Pregnancy Resource Center at 42 years: 8,000 appointments annually, a dad class, and sourdough baking
JJ Johnson, now in her fifth year as director, and Devan Burns appeared Monday on Lead Live to walk through what 8,000 annual appointments actually looks like at a center that recently expanded its physical space with help from a Cailloux Foundation grant.
The Pregnancy Resource Center has been serving Kerrville since 1984. In 42 years the programming has expanded well beyond what the name suggests — and the details reveal an organization doing something more nuanced than most people realize.
JJ Johnson, now in her fifth year as director, and Devan Burns appeared Monday on Lead Live to walk through what 8,000 annual appointments actually looks like at a center that recently expanded its physical space with help from a Cailloux Foundation grant.
The core model: short video clips followed by 45-minute guided discussions with parenting advocates. Topics include developmental milestones, nutrition, and what Johnson calls “generational trauma” — unintentional parenting habits, often passed down from parent to child, like responding to a crying baby with physical frustration.
“Sometimes you just feel like, ‘Okay, all you need to do is just keep this baby alive and you can get to the next day,'” Johnson said, describing her approach to postpartum depression. “And it’s just giving them a moment to stop and talk.”
Parents earn Baby Bucks for each class attended. Those bucks are spent in the center’s boutique, which stocks brand-new cribs, car seats, strollers, and diapers. Used car seats are never accepted due to safety standards — a car seat’s collision history must be known before it can be safely reused.
A dedicated Dad Class meets every Tuesday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in a separate annex behind the main facility. A sourdough baking class has become unexpectedly popular, teaching families to cook from scratch. Optional Bible studies and prayer sessions are available; attendees who participate in prayer earn an extra Baby Buck.
Since the July flood, PRC has been distributing emergency diapers and car seats to affected families. Their most difficult items to keep in stock are large-size diapers — sizes 5 and up — and car seats. The center’s single annual fundraiser is Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The center is funded entirely through individual donors and private grants.
Client portal: tprckk.org. TikTok: search Pregnancy Resource Center Kerrville.
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