Finding a Passion
The church challenged members to find their passion. Four women came together and discovered they had a passion for helping female adolescents. In researching the issues related to this group, they learned that teen pregnancy was a significant and growing problem in Brunswick County.
Additionally, they found that while services existed for pregnant and parenting teens, these programs primarily focused on physical and educational needs. The women believed strongly that a more holistic approach was needed—similar to the concept of “it takes a village.”
The Founding of Samara’s Village
The founders (pictured below) chose the name Samara’s Village because Samara in Hebrew means “under God’s protection.” According to founder Donna Robey-Sullivan:
“We wanted to operate under the notion that ‘it takes a village’ to raise a child. Our goal is to provide a nonjudgmental support system that focuses on the entire family unit—not just the pregnant and parenting teen. We do this by empowering, educating, and supporting the pregnant/parenting adolescent mother and the baby’s father so that they can be in control of their lives, raise healthy babies, and grow into productive and responsible adults in Brunswick County.”
Want to receive SV e-Newsletters and updates?
CLICK HERE to sign-up
