Stanton Healthcare walks with families through unexpected pregnancies

By Philip A. Janquart

ICR Editor

For a woman facing an unexpected pregnancy, the questions can come quickly: What am I going to do? How will I afford this? Who will help me?

Those are the kinds of questions Stanton Healthcare is prepared to answer with more than words.

The organization provides medical care, practical resources and ongoing support to women and families who may feel they have nowhere else to turn.

The mission of Stanton Healthcare, according to Taylor Garnica, the organization’s director of ministry outreach, is to help families navigate those challenges.

“We’re here in force, and we want to resource you and love on you,” Taylor said.

Founded in Boise 20 years ago by Brandi Swindell, Stanton Healthcare has grown from a small ministry operating out of donated space in a chiropractic practice into an organization with three Idaho locations, a mobile medical unit serving Ontario, Oregon, and additional outreach efforts beyond the state.

Taylor said the organization’s roots began with Swindell’s desire to respond to the needs of women facing unexpected pregnancies.

While working at Yosemite National Park, Swindell met a young woman who became unexpectedly pregnant and later chose abortion. Taylor said the experience deeply affected Swindell, who saw a need for greater support and resources.

That experience led Swindell into pro-life ministry work, and in 2006 Stanton Healthcare was born.

The organization launched out of donated space in a chiropractic practice, moved above the food bank at Vineyard Church and eventually purchased its first permanent clinic on State Street in Boise, which is now the Stanton Wellness Center.

Today, Stanton’s headquarters and flagship location are in Meridian, where the organization provides medical services and client support. Its mobile medical unit operates as an independent clinic serving Ontario, Oregon.

A ministry of support

Taylor said Stanton’s approach is focused on accompanying women and families beyond pregnancy confirmation.

The organization provides pregnancy verification, ultrasound exams, sexually transmitted infection testing, client advocacy, practical assistance, consultations with licensed medical professionals and connections to community resources.

“We’re really walking with families,” Taylor said.

That support continues after a child is born through Stanton’s wellness center, where families can participate in programs such as parenting classes, lactation consultations and other services.

“When you become a part of the Stanton family, you’re always a part of the Stanton family,” Taylor said, adding that many families remain connected to Stanton long after their initial visit.

“We have stories of clients coming in years later and walking their child through the clinic and us meeting them and being able to help them with clothing, maybe, later on,” he said.

The organization’s services are offered at no charge to clients. Taylor said Stanton provides hundreds of thousands of dollars in services each year through financial support from donors, churches, grants and fundraising efforts.

“We do not take any state or federal money,” he emphasized.

He said partnerships with churches throughout Idaho are a vital part of Stanton’s work.

“The Knights of Columbus have been wonderful,” Taylor said. “We love them.”

Meeting women where they are

Before providing services, Stanton staff members first seek to understand each client’s circumstances.

Taylor described the initial meeting room as a place where staff members learn about a woman’s circumstances, including whether she has family support, whether the father is involved and what challenges she is facing.

“This room where we are sitting really exists to just calm the noise,” Taylor said. “‘What’s going on in your world, and how can we love on you? How can we serve you?’”

He said some women arrive believing abortion is their only option because of financial struggles, relationship difficulties or pressure from others.

“Abortion is a symptom of a greater issue,” he said. “There’s so much that’s happening in your life, and if we can calm that noise … we can tailor our care to you.”

Taylor said Stanton’s goal is to provide compassion and support while allowing women to make decisions without feeling judged.

“We will never manipulate or coerce a mom into not having an abortion,” Taylor said. “We will always have a conversation about life and meet you with a lot of hope, no judgment, just compassion.”

The impact of an ultrasound

For Dina Zaccolini, a Stanton sonographer, one of the most meaningful parts of her work is seeing the reaction of women during an ultrasound.

“It’s like utter shock to them,” she said. “‘Wow, there’s really a baby, there is a real baby in there.’”

She said hearing a baby’s heartbeat can be an especially powerful moment.

“No matter how small that baby is, I put on a type of Doppler where you can hear the heartbeat,” she said. “They will say, ‘Wow, there’s really a heart beating in there.’”

Zaccolini said the experience is emotional for many women.

“Oh, yeah; there’s a lot of crying,” she said. “But even all of these emotions can manifest in different ways. Sometimes there’s anger. Sometimes there’s sadness, but mostly crying.”

She said many women come in believing they are not prepared to become mothers.

“What we say to them is, ‘You’re already a mother,’” Zaccolini said.

“That baby’s already in there and growing and their heart is beating,” she said. “And when they come to that realization, they’re like, ‘Whoa, wait a minute. I’m already a mother.’”

Resources for families

Beyond medical care, Stanton provides practical resources designed to help families overcome challenges.

The organization offers baby supplies, diapers, maternity clothing, formula and other necessities through its resource rooms.

Taylor said donated items are carefully selected because dignity matters.

“There’s a difference between being given something that’s kind of ratty or soiled versus something nice. And how you feel matters,” he said.

Stanton also provides wellness resources for pregnant women, including pregnancy care information, supplies and encouragement through its Stanton Wellness Box.

Taylor said the goal is to reassure families that they are not alone.

“It’s a small but powerful way that communicates to our clients, ‘We are here for you, to love on you,’” he said.

The organization also provides period care kits through schools and community partnerships as another way to serve women before they ever become Stanton clients.

“It’s another tangible way of just loving on the community,” Taylor said.

Looking ahead

In addition to its Idaho locations and mobile medical unit serving Ontario, Oregon, Stanton has a clinic in Southern California, a clinic in Belfast, Ireland, and a public policy center in Washington, D.C.

Taylor said the organization believes its mission requires involvement at multiple levels.

“You really need to be on both fronts if you’re going to make an impact and have a difference,” he said.

Although Stanton has expanded, Taylor said the organization’s future is ultimately in God’s hands.

“If the Lord takes us to other states, that would be great,” he said. “At the end of the day, Stanton belongs to Him.”

For Zaccolini, the heart of Stanton’s mission remains simple: serving women and families with compassion.

“We love these women,” she said. “It’s such an honor and a blessing to just pour into their lives.”

She said many women who come through the clinic notice something different.

“They feel the presence of God and just the sincerity in our hearts,” Zaccolini said. “Just loving them no matter where they’re coming from.”