MOOSEHEART, IL, Feb. 5 – Mooseheart Child City & School is moving ahead with a newly formed, church-based nonprofit organization in the Aurora, IL area to create and fund a temporary home on the Mooseheart campus for pregnant minor girls, both before and after they give birth to their babies.

As early as August, as many as five underage mothers, aged 13-18, may be housed in the now-vacant South Carolina Home on the Mooseheart campus, with supervision and care for both mothers and infants from existing Mooseheart caregivers, with counseling as to adoption options, and with academic classes likely made available for the young women at Mooseheart’s middle school and high school.

Mooseheart Executive Director Scott D. Hart noted that this would create the only residential home for underage mothers in the Fox River Valley area.

Hart said he was first approached in mid-2008 by representatives of local churches -- including First Presbyterian, Our Lady of Good Counsel and Warehouse Church of Aurora – which have now grouped with several other local churches and individuals under the umbrella name of “Maternity Homes of the Fox Valley.”  The now-incorporated group is chaired by retired Kane County Circuit Court Judge Peter Grometer.

“This group asked whether, if they could raise sufficient funds to pay for such an operation, Mooseheart would be willing to consider providing housing and sustenance for both the young girls and ultimately their newborn babies,” Hart said.

“After consideration of all possible issues, and consultation with Mooseheart’s Board of Directors, we agreed to proceed on at least a trial basis – if the group would agree to commit to raising $100,000 per year between them,” he said.  “We can provide a home, and care.  But we did not feel that we could or should place this additional financial burden on the Moose fraternal organization in addition to its current generous support of Mooseheart’s operation.”

During the first several weeks of the new year, the proposed plan has been aired among the congregations of some of the churches, and feedback has been sought to gauge the prospects of achieving the necessary fundraising levels.

“The figure we gave to the group was $100,000 per year,” Hart said. “We’re relatively comfortable that this amount will be sufficient to support such a household – including the somewhat different, sometimes more intensive, caregiver needs that would be generated by such a home; plus needs for prenatal care and transportation to medical appointments or to local hospitals.”

Applications for residency in this home on the Mooseheart campus would be submitted through the normal Mooseheart admissions process – referred through licensed clinical social workers, pastors and other professionals in the area.  Girls would be welcomed early in their pregnancies.

Depending on the age and academic standing of the participating girls, Hart said, they would be accepted temporarily into classes in Mooseheart’s on-campus middle school and high school.

In every case, Maternity Homes of the Fox Valley would offer logistical assistance and counseling to help each girl determine whether keeping her baby or giving it up for adoption was the best course for her newborn and herself.

Following delivery of the child, generally, a girl and her newborn would be expected to move off the Mooseheart campus within six to ten weeks after delivery.  If, however, a girl under approximately age 17, and her legal guardian, were to determine that they wished to enroll the girl into Mooseheart as a full-time student, and Mooseheart agreed to accept the student, such a girl would continue with her studies at Mooseheart High School and move into a regular Mooseheart residence.  Future plans involve a potential Transitional Living program for longer-term care and services.

“We think this is a plan that can work, and we’re committed to help to make it work, said Hart.       “It basically depends at this point whether the funding goals can be met on an ongoing basis.”

MOOSEHEART CHILD CITY & SCHOOL is a community and school for children and teens in need, located on a 1,000-acre campus, 38 miles west of Chicago.  Over its 97-year history, Mooseheart has been home to nearly 12,000 young people, ranging in age from infancy through high school.

Mooseheart provides complete home care, education and training for youth whose families are unable, for a wide variety of reasons, to care for them. Some have lost one or both parents; others are living in environments that are simply not conducive to healthy growth and development.

Founded in 1913 by the Moose fraternal organization, Mooseheart is supported completely through private donations -- the great majority of which continue to come from the 1.1 million men and women of the Moose fraternal organization, in more than 1,700 Lodges and 1,600 Chapters located throughout the U.S. , Canada , Great Britain and Bermuda. Moose International headquarters is located on the Mooseheart campus.

A campus population of roughly 230 children and teens live in one of approximately 30 residences, each designed like a spacious single-family residence. Each is home for six to twelve children.

For more information, visit www.mooseintl.org or www.mooseheart.org, or contact 630-966-2229.