WADENA — Lakes Area Pregnancy Support has been helping women and men through the huge responsibilities involved in pregnancy, childbirth and raising a family from their Brainerd location for 25 years. They added a Staples branch eight years ago and are now offering outreach in Wadena.
Their new office space in Wadena is at the Birch Lake Counseling office at 15 Dayton Ave. SE. They offer outreach services there every Monday.
While the Wadena location is currently offering limited services, it’s a chance to reach the community and spread the word about the services available out of their Staples and Brainerd locations.
What do they do at LAPS?
They provide the following free services:
- Pregnancy tests
- One-on-one support
- DAD support
- Relationship education
- Life coaching
- Doula services for current clients
- Postnatal/ living skills classes
- Baby and maternity clothing room
- Limited ultrasounds
Director of development for Staples and Wadena Lisa Boie said the services are not income based rather they are based on sincere need. Most appointments last about one hour and can be made once a week or at the client’s convenience.
Pioneer Journal file photo
Each meeting is a private education time with a client advocate/mentor who will use pregnancy and parenting curriculum to help clients in making educated decisions around pregnancy, parenting, adoption and relationships.
You can schedule a free appointment by calling 218-513-1677.
Added features of the service is a clothing room program that allows clients access to new or gently used maternity and baby clothing.
LAPS offers a host of help to moms, but they also know the importance of helping men become better dads. Men’s classes offer help with male mentors.
They even offer life coaching services to help guide people through various relationships in their lives.
The “Next Step” classes are for both men and women and provide a six-week training program on what to expect in childbirth, infant care, better money management and adult life skills.
LAPS also provides help with post-abortive support. This is a 10-week Bible study helping women through grief and unresolved issues they may have surrounding a past abortion. For more details on this call 218-825-0793 or email [email protected]
Want to know how you can help?
If you don’t need these services but want to help, you have options. As they collect gently used and new clothing as well as toys and baby items, the public is welcome to donate those items.
They have many ways you can volunteer to help Lakes Area Pregnancy Support Center.
You can contact the Brainerd office at
or 218-825-0793, the Staples office at [email protected] or call the Wadena office at 218-513-1677.
Fatherhood challenge
Speaker Tom Gonzalez will speak about adverse childhood experiences and share a story of hope after coming from a dysfunctional family and addiction. This event is for fathers or fathers-to-be. It’s from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 27 at the Staples High School Cafetorium. Free lunch provided. This event is made possible in collaboration with LAPS, Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge, Lakes Area Restorative Justice Project and Sourcewell.
