Local philanthropists donate building for Sav-A-Life

Sav-A-Life Pregnancy Resource Center dedicated its new education building in late November at a ceremony honoring the ministry’s founders, Wales and Jean Goebel. The Wales Goebel Family Education Center will house Sav-A-Life‘s rapidly growing programs for family support and counseling.

Wales Goebel Ministry gifted the commercial building at 1484 McGuire Road in 2016 and renovations were completed this year.

“We saw over 3,200 clients in our education programs this year,” Sav-A-Life Executive Director Lisa Hogan said. “That’s up more than 50 percent since 2016, but we had maxed out our space. This new facility will allow us to serve more families and add a broader variety of education topics.”

Sav-A-Life’s family programs include one-on-one mentoring for expectant and new parents, childbirth and baby-care classes, relationship counseling and support groups. Their “Earn While You Learn” incentive system lets participants shop for maternity and baby gear in the onsite store, The Stork’s Nest.

The Goebels were recognized at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for their work. They founded Wales Goebel Ministry in 1967 to assist troubled teenagers in Birmingham. Wales Goebel Ministry started Sav-A-Life in 1980 to help women with unplanned pregnancies.

Sav-A-Life Vestavia is now the largest crisis-pregnancy center in the Birmingham metro area and served nearly 10,000 clients across all programs in 2017.

Submitted by Sav-A-Life Vestavia