By Melanie Pace | Broadcast Reporter

Pregnant women faced with homelessness in Waco are provided meals, living arrangements and learning opportunities at the Care Net of Central Texas guesthouse.

The guesthouse was originally founded to provide shelter and resources to women considering terminating their pregnancies due to homelessness.

Care Net’s CEO Deborah McGregor said for many of these women, maintaining a pregnancy means being forced to live on the streets. For pregnant women with other children, McGregor said Care Net is the only place in Waco where they can live for free.

When a woman is around seven months pregnant, finding a job becomes difficult. Without a job, they can no longer afford housing or transportation. McGregor said this is when Care Net can offer help.

“Many of the women come in with maybe a grocery sack or two of their belongings,” McGregor said. Care Net provides them with groceries and clothing, so long as each woman takes part in Care Net’s educational program.

McGregor said stable housing, income, transportation and child care are the four things a woman must have in place in order to be independent. If the women follow this plan, they leave Care Net “living in a healthy way to where other people cannot sabotage their success.”

Most of the women at Care Net are out of the guesthouse within six months. Some even continue to pursue their education.

“They’ll start thinking by looking at what somebody else is accomplishing ‘I can do that,’” McGregor said. “That’s an extra bonus that I didn’t even require.”

To donate to Care Net, click here.