BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — 23ABC is teaming up with three local agencies to collect items for the most vulnerable children in our community. One of the organizations is the Bakersfield Pregnancy Center, which helps more than 3,500 people each year. One of those people is Anel Rubio.
“I was still freaking out from the start even looking at the pregnancy test,” Rubio said.
She was only 16 years old when she found out she was pregnant. She felt her options were limited until she visited the Bakersfield Pregnancy Center.
“There I met a very sweet lady. We connected instantly," Rubio said. “I don’t know how to even explain it but she was there for me from the start.”
Nurses suggested she get an ultrasound, which is free of charge to all of their clients in their first trimester.
“I decided to see the ultrasound and when I saw that ultrasound turned out that I was having two instead of one,” Rubio said.
Suddenly, the price of everything she would need doubled. Diapers, baby wipes, clothing, you name it.
The Pregnancy Center assured Rubio that she and her babies would be taken care of.
“Ever since I had them the pregnancy center has always been there for me because everything that they ever had since they were born it’s because of them," Rubio said. “Diapers and wipeys and all their clothes I haven’t had the need to buy new clothes for them.”
Everything the Pregnancy Center provides to its clients comes free of charge. That's why they rely on the kindness of the community and donations to keep their day-to-day operations going.
“They were my only support mentally physically with everything. I wouldn’t have had the support and I don't know how I would’ve raised my babies,” Rubio said.
