These and other PRISM helpers gathered in Troup recently to put together special baby bottle fund-raisers which are being distributed to various groups and organizations for collecting spare change. The money collected will help PRISM be more self-supporting. Pictured from the left are Abbey Jeske, Madeline Wallace, and Martha Jeske. PRISM is a ministry based in Troup which helps establish and support pregnancy resource centers. The faith-based organization was founded by Troup resident Tami Hale just over a year ago when she and her husband moved back to Troup from Waxahachie.

Currently, the small, but enthusiastic organization is passing out baby bottles in Troup and throughout the East Texas area. Between Mother's Day and Father's Day, the bottle recipients are asked to "Change" (diapers might have been more appropriate, but baby bottles work much better) A Life (in) 2006 by filling up the bottles with spare change.

The "Change" A Life 2006 fund drive is an effort to support PRISM's general budget, to show funding agencies that the organization is at least partially self-supporting, and to qualify for a matching donation hinted at by a previous supporter.

PRISM founder Tami Hale holds one of the baby bottles used to help the organization raise funds. If enough is raised, a charitable organization has hinted it might provide matching funds. PRISM is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization, which means the donations it receives are tax deductible to the giver. PRISM does not charge for its services, which include helping a community establish a pregnancy resource center or, if it already has one, providing practical assistance, encouragement, resources and training for staff, volunteers, and board members.

Pregnancy resource center is an apt name to describe the organizations that PRISM helps. But many people, including Hale, often refer to them as crisis pregnancy centers. That's because Hale said they help women facing the crisis of an unplanned pregnancy. Generally, she said, a crisis pregnancy center offers a free pregnancy test, peer counseling, parenting classes, learning opportunities and, in one form or another, the ability to earn baby items.

There are hundreds of crisis pregnancy centers in Texas and more opening all the time, according to Hale. PRISM's goal, she added, is "for every community to have a crisis pregnancy center." These faith based centers generally try not to be political, but do try to show women that there are other options to abortion.

"Our hope is that they will make a fully informed decision," she said. The founding of PRISM is

basically the story of Hale's journey while at Waxahachie. After leaving Troup in 1997, Hale eventually felt a call from God to take a job as a director of a crisis pregnancy center in Waxahachie.

Such centers are often run by staff and volunteers who feel a call to help in some way. Because of that, they frequently are untrained when they begin.

That was the case with Hale.

"I had no experience," she admitted.

As the director, Hale learned on the job. Unplanned pregnancy does not always mean the woman is unmarried. A lot of her center's clients were married, and happy with their pregnancy. That, however, did not

keep an unplanned pregnancy from being a life crisis event. Her clients were thankful for the help they received. Gradually, husbands began to come, too. She developed a 46week long curriculum, consisting mostly of educational films.She organized a baby boutique that was a mini store. Her center's clients used the "baby bucks" they earned through participation to purchase diapers, baby bottles, etc.

In three years as the center's director, Hale felt she had learned some valuable skills. With three grown children, when she and her husband moved back to Troup in April of 2005, she had the time to put those skills to work. She founded PRISM to help provide the expertise she had learned to those who needed it.

"The challenges I faced and others in the ministry faced are much the same everywhere," she said.

To confirm that, she took six weeks calling every pregnancy resource (or crisis pregnancy) center she could find Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. She found out about the state of each center-how much it was being used, what resources it offered clients, and what each center's greatest needs were.

In its year in Troup, PRISM and Hale have been busy recruiting, promoting, and helping. Susanne Littleton is PRISM's vice president and the two women are forming a board of directors. Volunteers, who Hale calls "friends with a heart for this ministry" are a big help. She added that the group "takes every thing to prayer."

One of PRISMS first clients was a group that had been trying to establish a pregnancy resource center in McKinney for three years. In April of last year they contacted Hale and the new ministry was on its way. In February, the McKinney center opened its doors.

More recently, Hale spent two days with a new director in Brenham and she conducted a board training session for them. When she started helping the center only had the financial support of one church.

"Now, they are getting calls every day," Hale said.

PRISM is also talking with a group in Henderson about starting a pregnancy resource center. And Hale is working by phone with a group from Orlando, Fla.

Hale is hopeful that will develop more support in Troup and one day help establish a pregnancy resource center there. Currently, PRISM is not affiliated with a local church, but Hale said her organization's funraiser is being aided by both the First Baptist and First Methodist churches there. It is also being supported in Jacksonville, Tyler, and Big Sandy.

Until a local center can be established, if a pregnant woman in need calls, Hale said PRISM will find a center for her. Calls to PRISM can be made at 903-283-3613.

Meanwhile, Hale and her husband are back home.

"We're thrilled to be back," Hale said.