Residential home for at-risk pregnant women and their children opening this fall in Effingham
By ANDREW HANSEN
Editor
El Shaddai Homes will open this fall in Effingham.A home for pregnant women who are wanting to keep their baby but are facing hardships, women wanting to put their child up for adoption, women who are homeless with children, and women who are facing an urgent need to leave their current residence for safety reasons will soon have a warm, welcoming, and safe home to turn to in Effingham. This fall, El Shaddai Homes is scheduled to open, which will be able to house 10 women and their children. El Shaddai, which translates to God almighty, was founded by Lisa Krampe. With the help of area businesses, generous donors, and Catholics in Effingham County, the 19-bedroom facility will fill a tremendous need in the area.
“I felt attracted to the empty for sale building that was once a living facility, after this happening a few times I began to pray about it,” Krampe said. “I felt like God was attracting my attention to this building. After much prayer He began to open my eyes and heart to a maternity home going there. I didn’t know much about a maternity home but began stepping out in faith.”
The home, located at 505 W Temple Ave., just a few minutes from St. Anthony of Padua Parish and Sacred Heart Parish in Effingham, continues to undergo renovations in preparation for its opening. Krampe says most of the supporters of this pro-life effort have come from the Catholic community in Effingham County.
Once open, residents must attend church every Sunday, attend parenting and money management classes and finish high school or GED classes (if needed). If they are able, they must also have a job. They will also be responsible for their own cooking and cleaning the home. Women will be able to live at the home for the duration of their pregnancy and three months after the baby is born (they can apply for extension after that if they need additional time). If they can afford it, Krampe says they will charge $50 a month so the women have “some responsibility.”
When asked what the goal of the facility is, Krampe answered that these women and children are “to be introduced to Jesus Christ and transition out into the community to be self-sufficient and live hopeful lives for themselves and their babies in our communities.”
El Shaddai Homes is funded by donations and, once they open, hopefully grants as well. Krampe says she has already received phone calls from pregnancy centers in the area asking if they are open because they have pregnant women who are homeless in need of support, love and care — so the need in the community is already there. Krampe would like area businesses, restaurants, health-care facilities, and pregnancy centers to have brochures of their facility to help spread the word about El Shaddai Homes. To support their mission, go to elshaddaihomes.com.