On Jan. 22, 80-plus staff, friends and volunteers from Heartbeat of Lima and Putnam County braved the snow and cold temperatures to march from Lima Central Catholic High School to the Heartbeat office, in support of the sanctity of human life. For 50 years, Heartbeat of Lima has been affirming the value of life and assisting clients who need support during pregnancy and while raising their children.
In 2022 alone, our gifted and compassionate volunteers donated more than 2,575 hours to help us meet the needs of our clients. Of the 1,340 visits to our center in 2022, there were 784 visits for education and parenting classes. Our nurses performed 159 ultrasounds, under the guidance of our medical director, Dr. Marilyn Kindig. Visits to our Ottawa clinic increased by 12.4% over the previous year.
While the needs are significant, we are committed to providing the resources needed to help parents and children in our community. Diapers, formula and clothing are among the resources we offer clients through our center. These items are earned by parents attending programs, such as our parenting classes.
For those women who need assistance with adoption services, we work with local attorneys who handle the legal aspects of the adoption. We also work with a local counseling center to make referrals for women who need emotional support.
Heartbeat is a non-profit organization. We rely solely on donations to provide services to our clients. Residents of Allen, Putnam and the surrounding counties have been very generous of their time and resources, enabling our local pregnancy resource center to provide services for the past 50 years. We are extremely grateful for the ongoing support of our community.
Brenda Keller
Lima
Keller is president of the board of trustees for Heartbeat of Lima and Putnam County.
