In September, Brooke Worsley started a job that she has been working towards her whole life.

From attending East Carolina University, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in health education, to having an internship in Cambridge, England, for a semester to work in teen pregnancy prevention to working for the health department, she has been slowly building up to this.

Now, as the director of Lifeline Pregnancy Help Center, Worsley has found her calling.

“This is something I’ve always wanted to be involved in. It just never worked out before this position became available,” she said. “The church I attend has always been involved in this ministry. I quit work after my second was born for about a year and a half. My friend works in the Elkin office and heard the director position was open and it was part-time. It all came together so I called the Elkin office.”

Her husband of almost seven years, Jay, has been the associate pastor of youth and education at Salem Baptist Church in Dobson for five years. Even with three children, Josiah, Preston and Addison, the oldest of whom is 4, she was still looking for ways to give back to the community.

“My husband’s in the ministry and I support him in that, but I knew God had bigger things for me to get involved in. Rarely do non-profits hire so this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” she said. “It’s a way for both me and him to be involved in ministry.”

She has found support from her family in her work. Even her children help out with the program.

“My oldest understands what I do. He’ll ask, ‘Are you going to go help mommies with babies?’” said Worsley. “We have a baby bottle campaign here where we ask people to take a baby bottle and collect change in it. My 4- and 3-year-olds have one and they put change from their piggy banks in it.”

Even though the center is open only on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Worsley is always available to help via phone. Even with the constant demand that often follows her home, Worsley does not see what she does as work.

“When I leave, I don’t feel like I worked all day. It’s a ministry, and at the end of the day, I feel in some way, shape or form I’ve impacted someone’s life. I just feel really good about what we do here,” she said. “Even on the crazy days, it’s just great. It’s just awesome what we’re able to do here.”

At the center, Worsley, along with a number of volunteers, help community members through an after-a-crisis pregnancy or through Post Abortion Syndrome as well as educating young people about abstinence until marriage. While the center deals a lot with teen pregnancy, officials have seen a rise in the number of married couples seeking help. With the economy and the fact that unemployment is high, couples have sought help from the center more when they have an unplanned pregnancy.

Lifeline operates with an Earn While You Learn program. Those seeking help sign up to participate and visit the center for an appointment at least once a week. By attending the appointment, they can earn coupons to use in the center’s store to get baby clothes and other essentials.

“Usually they come in needing a pregnancy test first. If it’s positive, we give them their options including information about parenting and adoption. If they ask, we will provide accurate information about abortions, but that is not an option we promote. If the test is negative and they are unmarried, we offer a sexual integrity program about remaining abstinent from that point until they get married,” said Worsley.

The center is available to help walk women through their pregnancy from the time they come in until the child is 2-years-old. It also is not just a program for the women who are pregnant. The fathers are encouraged to visit the center and attend classes.

“We recently bought a whole fatherhood curriculum. We try to educate them as much as possible about being a parent,” she said. “I have realized there needs to be a lot more education out there.”

Since starting in September, Worsley has been pleasantly surprised by the amount of community support the center receives as well as how receptive the community is to its existence.

“I didn’t realize how many churches and businesses are involved in this ministry. They come through with our needs,” she said. “We can always use more volunteers. We need counselors, but we can use people in other areas as well. The community has been very receptive and very supportive of what we do.”

Lifeline runs entirely off donations and volunteers. It hosts a couple of big fundraisers each year including the Walk for Life event May 14 at Fisher River Park and a banquet in October. Because the center relies on volunteers, there also is a spring volunteer training session March 15 and 17.

Contact Morgan Wall at mwall@mtairynews.com or 719-1929.