Jersey Shore Women’s Center expands

The Jersey Shore Women’s Center has doubled its office space in Galloway, opening a new area in the same office building where it has been serving clients since 2020.

The new space, which opened Nov. 1, will help JSWC accommodate the growing demand for services and provide more room for events, classes and supplies that serve the women and families of South Jersey.

“With this new space, we’ll be able to offer even more support,” said Tricia Bradberry, JSWC founder and president. “We’ve already seen how critical our services are in providing real alternatives to abortion, and now we can expand those services to even more families.”

The expansion will be used to host additional events and classes. Staff have already used the new space to host two baby showers for moms who chose life, with more scheduled before the end of the year. The center also has added an eight-week post-abortion healing class. With more room, the center plans more classes, including a new course for fathers.

The new space will also be used to store supplies. The center already provides a well-stocked boutique with essentials for moms and babies, and the expanded space will help staff keep up with demand for items like diapers and baby clothes.

The expansion comes at a critical time for JSWC. A new Planned Parenthood facility has recently opened in Absecon.

“Our primary mission is to serve all women and families in need, but we also recognize the necessity of being a life-affirming competitor to the local abortion industry,” Bradberry said.

With just two full-time and two part-time employees, JSWC relies on a team of volunteers to offer ultrasounds, parenting classes and the boutique. The center is open six days per week and has facilitated nearly 2,000 client appointments so far this year.

“Our services are truly changing and saving lives,” client manager Sue Decker said. “But we need to expand. There are more services we want to offer and more women we want to reach.”

In addition to the expansion, JSWC has more to celebrate: Bradberry was recently awarded the 2024 Pro-Life Woman of the Year Award from the National Celebrate Life Conference. Pro-life activist and former abortion worker Abby Johnson presented Bradberry with the award.

For more information about the Jersey Shore Women’s Center, visit jerseyshorewomenscenter.org.