Needs for 'Ike babies' remain full-fledged

GALVESTON?Last November, the TEXAN published an article regarding the Pregnancy and Parenting Support Center's ministry to disaster-stricken families in Galveston County. However, the center's Executive Director, Christy Anne Dickson, said the situation has gotten worse for families, particularly for those with infants.

In mid-March, 1,400 families who lost everything in the hurricane also lost their FEMA-support for the hotels where they lived, and thousands are living in their cars, said Dickson, who noted such difficulty is compounded for families with infants.

"We saw 40 families last week, and I'm sure we'll see many more next week," Dickson said from her temporary office in Texas City. The center's Galveston office remains in ruins after Hurricane Ike buried it under eight feet of water.

Dickson noted that families were cited with child endangerment traffic tickets because they lost their child car seats to flooding or the ensuing mold and mildew. Despite donations to alleviate this problem, about 400 families still need child car seats.

Thanks to Dickson, police now give drivers a card instructing them how they can contact the center and to register for a new, free car seat.

Citing other problems affecting Ike babies, Dickson said thousands of people lost their jobs and all their possessions. Local hospitals and virtually every mom-and-pop business are defunct. More than 10,000 residents on the island still have no electricity or telephone service.

"When people hear these statistics, they are shocked," said Dickson, who noted the dire urgency to help families with infants. "We're trying to make sure the needs of infants and children are met in the midst of all this other chaos. But since donations have all but shut down, we can't serve." Dickson explained that supplies and cash reserves are almost gone, and if something isn't done soon, the center will have to cease operation in a matter of days.

"Most of the world is of the mistaken opinion that Galveston is OK. However, we are no longer getting the support we need to provide for the babies we have been assisting. We've had no public or government funding?not from FEMA nor the Red Cross," she said. "All of our support is generated by the body of Christ."

Dickson wants donors to know that every care package distributed by the center?which is affiliated with the North American Mission Board's network of pregnancy resource centers?leaves with a Christian witness in the form of a label that reads: "Given in Jesus' name." Also, some packages have New Testaments in them.

"The center exists to minimize abortion decisions," Dickson added. "And the best way to do that is by offering practical support and education." During normal operations, the center offers prenatal, parenting, job skills, GED and Bible study classes. The required classes offer redeemable points that parents use to buy goods for babies. But that program is suspended until life returns to normalcy on Galveston Island.

Dickson expressed her gratitude for churches and individuals who have attempted to restore normalcy by giving their time, money and goods to the center's ministry. But the devastation of Hurricane Ike remains as destitute families try to feed their children and provide the most basic of human care.

"We are trying to meet the needs of almost 1,000 babies a week. That's about 1,000 packages of diapers per week. These babies need formula and food too," Dickson said. "Not only do we need food and formula, we need 400 car seats, diapers, wipes, lotion, powder, shampoo, clothes?whatever baby products are out there, we need them." Happy to receive the actual products, Dickson believes that cash donations simplify logistics for the center.

Dickson further said that ministry opport