By Breanna Call
SVI Media
The circumstances of each conception, pregnancy, and person are vastly different. And each parent has different experiences, perspectives, and needs. In our community, Azar House is here to help navigate such conversations.
Sarah Collins, executive director, states, “At Azar House we exist to help women and families facing unplanned pregnancies. We want to help them choose life and then have life more abundant. We accomplish this with a variety of services. We provide medical-grade pregnancy tests, limited obstetric ultrasounds, parenting classes, and material assistance. Additionally, we offer Pregnancy Loss Recovery classes and have a men’s mentoring program. All of our services are offered free of charge and are confidential.”
Another commendatory service Azar House offers is their boutique. After women take offered classes, they receive Azar House “money,” which can be used to purchase items, such as diapers, formula, clothes, and car seats, at their boutique. In this way, Azar House hopes to offset some of the financial obligation that comes with bringing babies into the world. Collins says, “Babies may be little, but they can get pretty expensive!”
While Azar House focuses on women experiencing unplanned pregnancies, Collins adds, “We are here in the valley to be a resource to all families. If you are experiencing a planned pregnancy that you are excited about, we are here for you too! Anyone who is a parent is able to come and take advantage of our parenting classes and our boutique.”
Azar House’s purpose is to provide resources that allow all families the opportunity to choose life. Collins explains, “Azar House does not exist to be a political organization. We are here to serve the women and the families of Star Valley and the surrounding area. We keep up to date on the political happenings surrounding abortion so that we can answer our clients’ questions. While we do not refer for abortions or provide those services, we want to be a resource for anyone that has questions about their options with regard to pregnancy. We want our clients to be educated and have their questions answered about pregnancy and abortion, even the really hard questions. We want to be a resource that our clients trust, and we want women to know they are always welcome at Azar House.”
Azar House is run purely through donations, so they welcome any sponsors and volunteers. One volunteer opportunity is working as an advocate. Collins explains, “All of the services that we offer at Azar House require an advocate to guide our clients, to talk with them and offer them support. Our advocates are well- trained, caring, and here to support clients in whatever way they can. . . . If someone is interested in working with us as an advocate, please reach out to us. We would love to share more details.”
This past Saturday, Azar House held their annual fundraiser, Walk for Life. Collins says, “We hosted a two-mile walk followed by a free lunch of hamburgers and hot dogs, a bounce house, face painting with Carrie O’Brien, a bake sale, and live music by Crown of Thorns.”
The event was successful, with over 100 people in attendance and $12,500 raised, which will go toward general costs at Azar House. Collins says, “We were so pleased! . . . Thank you to everyone who came out and spent the morning with us. If you missed it this year, we hope to see you next year!”
Azar House is located in the Etna Community Center and is open Tuesday through Thursday from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. However, Collins adds, “We try to be flexible if someone needs to come in out- side of those hours.”
To contact Azar House, you can call (307) 883-5522 or text (307) 880-2927. To learn more about their services and classes, go to their website: https://azarhousesv. org/.
