Tuesday, June 17, 2025
After Alice Thompson announced her retirement as executive director from Heart Choices of Beloit, with 23 years of service, she received a standing ovation at this year’s 2025 Heart Choices Spring Banquet.
“When we first started the Heart Choices program in Beloit, I was told we would never last,” said Thompson. “Look at us now! Because of our board of directors that have helped lay solid foundations in the north central area, we now have locations in Beloit, Concordia, Osborne, and Smith Center.”
“One of the best things has been working with an amazing staff,” Thompson said. “Because of them, we have been able to serve the women and men that need our help.”
The Heart Choices program has helped clients cope, helped clients find community referrals for housing or employment needs, and offered job readiness classes as one of its many individualized parenting enrichment sessions. It has helped parents make choices after hearing their baby’s heartbeat, through offering sonograms. A healthy baby saved.
Mothers have gained confidence as a mom, through programs offered through Heart Choices.
Heart Choices offers a safe place to build trusting relationships, so men and women feel safe to express themselves. If professional help is warranted, it offers referrals for that.
“Broken people continue down a broken path until they find God,” said Thompson.
Fathers find help with their children, and in an unhealthy relationship, community support is offered as well.
“The community serves for support when a baby goes home,” Thompson said. “It is great to meet new parents taking classes, excited on sharing a new family they have created.”
“I realize how blessed I am, and how grateful to have been a part of the Heart Choices program,” said Thompson. “To see, not the numbers, but the effect on the lives of the individuals we have served.”
Service since 2002:
10,581 Client visits
584 Pregnancy tests
3,548 Material assistance visits
212 Ultrasounds
2024 Highlights and Services:
59 Pregnancy Tests
45 Ultrasounds
105 Unique clients served from 18 zip codes and 9 counties
• 75 percent of clients were ages 20-24 years
• 12 percent were ages 15-19 years
Over 300 parenting enrichment classes (one on one)
320 material items given (diapers, wipes, formula)
There are 19,478 abortions recorded, according to the Kansas statistical abortion numbers, provided by the Kansas Department of Health – that is one every 30 minutes. Heart Choices is able to direct to abortion pill reversal medical services, and also offer reproductive loss peer support counseling.
The Heart Choice nurses are supervised by a medical doctor as their medical director.
Heart Choices is now working on an expansion of services in Concordia, with a better building and by providing more for a college outreach as well.
It is exploring ways to be more available and visible to college students.
“Our vision for college campus is to be approachable and supportive, building relationships before a need even arises,” said Thompson. “I believe that everyone needs that safe, healthy friend/mentor to talk to when things do get rough. We strive to provide that open-door, loving atmosphere in our centers. Women have hard decisions to make.”
Heart Choices is working on filling staff positions as well.
As Alice Thompson is retiring, Rachel Ducote will step into the executive director position.
“She has served as the program director for 11 years, and I know she will do a great job,” Thompson said. “It gives me joy and comfort to pass on the baton to her to help save lives of the unborn.”
Heart Choices’ mission is:
“To empower as many individuals as possible in the greater North Central Kansas area to make healthy life choices related to their sexuality, childbearing, and parenting, consistent with the sanctity of human life.”
Services provided by Heart Choices include, but are not limited to, Pregnancy Test, Limited Obstetrical Ultrasound, Pregnancy education, Maternity and Baby needs (diapers, formula, clothing, baby furniture, maternity clothes, and more), adoption information, spiritual mentoring, life skills education, and resource lists and community referrals. All services are offered at no charge.
“We are in this together, for the movement of life to continue,” said Thompson.
