When I was 22-years-old, I packed up my life in Poland and moved to the United States to pursue my dreams by attending the Berklee College of Music in Boston. I didn’t know exactly what my future would hold, but I knew music would be a big part of it.
Little did I know that my future would also include a sweet baby boy and an encounter with a pregnancy resource center that would change my life for the better.
I found out I was expecting a baby during my last semester at Berklee. Even though we decided to start a family, the father of the child was sometimes silent and would become distant. Then, he would come back into the picture again. I started to experience many serious issues in my relationship with the father of my baby, so I ended up in need of support from family and friends.
Finally, I decided we shouldn’t be together, but I didn’t realize the consequences of refusing to be with my baby’s father would be so huge and would have so much impact on my financial situation.
Thankfully, when I was seven months pregnant, a friend connected me with Boston Center for Pregnancy Choices (BCPC), a pregnancy resource center that provides free resources and support for pregnant women in need. At the time, I was living in Woburn, MA, with an electric scooter as my only form of transportation. My job helped make ends meet, but I couldn’t afford a car. In order to get to the center, I had to take a train, a bus, and then the subway. While it was a long journey, I was determined to find support for my baby and me.
I was exhausted when I finally walked through the center doors, but the warmth from the BCPC staff energized me and made me hopeful for the months ahead.
BCPC explained the three options available to pregnant women. Despite always having my mind made up to raise my child with or without the father, it was helpful to understand all the options and resources that were available.
Unbeknownst to me, while I was visiting the center, a local pastor decided to donate a car to BCPC and was looking for a deserving candidate. Both the center and the pastor agreed that I would be the perfect recipient.
For me, receiving that car was life changing. It allowed me to go where I wanted and do what I needed in order to better provide for myself and my child. For the first time, I did not have to depend on anyone else for reliable transportation. While it may have just been a car to others, it was a whole new world of freedom and endless possibilities for me.
A few months later, I gave birth to my beautiful son Nathaniel and continued to receive support from BCPC. The staff regularly visited us and provided everything that a new mother would need. I received a new rocking chair, diapers, wipes, clothes and various other baby supplies at no cost. The donated car continued to help with my transition to motherhood by allowing me to drive Nathaniel to doctor appointments and daycare.
The women at the center did not owe me anything, but out of the kindness of their hearts, they gave my child and me unconditional love and support. No matter what challenges I experienced, BCPC was there for Nathaniel and me. BCPC’s support gave me the confidence, knowledge, and freedom to make my own decisions for both me and my child.
Nathaniel is now almost a year old, and we have since moved to Nashville so I could pursue my dream of being a songwriter — something that never would have happened without my own car and the generosity of BCPC.
My life is currently full of music, just as I had planned. But it now has the added bonus of also including a beautiful baby boy and a group of supportive women at BCPC who are like family to me.
I am grateful that centers like BCPC exist, and I believe that our government officials should put more effort into making society aware of the existence of these centers and how much they can help people like me and other mothers.
* * *
Valentina Gozzini now lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she’s pursuing a career in songwriting.
The view expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
[#item_full_content]
[[{“value”:”
When I was 22-years-old, I packed up my life in Poland and moved to the United States to pursue my dreams by attending the Berklee College of Music in Boston. I didn’t know exactly what my future would hold, but I knew music would be a big part of it.
Little did I know that my future would also include a sweet baby boy and an encounter with a pregnancy resource center that would change my life for the better.
I found out I was expecting a baby during my last semester at Berklee. Even though we decided to start a family, the father of the child was sometimes silent and would become distant. Then, he would come back into the picture again. I started to experience many serious issues in my relationship with the father of my baby, so I ended up in need of support from family and friends.
Finally, I decided we shouldn’t be together, but I didn’t realize the consequences of refusing to be with my baby’s father would be so huge and would have so much impact on my financial situation.
Thankfully, when I was seven months pregnant, a friend connected me with Boston Center for Pregnancy Choices (BCPC), a pregnancy resource center that provides free resources and support for pregnant women in need. At the time, I was living in Woburn, MA, with an electric scooter as my only form of transportation. My job helped make ends meet, but I couldn’t afford a car. In order to get to the center, I had to take a train, a bus, and then the subway. While it was a long journey, I was determined to find support for my baby and me.
I was exhausted when I finally walked through the center doors, but the warmth from the BCPC staff energized me and made me hopeful for the months ahead.
BCPC explained the three options available to pregnant women. Despite always having my mind made up to raise my child with or without the father, it was helpful to understand all the options and resources that were available.
Unbeknownst to me, while I was visiting the center, a local pastor decided to donate a car to BCPC and was looking for a deserving candidate. Both the center and the pastor agreed that I would be the perfect recipient.
For me, receiving that car was life changing. It allowed me to go where I wanted and do what I needed in order to better provide for myself and my child. For the first time, I did not have to depend on anyone else for reliable transportation. While it may have just been a car to others, it was a whole new world of freedom and endless possibilities for me.
A few months later, I gave birth to my beautiful son Nathaniel and continued to receive support from BCPC. The staff regularly visited us and provided everything that a new mother would need. I received a new rocking chair, diapers, wipes, clothes and various other baby supplies at no cost. The donated car continued to help with my transition to motherhood by allowing me to drive Nathaniel to doctor appointments and daycare.
The women at the center did not owe me anything, but out of the kindness of their hearts, they gave my child and me unconditional love and support. No matter what challenges I experienced, BCPC was there for Nathaniel and me. BCPC’s support gave me the confidence, knowledge, and freedom to make my own decisions for both me and my child.
Nathaniel is now almost a year old, and we have since moved to Nashville so I could pursue my dream of being a songwriter — something that never would have happened without my own car and the generosity of BCPC.
My life is currently full of music, just as I had planned. But it now has the added bonus of also including a beautiful baby boy and a group of supportive women at BCPC who are like family to me.
I am grateful that centers like BCPC exist, and I believe that our government officials should put more effort into making society aware of the existence of these centers and how much they can help people like me and other mothers.
* * *
Valentina Gozzini now lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she’s pursuing a career in songwriting.
The view expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
“}]]
