'Open Door Project' Brings Family, Pregnancy Resources to Breckenridge
By: Homa Bash
Updated: February 6, 2013
The Open Door Project recently opened its doors in Stephens County,
offering a place for expectant mothers, teenagers, parents and families
to go to when they need help.
"We wanted to make sure people don't have to drive out of town or out of our community when they need help with their marriage or their parenting skills," said Nikita McBride, Director of the Open Door Project.
With locations in Cisco and now, Breckenridge, the goal is to fulfill a need in the communities that McBride says was severely lacking.
"They had none of these programs here in Breckenridge. Nowhere to take parenting classes, to take life skill classes, to have all of the programs that we offer," she explained.
The nonprofit uses an Earn to Learn program that is already in place at locations across the country.
There are dozens of books filled with lesson plans and homework for people to work through in a wide range of courses -- from parenting and pregnancy to fatherhood and nutrition classes.
For every part of the program parents complete, they earn bucks.
Those "bucks" can then be used in two rooms inside the facility to purchase anything from children's clothes and baby food to diapers and bassinets.
"All of these items -- the clothes, the baby furniture -- are donated in from the community so that clients can then earn bucks and be able to provide for the needs of their families," McBride said.
The nonprofit's client base ranges from 12 years old to people in their sixties.
For Breckenridge high-schoolers Sierra Gann and Shelby Wilcox, the classes at the center are invaluable -- providing key building blocks for their future.
"I think every kid in high school should take them in order to respect themselves and help with their marriage in the future," Gann said.
"It helps me because I know now that I wouldn't be the only one, if it happens to me, to have that emotional hurt," Wilcox added.
Opening doors to what lies ahead, one step at a time.
The location at 1701 N. Walker St. in Breckenridge that the nonprofit is currently at is just temporary.
They plan to buy land in the area and build an entirely new facility from the ground up soon.
The Open Door Project is funded by donations from the community and also receives state funding.
All of the services they offer are free for anyone to use.
"We wanted to make sure people don't have to drive out of town or out of our community when they need help with their marriage or their parenting skills," said Nikita McBride, Director of the Open Door Project.
With locations in Cisco and now, Breckenridge, the goal is to fulfill a need in the communities that McBride says was severely lacking.
"They had none of these programs here in Breckenridge. Nowhere to take parenting classes, to take life skill classes, to have all of the programs that we offer," she explained.
The nonprofit uses an Earn to Learn program that is already in place at locations across the country.
There are dozens of books filled with lesson plans and homework for people to work through in a wide range of courses -- from parenting and pregnancy to fatherhood and nutrition classes.
For every part of the program parents complete, they earn bucks.
Those "bucks" can then be used in two rooms inside the facility to purchase anything from children's clothes and baby food to diapers and bassinets.
"All of these items -- the clothes, the baby furniture -- are donated in from the community so that clients can then earn bucks and be able to provide for the needs of their families," McBride said.
The nonprofit's client base ranges from 12 years old to people in their sixties.
For Breckenridge high-schoolers Sierra Gann and Shelby Wilcox, the classes at the center are invaluable -- providing key building blocks for their future.
"I think every kid in high school should take them in order to respect themselves and help with their marriage in the future," Gann said.
"It helps me because I know now that I wouldn't be the only one, if it happens to me, to have that emotional hurt," Wilcox added.
Opening doors to what lies ahead, one step at a time.
The location at 1701 N. Walker St. in Breckenridge that the nonprofit is currently at is just temporary.
They plan to buy land in the area and build an entirely new facility from the ground up soon.
The Open Door Project is funded by donations from the community and also receives state funding.
All of the services they offer are free for anyone to use.
