CHARLOTTE — More than 100 Birthright of Charlotte supporters gathered April 16 at the Fine Arts Center at Charlotte Catholic High School for its inaugural gala to celebrate two years and 700 area mothers served.
“This is amazing and life changing for both mothers and babies in our local community,” said Executive Director Hank Chardos.
Chardos and his wife opened Birthright in Columbia, South Carolina, in 1980, and after seeing the overwhelming need, started the Charlotte chapter in 2024. Nationwide, the organization’s 170 chapters assist expectant mothers with pregnancy support resources.
During the gala, the Diocese of Charlotte and Victory Christian Center were presented with Louise Summerhill Awards – named after the Birthright founder – for supporting the Charlotte chapter.
Its cozy office is a home located on Monroe Road that is not built out of brick and mortar, Chardos said, but faith and love. Its walls are covered with photos of smiling babies, all small testimonials of the miracle that happens when God takes over.
As Chardos said of the moms who walk in its door, “We want to find out who she is, what her needs are, and after that connect her with lots of resources. Before she leaves, she knows that we want to help.”
“When you walk in, you feel welcome,” volunteer Nicole Schrift said. “There is no shortage of hugs, there is no shortage of prayers… but one thing is for certain: every beautiful woman I have encountered becomes brave, fierce and resolute.”
Two of those mothers, Jordan Myers and Ta’Nya Mays, attended the gala with their new bundles of joy to share stories of the guidance, support and love they received from Birthright.
“When I first connected with Birthright, I was at a place where I was overwhelmed, uncertain, and honestly alone,” Myers confessed. “Life didn’t look the way I thought it would, and I was trying to figure out how to move forward while carrying so much weight.”
As a mother of two small children, she did not have the luxury of falling apart, she said. There were days she did not know how she would make it or where to turn.
“They didn’t judge me. Birthright stepped in with compassion and support,” Myers said.
Just as they do with every client, Birthright’s 16 volunteers offered essentials like food, diapers, and wipes, provided emotional support, and connected her with a mass of resources. The team topped it all with prayers from more than 250 people on its prayer line.
“When someone shows up for you like that, it is truly life changing. Because of Birthright, I didn’t feel alone anymore,” Myers said. “I felt seen and supported. I felt like I had a village behind me. They reminded me that I can keep going even on those days when I didn’t believe it myself.”
Birthright provides hope, she said. The “village” transforms a mother’s journey to joy rather than fear. Whether it is Uber rides, hospital visits, a 3:00 a.m. prayer request, a home-cooked meal, or a loving hand to hold – Birthright is there.
St. Mark parishioner Gina Bertucci, loves giving back through Birthright. As a single mother of two children, she sympathizes with the moms she assists.
“If everyone helps a little, it helps a lot,” Bertucci said. “Not all our moms come in happy, but once they have that baby in their arms and they have that support, they are suddenly overjoyed. They need to be embraced and loved.”
To volunteer at Birthright or donate to support expectant mothers, visit https://birthrightofcharlotte.org/
— Lisa Geraci
