We sat down with Jutta Wittmeier, Executive Director of the Calgary Pregnancy Care Centre, to learn about what the organization does and how it continues to support the Calgary community after 38 years.

01. Tell us about yourself.

Jutta: I started out as a volunteer for the Calgary Pregnancy Care Centre (shortened “The Centre”) over 30 years ago. Seeing the difference The Centre makes in the lives of people long-term keeps me passionate about the work we do. Clients will still connect with us 20+ years later – you can see the transformation that’s happened and it’s awesome!

02. What is the Calgary Pregnancy Care Centre and what makes you different?

Jutta: For 38 years, we’ve helped those who find themselves in difficult circumstances because of unanticipated issues resulting from a pregnancy. Our staff and volunteers really are the heart of our organization – seeing 3,000 clients and 700 new intakes per year in three locations. The amount of volunteers and donor involvement also speaks loudly to our work as almost 100% of our support comes from donors who believe in what we do.

We currently offer 14 classes – prenatal classes, parenting classes, newborn baby care, baby’s first year, proactive parenting, programs for new dads, and even ‘Mothering in Canada’ which is for those who are new to Canada. Financial literacy, and peer and professional counselling are also available at The Centre. We’re always developing new programs to stay current with our clients’ needs and where they’re at.

I believe that positive change happens in the community through healthy relationships over time. We see our clients for the long haul – not just for pregnancy. Each person who comes through the door is treated as an individual. There’s no set way of treating people. We find out who they are, help them figure out what they need, and connect them with resources in the not-for-profit community so they can move forward.

03. What is your organization seeing as we come out of the pandemic?

Jutta: When everything shut down, I was kind of terrified. Fortunately, we were able to turn things around in such a short time and we’ve seen huge growth since the pandemic. Our team found creative ways to deliver programs online and also provide material goods to those who couldn’t access things like diapers or clothing – whether through sorting donations in isolated rooms or delivering to clients’ doors. We didn’t want our clients, pregnant women or small children, on public transit during that time.

Photos: Calgary Pregnancy Care Centre

Working online pushed us and increased our capacity, even from outside our community. Our [most recent] prenatal class had 40 people registered for it, plus their partners, and we wouldn’t have been able to accommodate that many clients if we only ran it in-person. The ease and convenience of being online has allowed more of our clients to complete their programs and allowed us to do more one-to-one peer counselling for pregnant women, men, victims of domestic violence, etc.

04. What’s next on the horizon for your organization?

Jutta: We’re in the process of rebranding and renaming. Those that come for a visit see that we are more than a “pregnancy care centre” and have a lot more to offer our community.

There is also huge growth since COVID at our satellite locations in Airdrie and Strathmore so our next step would be to hire more staff.

Photos: Calgary Pregnancy Care Centre

05. What other community services or non-profit organizations do you admire and why?

Jutta: There are so many great [organizations] in the community! The agencies that are hands on, working with clients directly around domestic violence are huge for me – I admire the shelters and those working with families to prevent child trauma. One of the newer agencies, Ruth’s House, supports the African community is really growing which is a beautiful thing.

06. What’s a resource or tool you think others should know about?

Jutta: Volunteers! They’re our best resource, the most effective way of reaching the community, and they have such a broad range of skills – everyone from nurses, social workers, lawyers, tech experts, they all volunteer with us and deliver our programs to clients. We really care for our volunteers and give them significance, community, and ongoing learning.

Learn more about the Calgary Pregnancy Care Centre and how to contact them by visiting their website – pregcare.com.

This interview has been edited and condensed.