Our Mission: To promote the value of human life
by serving the unborn and their families with the love of Jesus Christ.
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As we take time to reflect on the many blessings of this season, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for you—our donors, volunteers, and friends. Your generosity, prayers, and partnership allow us to continue serving our community and sharing hope throughout the year.
May your Thanksgiving be filled with joy, peace, and meaningful moments with those you love.
From all of us at Alternatives Care Centers, Happy Thanksgiving!
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At just 15, she found out she was pregnant with twins. Through fear and uncertainty, she found kindness, empathy, and understanding at Alternatives. Years later, she earned her degree and continues to choose life because she knows she can do this. Stories like Amanda’s remind us that every person has value, dignity, and hope.
Click the video to watch her story:
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Thanksgiving: "the expression of gratitude, especially to God".
Historically, I would think of Thanksgiving and thank God for good things: family, health, financial provision, and the opportunity to lead an organization that I love. And I still do! I thank God every day for His abundant blessings and good things in my life. As I've grown and matured, particularly in my faith, I have gained a broader perspective of the things that I thank God for.
James 1:1-4 "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
I now find that I am thanking God for His love that gently guides me into a deeper understanding of who He is and who He's created me to be, even in the hard lessons. He is good! THANK YOU, JESUS!
"We thank God upon every remembrance of you." We pray for you and celebrate the provision of God to carry out this work because of your faithfulness. In our last newsletter, you heard our requests to stock up on supplies parents will need based on the government shutdown and SNAP benefits being halted. Many donations have come through for those necessities of diapers, formula, and wipes. Thank you for showing up for our communities.
Another huge thanks to the Lord as we celebrated His provision and faithfulness last week at our Ribbon Cutting and Reception for our new Battle Creek Alternatives location. Our hearts are full of joy and expectation as we now look to the future of serving more people through this new location. A heartfelt thanks to all those who have labored with us to see this come to fruition.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all!
Cathy Stoner, Executive Director
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Alternatives provides material assistance to our clients. We accept gently used items such as maternity outfits, children’s clothing sizes
premie - 5T, toys, and strollers.
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Our current needs include:
- Formula
- Baby Wipes
- Diapers (Size 4 & 6)
- Small Hangers (Battle Creek)
- 3/4T Boys Pull-Ups
| | While most items for our clothing room are donated to us, additional items can be found on our Amazon Wish Lists, such as diapers, formula, wipes, and car seats, which must be new and in the original packaging. If you wish to help fulfill these needs, please click below. | |
Events
A Night of Community Praise and Worship Benefit Concert
Thursday, January 29th, 2026 | 6:30-8:30pm
gracespring Bible Church
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Alternatives Care Centers invites you to a free evening of praise, worship, and prayer as our community comes together to lift high the name of Jesus and celebrate the sanctity of human life. The evening will begin with praise and worship led by a multi-church team of pastors and leaders from Calhoun and Kalamazoo Counties, culminating in a concert with recording artist Mark Schultz.
About Mark Shultz:
Mark has a passion for pregnancy care centers because it’s a chance to tell his story and to give back to the very organizations that helped save his life. Through music, humor, and storytelling, Mark will share his powerful testimony of adoption and illuminate God’s highest call: to rise up as champions, standing in the gap for others when it matters most. This is more than a concert. It’s a call to prayer, boldness, compassion, and action. “What these organizations are doing is saving lives,” says Schultz. “And I’m one of those lives.”
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Alternatives is blessed with a diverse community of people who use their God-given talents and skills to strengthen and support this ministry.
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Right now, we are seeking volunteers to serve in the following areas:
- Reception - Kzoo & BC
- Nurse - Kzoo
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Advising - Kzoo & BC
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If you feel that one of these volunteer roles fit your gifting, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Debbie Koenig.
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We’re launching a text-based prayer chain.
Sign up to receive prayer requests for specific clients—shared in a way that protects their privacy while inviting powerful intercession.
| | Employee Highlight & Welcome | | |
We are beyond blessed to introduce Elida Rodriquez as our new Administrative Assistant in Kalamazoo!
Officially joining us in September, Elida already feels like part of the family here at Alternatives. We are incredibly excited to have her on the Kalamazoo team!
Elida brings with her an amazing testimony and a powerful witness to God’s goodness in her life. It’s truly inspiring to see how God is strengthening the Alternatives team according to His perfect design.
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The Autumn Gala
Thank you once again for the incredible participation and support we received at our Autumn Gala last month. We are truly grateful for God’s continued faithfulness.
If you were unable to attend, we’ve included our gala follow-up letter and a link to the full recording of the event. In it, you’ll hear compelling messages from our team and see how God is using your support to make an impact in our community.
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My heartfelt gratitude goes out to everyone who worked so diligently to make the move of the Alternatives Care Centers Battle Creek location possible. It is bittersweet to leave our beloved space on West Columbia Avenue, yet incredibly exciting to step into our beautiful new home at 215 E Roosevelt Avenue. God's presence and His divine guidance have been with this ministry for the past 13 years, and we are truly blessed to be a part of this work.
Thank you to all who joined us for our ribbon-cutting ceremony. What a wonderful opportunity to give back to God what He has so generously given to us. We are also grateful to anyone who attended the Reception and toured our new building. Your presence was a true encouragement and a reminder of how deeply supported the Alternatives organization is. We felt your excitement and were honored to spend that time with you.
Thank you for celebrating with us! - Monaya Ballard, Battle Creek Center Director
| | Join Our Team - Current Staff Positions | | Clinic Quality Assurance Director | |
Are you a state-licensed RN passionate about making a difference in people’s lives? As our Clinical Quality Assurance Director, you will lead the development, implementation, and ongoing management of all Alternatives medical programs, ensuring excellence in care and compassionate service to every client.
This is more than a leadership role—it’s an opportunity to shape programs that transform lives, support families, and advance our mission in the community.
| | | Sexual Risk Avoidance Instructor | |
As an SRA Instructor, you will inspire and educate young people in schools and community organizations by teaching our Sexual Risk Avoidance curriculum. In addition to leading presentations, your role will include preparing materials, completing routine office tasks, and participating in ongoing training and professional development to grow your skills and impact.
This is an opportunity to empower youth, make a lasting difference, and support healthy decision-making in our community.
| | | Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | |
As a Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS), you will combine your technical expertise with compassionate patient care. Your primary responsibility will be performing limited obstetric ultrasounds to verify pregnancy, providing clients with both information and reassurance.
This role calls for strong clinical skills, excellent communication, and the ability to connect positively with clients and collaborate effectively with staff. Make a meaningful impact while using your expertise to support families in our community.
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