded entirely through donations. “We have our annual banquet, which is in April this year, and then we have our annual walk that we do in September, and those bring in a large portion of our donations, and then we get donations from different churches and individuals throughout the community,” said Hannah.

Hannah said she is excited to lead the center. “Personally, I know that God put me here, and I want to do what I can for this ministry, and I know that I want to see it grow,” she said. “We’re trying to find ways to get into the community and to let young moms know that we’re here because a lot of people don’t know that we’re here.”

Reach John Hackley at 937-402-2571.