• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About Us
  • Videos
    • Featured Video
    • Foodie Friday
    • Monthly ReCap
  • Online E-Editions
    • This Week’s E-Editions
    • 2023
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
  • Social Media
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
  • Advertising
  • Local Jobs
  • Puzzles & Games
  • Circulation Request

The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

       

Click to join our weekly e-newsletter

  • Home
  • News
    • Land O’ Lakes
    • Lutz
    • Wesley Chapel/New Tampa
    • Zephyrhills/East Pasco
    • Business Digest
    • Senior Parks
    • Nature Notes
    • Featured Stories
    • Photos of the Week
    • Reasons To Smile
  • Sports
    • Land O’ Lakes
    • Lutz
    • Wesley Chapel/New Tampa
    • Zephyrhills and East Pasco
    • Check This Out
  • Education
  • Pets/Wildlife
  • Health
    • Health Events
    • Health News
  • What’s Happening
  • Sponsored Content
    • Closer Look
  • Homes
  • Obits
  • Public Notices
    • Browse Notices
    • Place Notices

Pregnancy center hires mother of five as executive director

March 25, 2010 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Sarah Whitman

Senior Staff Writer

Ana Stooks is a mother of five, a wife and a devoted pro-life advocate. She also has an extensive background in nonprofit work, marketing and business.Stooks-winner

This made her the perfect candidate for the executive director position at the Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Pregnancy Center.

“She had all the qualities we were looking for in an executive director,” said the center’s co-founder Charlie Reese. “She has great business experience and the passion needed to run a pro-life ministry.”

The Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Pregnancy Center opened in August 2009 at 1528 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. The nonprofit offers free pregnancy testing, counseling and educational services to women of all ages. Up until now, the center ran entirely on the effort of volunteers and a 10-member board of directors.

Stooks is the first paid employee.

“I want to promote the center so that everyone in the area knows we are here,” Stooks said. “My background is in management and marketing, so I can use those skills to help the center grow. I want women to know if they have questions or are in need, we are here for them.”

Stooks is a graduate of Seton Hall University in New Jersey. She was formerly the program director for the Girl Scout Council in New York City and has worked as a training consultant for multiple businesses. More recently, she was a stay-at-home mom to her children, ages 5 to 13.

The job opening with the pregnancy center came just after her youngest entered kindergarten.

“Since all my kids are in school now, when I heard about this position, I thought it sounded like a great opportunity to help women in the community,” Stooks said. “It’s not about starting up a career, it’s about saving lives. It’s a labor of love.”

Stooks said working at the center isn’t just about counseling young girls.

“We have women come in who already have children and are struggling financially, or women who are single and unsure what to do if they are pregnant,” Stooks said. “Unplanned pregnancies can happen to all ages.”

At the center, abortion is not treated as an option.

“When a woman comes in and finds out she is pregnant, we let her know she can get through it without having to choose abortion,” Stooks said. “We offer a support system. We have volunteers who are nurses, social workers and adoptive mothers working with clients.”

If clients ask about adoption, Stooks provides them with the necessary information.

“There are so many women out there who can’t have children and want to adopt,” Stooks said. “If clients choose adoption we work with them and help them prepare mentally.”

If a client chooses to keep her baby, volunteers counsel the client from day one to delivery and provide assistance after the baby is born.

“Moms can watch videos to learn about parenting and we have a store where they can shop for baby items,” Stooks said. “If a client watches a video, or reads material we give them, they can earn points to shop in the store.”

Stooks, who attends St. Timothy’s Church in Lutz, said working at the center is about giving moms a chance to choose life instead of abortion.

“I believe it is all in God’s hands,” she said. “God has a life planned for every baby that is created. I let clients know you can be young or single and still be a great parent.”

Kathy DeSanto, a registered OB nurse, is on the board of directors at the center. She admires Stooks’ commitment to the job.

“Ana is enthusiastic about saving lives,” DeSanto said. “That is what the center is all about. It is our mission. Ana helps motivate the team and make our mission a reality.”

Stooks said her family supports her work 100 percent.

“They’ve been at the center helping, folding baby clothes in the store and organizing pamphlets,” she said. “It’s a family affair.”

The Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Pregnancy Center is funded entirely by private donations and is not affiliated with any particular church.

For information, call (813) 948-PREG

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Reddit
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Email
  • Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Search

Sponsored Content

WAVE Wellness Center — Tampa Bay’s Most Advanced Upper Cervical Spinal Care

September 5, 2023 By Mary Rathman

Tampa Bay welcomes WAVE Wellness Center, a state-of-the-art spinal care clinic founded by Dr. Ryan LaChance. WAVE … [Read More...] about WAVE Wellness Center — Tampa Bay’s Most Advanced Upper Cervical Spinal Care

Only a Few Homes Remain — It’s Your Final Chance to Build Your Home in Del Webb Bexley

August 29, 2023 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Time is running out on your chance to live at Del Webb Bexley. We’ve built the ideal active adult community to suit your … [Read More...] about Only a Few Homes Remain — It’s Your Final Chance to Build Your Home in Del Webb Bexley

More Posts from this Category

What’s Happening

09/24/2023 – Family Fun Day

B&B Theatres Wesley Chapel will host a pre-release party and a free Family Fun Day on Sept. 24 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Guests can put their "paws" on a Touch-a-Truck event, to explore trucks from Pasco County Fire Rescue, Pasco Sheriff's Office, Florida Forestry Department, and more. The first 60 guests will receive a Paw Patrol mask. Snag your tickets, too, to the Paw Patrol movie that arrives Sept. 29. … [Read More...] about 09/24/2023 – Family Fun Day

09/25/2023 – American Legion Meeting

American Legion Post 108 will meet on Sept. 25 at 7 p.m., at Mulligan’s Irish Pub, Plantation Palms Golf & Country Club, 23253 Plantation Palms Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes. Social hour will begin at 6 p.m. … [Read More...] about 09/25/2023 – American Legion Meeting

09/25/2023 – Republican Club 

The Republican Club of Central Pasco will meet on Sept. 25 at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. The guest speaker will be Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson. A social will begin at 6 p.m., followed by the meeting at 6:30 p.m. For information, call 813-996-3011. … [Read More...] about 09/25/2023 – Republican Club 

09/26/2023 – Faculty recitals

The Saint Leo University music faculty will present a program of music written by living composers, including two faculty members, Alex Ehredt and Mauricio Rodriguez. One of the compositions also features the poetry of Dr. Anne Barngrover, associate professor of English and director of the Graduate Creative Writing Program. Concerts will be held:  5 p.m., Tuesday, September 26 Selby Auditorium, Lewis Hall, 33701 County Road 52, St. Leo, FL 33574  7 p.m., Tuesday, September 26 Holy Name Monastery Chapel 12138 Wichers Road, St Leo, FL 33574 For more information or special accommodations, contact Dr. Cynthia Selph at  or (352) 588-7294. … [Read More...] about 09/26/2023 – Faculty recitals

09/26/2023 – Make Pizza Sticks

The New River Library, 34043 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel, will host a teen program on Sept. 26 at 6 p.m. Participants can learn to make pizza sticks with a quick and easy recipe. All materials will be provided. Registration is required online at PascoLibraries.org. … [Read More...] about 09/26/2023 – Make Pizza Sticks

09/26/2023 – Virtual eBay Open

The Greater Tampa Bay Area eBay Reseller meetup will host an eBay Open 2023 Kick Off Party on Sept. 26 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Residence Inn Northpointe, 2101 Northpointe Parkway in Lutz. Pre-registration is requested, but walk-ins can attend based on space availability the day of the event. For information, visit tinyurl.com/msanskbd. … [Read More...] about 09/26/2023 – Virtual eBay Open

More of What's Happening

Archives

 

 

Where to pick up The Laker and Lutz News

Copyright © 2023 Community News Publications Inc.

   
%d bloggers like this: