The goal of Mary’s Shelter is to promote and save lives. As a contributing member of the Shelter, you have the opportunity to share in the miracles woven from the continuing achievement of this goal. 191,698 live births reported for all of 1997.  This represents an increase of 1,652 over 1996.  Of those reported, (98%) were purely elective procedures. 

In Orange County Florida there were 10,173 abortions for 12,356 live births. 

In Seminole County Florida there were 4,341 births to kids minor girls under age 17 in 1998.   

Within the time it takes for one school classroom period , another 120 teens become pregnant.  Of the 120 pregnant girls, 105 of the boys walk out on the relationship and pregnancy, 35% of the girls walk out on the child by choosing an abortion. 

Every time the school class bell rings another 277 teens contract an STD.

1 in 2 Americans under the age of 65 are infected with an STD.  

In America we used to have the healthiest kids in the world.  Today the majority of our kids have the most contagious STD's in the world.

90% of all cervical cancer is due to HPV or genital warts.  

Genital warts are the most contagious STD being passed by skin-to-skin contact.  Condoms do not protect you from skin-to-skin contact.

1 in 2 students graduating college graduates with an STD.  Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, Syphilis, Herpes. What have they learned?

Why are teachers, parents and health professionals defending our kids right to have sex by promoting "safer sex"?  We now have more pregnancies, suicides, violent behavior, abortions and STD's than ever before.

Of the top ten disciplinary problems confronting public school teachers, pregnancy is third.

Teens make up 10% of the U.S. population but they contract 25% of the STD's annually.  

Nearly one in five teenagers who experience a premarital pregnancy will get pregnant again within a year.  Within two years, more than 31 percent will have a repeat pregnancy.[1]

46% of single mothers receive public assistance.[2]

Over 50% of the national AFDC budget is related to adolescent pregnancy. [3]

Of prison inmates between 15 & 19 years of age, 90% are products of an adolescent pregnancy. [4]

Three in ten teen mothers go on welfare within three years of the birth of their first child. [5]

One in three teen mothers drops out of high school.  Teens may not have developed good parenting skills, or have social support systems to help them deal with the stress of raising an infant. [6]

More than nine in ten teens who give birth keep their babies.  Very few consider the positive aspects of adoption.  It seems obvious that all agencies need to do more to promote the value of adoption. [7]

We are in desperate need of housing in the Seminole County Florida area.  The goal and objective of our shelter is to reduce and eliminate all of these problems. 

Take a step in faith with us.  Putting together a program like this involves the cooperative efforts of many people and we ask your help in raising the necessary financial support.  We ask for your prayers so that together we can work to make this home a reality. Donations to implement this project are needed.  You can contact us to make a donation by filling out the online form or requesting more information at marysshelter@cfl.rr.com.  

[1] National Research Council.  Risking the Future: Adolescent Sexuality, Pregnancy and Childbearing.  Cheryl D. Hayes, Editor, Washington, D.C. National Academy Press, 1987.

[2] Technical Analysis Paper No. 42, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Office of Income.

[3] Sex and America's Teenagers.  The Alan Guttmacher Institute, 1994. 

[4] Campaign for Our Children. http://www.cfoc.org/6_media/6_facts.cfm?Fact_ID=95&FactCat_ID=12

[5] Kids Count Missouri, http://www.oseda.missouri.edu/kidcnt/reports/teenpreg/econcst.html

[6] March of Dimes-Birth Defects Foundation, P.O. Box 1657, Wilkes-Barre, PA. 18703. 19 May 1994.

[7] National Committee for Adoption. Adoption Fact book: U.S. Data, Issues, Regulations and Resources. Washington, D.C.: National Committee for Adoption, June 1989.