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Living in China across this period of tumultuous change has been so, so many things: thrilling, agonizing, spirit-lifting, soul-crushing, inspiring, and depressing—and everything in between. I've experienced moments of soaring pride and abject shame. For me, as I suspect is the case with many, the pace of change is what makes China so compelling—what draws so many to China, and what draws so many Chinese to its epicenters in the coastal cities. China is in a moment of such obvious historical significance that it would be almost unthinkable for me to miss out on what happens as it continues to lurch forward. Well, mostly forward.Being witness to the transformation forces one to confront many of the bigger questions about history, culture, politics—hell, about the whole human condition. At least in my case, living here has forced me to rethink many assumptions that I had come to take for granted growing up in America. In particular, I came to challenge much of the ethical/cultural absolutism that I (rightly or wrongly) attribute to my American upbringing. I came to an appreciation for the sheer weight of the historical baggage that Chinese carry. But I also came to understand just how malleable people can be, too—their ability to change and to adapt, and to do so very quickly. To have lived in China across this period is to have wrestled with the contradictory truths of continuity and change.Just a bit of personal background: I was born in the U.S. to parents who were both born on the Chinese mainland. I first visited China in the summer of 1981, and again in the summer of 1986, and it was the massive change across that period that compelled me to shift the focus of my study to China, and after that point, I started paying much more attention to China's history and politics. I lived in China from August of 1988 to June of 1989, leaving after the suppression of the student-led protests that year. I returned to China most summers while a grad student in the early 90s, and then moved to China and 1996 after dropping out of a doctoral program. I've lived in Beijing ever since. I'm married to a native Beijinger, work at a Chinese company, and play in a rock band where I'm the only non-native Chinese member.One caveat: People in the U.S. tend to focus on the changes in the last decade or so, but to my mind, the biggest and deepest changes in China took place in the 1980s, in the initial years of reform and opening. The physical and infrastructural changes may not have been as pronounced and conspicuous as during the following decades, but the change in mentality during this time, especially in the major coastal cities, was momentous.I'll use 1988 as a kind of default baseline for describing the changes, because that's the first time I lived in China as an adult, thinking and occasionally writing about conditions in China.The physical and infrastructural transformation is the most obvious, and to some extent it underpins much of what's happened. There's no category that falls under this topic that hasn't witnessed startlingly rapid improvement: Railways, highways, airports, air transport, trucking, ocean shipping, urban roads, bridges, subways, electrification, telecommunications (both wire line and wireless)—you name it.Because it's such a key determinant in the overall look of city, changes in architecture in China's urban centers might be a good place to start. In Beijing in 1988, there was only one building I can think of that was over 30 stories tall: the Bank of China building on the west Second Ring Road at Fuchengmen. The number of steel-and-glass towers in Beijing (let along Shanghai, where there's a veritable forest of skyscrapers) is well beyond anyone's easy tally. Construction was uniformly shoddy. Typical buildings were concrete slabs covered in hideous white bathroom tile with cheap blue glass windows. A lamentable period in the mid- to late-1990s saw the construction of dozens of western-style buildings with "Chinese hats" thrown on them as an afterthought. Fortunately, standards have improved. The white-tile, blue-glass construction has been banned in Beijing, and no one is mandating the "Chinese characteristics" that produced those awful roofs. Instead, Beijing and China's other major cities have become giant, willing canvasses for some of the world's great architects—Rem Koolhas (the CCTV Tower in Beijing), Norman Foster (Beijing Capital Airport's Terminal 3), Zaha Hadid (the Galaxy Soho complex in Beijing and Guangzhou Opera House, now under construction).Life at street level has undergone equally rapid transformation. In 1988, it was still quite common to see carts drawn by horses, mules, and donkeys, carrying rebar, bricks, ceramic tiles, or (in winter) round, perforated briquettes of pressed coal. Nowadays, one still occasionally sees a mule-drawn cart carrying apples or peaches in Beijing, but it's really only the fruit sellers from orchards on Beijing's periphery, not building materials or fuel.Of course, the sea of bicycles that was still a common site on any urban thoroughfare well into the late 1990s in Beijing is a thing of the past. Kids still ride bikes, of course, but these days you don't see so many of the heavy, steel-framed single-speed classics (Phoenix, Forever, and Flying Pigeon were the big brands): Instead, middle school students all have fancy mountain bikes or BMX models with ridiculously complex spring suspensions.Now it's all cars, to my constant vexation. Traffic started to get noticeably bad by about 2001. Just a few short years before that, in the late 1990s, when I used to prowl Beijing in a red Jeep Cherokee, there were never any traffic jams to speak of. People parked haphazardly, with never a charge. The types of cars on the road have radically changed, too: Where in say 1998 the roads were still dominated by domestically-produced Daihatsu Charades, thin-sided Changchun "bread loaf cars" (a kind of crappy minivan), and Cherokees, and Citroens with the occasional (and markedly more upscale) Shanghai Volkswagen Jetta or Santana, a mere five years later there were all manner of luxury cars: Mercedes and BMW, and of course the ubiquitous Audi ("the official car of official corruption," a journalist friend of mine once quipped). Today, in the age of conspicuous consumption, Beijing is packed with luxury cars and more: I see more density of Maseratis, Ferraris, and Porsches here than I've seen in any other city.The telecommunications revolution has been dizzying everywhere, but probably nowhere more than in China. In the late 1980s, getting a phone installed would take literally weeks, and would cost what was then a small fortune: Several thousand yuan at a time when average households pulled down perhaps a few hundred yuan monthly. Only elites had phones. No wonder then that when cellular service became available to the public in the mid-1990s there was a rapid leapfrog effect. In 1996, mobile phones still cost over 10,000 yuan and service was prohibitively expensive. People called cell phones da ge da (大哥大), literally "big brother big" in snarky reference to the big-shots who could afford them. Over the next five years the price plummeted and they became incredibly ubiquitous, but what blew me away was the extent of network coverage. Today, coverage is near-total for most people. Elevators, subways, parking garages—there's almost nowhere one goes in day-to-day life where you don't get a good strong signal, with the exception of whatever apartment it is I happen to be living in. An astonishing 900 million people now have mobile phones in China.Going to the bank to do something quite simple—say, wiring money to someone, or closing out an account—used to be something that would take practically a full day. Now you can do most banking online (though the insistence of so many Chinese banks on using Active X means Mac users and people who hate IE-based browsers are left out), and at least some banks are delightfully efficient. (Here I should single out China Merchants Bank for praise).The improvement in basic availability of goods—something made possible by China's huge investment in transportation infrastructure and power, by policies that encouraged manufacturing, and by China's opening to the outside world, is another change in life that's almost impossible to overstate. When I lived in China for ten months in 1988, ordinary consumers had very limited access to imported goods, and what was made in China back then, before China started producing so much of the world's consumer products, was not what you'd call export quality. Major Chinese cities had what were called "Friendship Stores," where one could only purchase goods with Foreign Exchange Certificates (or FEC), theoretically available only to visiting foreigners who traded them for hard currency. As late as 1989, many commonplace electronics like decent portable cassette players, higher-end bicycles, imported liquor and the like were still only available at these Friendship Stores for FEC, and the only Chinese who had access to these FEC either traded for them on the black market (back when the Renminbi was artificially high, not artificially low, and there was a black market!) or had relatives living abroad.Now the material abundance is almost suffocating. The sheer number of enormous malls in cities like Beijing and Shanghai seems to me completely unsupportable, and yet they continue to multiply. A consumer here now basically wants for nothing. Remember this was once a place where only recently relocated workers at multinational companies, diplomats, and journalists were given extra remuneration because it was regarded as a "hardship post."Availability of foodstuffs also changed drastically across this period. In the late fall, as late as the late 1990s, Beijingers would routinely buy hundreds of pounds of Napa cabbage and bundles of green onions and stack them like cords of wood in their courtyards or their stairwells. Here in North China, the selection of vegetables in winter was truly depressing. Now, fresh produce in tremendous variety is available year-round, and the stacks of Napa cabbage have long since vanished. Things that were once rare, like decent beef, wine, Scotch, or good imported cheeses are now available at the many specialty import grocery shops at least in the first-tier cities.While the first privately-run restaurants appeared in the capital in the mid-1980s, even by the end of the decade the overwhelming majority were state-run eateries staffed by the surliest of waitstaff who would curtly inform you that they were out of about 80% of the things you would order at a given meal. Hours were short: lunch was served from 11:30 to 1, and dinner from 5 to 7. Arrive any later and you were out of luck. There was a radical transformation in dining that took place from the mid-90s across a decade, and by the early 2000s in Beijing there was a whole kilometer-long stretch lined on both sides by 24-hour restaurants representing every regional Chinese cuisine you can imagine. Today in Beijing, apart from having great restaurants serving every imaginable regional Chinese fare, there are also restaurants where decent food from every major world cuisine is available. Just to name some of the more obscure world cuisines represented here, there's an Azerbaijani restaurant, a Georgian one, an Uzbek restaurant, several Mongolian places, at least one Moroccan, one Hungarian, and one Romanian restaurant, a couple of Louisiana Cajun joints, and at least two North Korean restaurants. And there are at least a dozen Indian eateries, Japanese restaurants in the hundreds I would guess, several dozen Italian places, and plenty of French, Thai, Spanish, Russian, Greek, Lebanese, Turkish, and German places. The only badly underrepresented cuisines here, as far as I'm concerned, are Mexican (one, maybe two decent restaurants) and Ethiopian (as of now, none!).Oh, and the service in most restaurants has gone from intolerably surly to tolerably good, even in the absence of tipping.The kind of material transformation I've described has naturally brought on horrid, catastrophic environmental change. This is obvious to anyone who's spent any time here. The air quality is wretched. The water in something like 80% of freshwater lakes and rivers is dangerously contaminated. Soil erosion and desertification are serious problems because of massive deforestation. These aren't abstract problems: As I said, anyone who comes here sees the environmental problem at some level.Of course the most critical changes haven't been in hardware, but software. The kind of social and cultural transformation is something one could write many, many books on. Chinese people have undergone the kind of change that one would think would cause major psychological harm in most populations. And while not everyone has come up through this process with their sanity intact, most folks here strike me as impressively stable, resilient and mutable.The fact that for the overwhelming majority of Chinese under 40 today material life has gotten better year after year for the whole of their conscious lives has had a real impact on people. On the one hand, it produces a kind of optimism and buoyancy that's a bit like the way Americans of the late 1950s felt. On the other, quite naturally, there's now a sense of entitlement, and spiraling expectations out of life. Consider this: Many young Chinese who've recently graduated from college are actually angry and feel a grave injustice has somehow been done because they can't afford to buy property. I wonder, though, in what major nation can the average recent college graduate realistically expect to buy even a modest condominium.China's (in)famous One Child Policy has of course produced a whole generation of urban youngsters, the oldest of them now in their early 30s, who have no siblings and grew up with six doting adults around them: their two parents and four grandparents. This seems to have had different effects on different individuals, and I hesitate to make generalizations about the generation of the "Little Emperors." On the one hand I find many who are emotionally crippled: dependent, spoiled, entitled, whiny. On the other I've met many who are equally independent (sometimes to a fault), very self-possessed and confident, and much more assertive than Chinese of an earlier generation.While there are some high-minded, public-spirited individuals, it would be hard to argue with the assertion that the dominant ethos has become rampantly materialistic. Chinese today are on balance far more consumption-oriented than their recent forebears. People have often spoken of a "moral vacuum," and I tend to think this has been overstated, but I do recognize that for many there's a lack of moral nourishment if not a total vacuum. Money-madness manifests itself the same in any society, I suppose, but in China seeing it up close has been very dispiriting. The virtues of thrift and frugality turn into miserliness and a willingness to cut corners. Business ethics are too often just thrown by the wayside. There is very little mutual trust.In the cities, especially, there's a mad rush to get ahead. The pace of life can be absurdly fast—and this in a place where I once distinctly recall musing, "You know what I love about this place? It's the slow pace of life." You see it in the way people walk: it's gone from a maddeningly slow saunter (late 80s) to veritable speed-walking. People get in elevators and instantly start pushing the close door button repeatedly.Again, in the cities especially, people have gone from a quaint insularity to a near obsession with the popular and material culture of the west. Pirated disks (music, movies, software), the rapid spread of the Internet, and a steady flow of tourism into and out of the country have of course helped facilitate this.Just to cite one example, take rock music. In 1988, when I started playing music in China, you could count the number of active rock bands in the whole country on your hands. Today there are well over a thousand bands playing original music in Beijing alone. Where back then it was near impossible to find decent guitar strings, drum sticks, or snare drum heads, today in Beijing there are two streets lined with guitar shops stocking vintage Fenders and Gibsons, selling Marshall stacks and Mesa-Boogies, and every stomp box you can imagine. Every year there are hundreds of rock festivals held in cities across China you've never heard of.This is clearly one of those answers that I could go on about forever, and I might! If there's an area of Chinese life you want me to speak to, please leave a comment and let me know and I'll try to add it in.

Teens browse this list for services in your area. Don’t run away, call for help.NEW YORK AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION (ACLU) : YRights As a Pregnant Or Parenting Teen (2007)]Pregnant or Parenting? Title IX Protects You From Discrimination At SchoolGuttmacher Data: Minors’ Rights as ParentsIf you are facing abuse or threats because of your pregnancy here is a crisis line. http://www.thursdayschild.org/html/about.htm 800-USA-KIDSRESOURCES STATE BY STATE:ALABAMA: Babies First: United Methodist Children's HomeFor teen mothers in foster care.If you are a pregnant teen in Alabama in foster care, ask your case manager, counselor or CASA worker if this program could be right for you.ALASKA Passage House: Passage House907-272-1255 (Call to get help now.)Ages 17–21ARIZONA: Girls Ranch Scottsdale: Girls Ranch - Florence Crittenton.Ask a school counselor, case manager, or CASA Advocate about Girls Ranch Scottsdale.An adult needs to help arrange admission if this program is right for you.Most but not all pregnant teens at Girls Ranch Scottsdale are in Arizona state custody.ARIZONA:The House of El-Elyon:HousingParenting ClassesAges 12–18ARIZONA: Starting Out Right: Starting Out Right | Free Pregnancy Test | Arizona Youth PartnershipCall 520–719–2014 or email [email protected] suppliesARIZONA: Tempe. TeenAge Pregnancy Program (TAPP) / APPP👩‍🎓Educational support.Case management.Counseling.Parenting preparation.ARKANSAS: Compassion House: Get Help - Compassion House479-419-9100 (Call for help.)HousingChristian orientation.Ages: 19 and underARKANSAS: Hanna House: Hannah House of Fort Smith Arkansas479–782–5683 phone or email: [email protected] 13–29CALIFORNIA: (Alameda County) Bay Area Youth Center: Real AlternativesEmail: [email protected] SkillsAges 16–25CALIFORNIA: El Nido Programs - El Nido Family Centers: Teen Family ServicesHome Visits help teens connect to healthcare, education, counseling, financial help employment and childcare.Several locations in Los Angles areaAntelope Valley: Pacoima office at: 818.896.7776CALIFORNIA:Maternity Shelter Program - Home [email protected] Diego AreaAges 18–24CALIFORNIA : (Lake County) Lake Family Resource Center. Teen Parenting/Adolescent Family Life ProgramServices for Pregnant and Parenting teensMust enroll before 19th birthdaCalifornia: Welcome to Mary's Pregnant Teen Shelter .Housing.CALIFORNIA: (Sacramento) Waking the VillageHome Infograph — Waking the VillageContact us about our housing programs: 916-601-2979HousingEducational SupportIntensive MentoringCase ManagementArt, Friendship, Community, CreativityChild Development CenterTravel, Recreation, CampingAges 18–24CALIFORNIA (HOUSING) (North Hollywood.) Youth Volunteers of America Los Angeles. (VOALA) Women’s Care Cottage. Women’s Care Cottage is an Independent/Transitional living program assisting homeless young women coming out of emergency shelters, foster care and probation. Admits women with one infant up to the age of 1 year. Provides up to 18 months – 3 years of housing, case management, counseling, social and cultural activities. Ages 18–21.COLORADO: options for Pregnant or Parenting Teens. Jefferson County Adolescent Pregnancy and Parenting Program (JCAPPP) Jeffco Public Schools. Non-residential. Specialized curricula, job-training, social support. Onsite childcare for teen parents.COLORADO: ttp://ttps://obgyn.coloradowomenshealth.com/health-info/teens/teen-pregnancy-programs Non-residential. University of Colorado/Colorado Adolescent Maternity Program. (CAMP) Specialized obstetrical care for teens. Emotional and social support.COLORADO: (HOUSING) Hope House of Colorado Quote from the website: “Hope House is metro-Denver's only resource providing free self-sufficiency programs to parenting teen moms, including Residential, GED, and College & Career Support programs. Additional supportive services include parenting and life skills classes, healthy relationship classes, and certified counseling, all designed to prepare them for long-term independence.” (ages 16 to 24)COLORADO: Yampah Mountain High School Non-residential, public School-based support for pregnant and parenting teens. High quality Infant and toddler childcare onsite.CONNECTICUT: Noank Community Support Services Clift House. Shelter care for ages infant to 18, either gender. Pregnant and Parenting teens.CONNECTICUT: Young Parents Program Public school-based services for pregnant and parenting teens. High School completion support and ONSITE childcare at High Schools for teen parents. Districts offering the Young Parents Program: Bridgeport, Griswold, New Britain, Torrington, Waterbury, Windham. Contact: Shelby Pons, MSW, [email protected] (860) 807-2126DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: (Non-Residential) Teen Alliance for Prepared Parenting Specialized Pre-natal care. Education support. Counseling. Teen fathers also served. Ages Served: Adolescents who are pregnant and aged 21 or younger are eligible to enroll at any time during their pregnancy. Young fathers may enroll if they are expecting a child, or if they have a child under the age of five years. Once enrolled, youth may continue to participate in the program until 23 years of age.DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: http://tps://dcps.dc.gov/page/expectant-and-parenting-students (Non-residential). Expectant and Parenting Students. New Heights. “Supportive case management and assistance with securing services, such as a childcare voucher, WIC, housing, TANF, employment, job training opportunities, college/university admissions and more.” Public High School Programs: The following schools have the New Heights program in their buildings, and can be reached at the following phone numbers:Anacostia, (202) 645-4040Ballou, (202) 645-3400Ballou STAY, (202) 727-5344Cardozo, (202) 671-1995CHEC, (202) 939-7700 ext. 5063Coolidge, (202) 282-0081Dunbar, (202) 698-3762Luke C. Moore, (202) 678-7890Roosevelt, (202) 576-8899Roosevelt STAY, (202) 576-8399Washington MET, (202)727-4985Wilson, (202) 282-0120Woodson, (202) 939-20324. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (HOUSING) Perennial Transitional House for Teen Parent23.DISTRICT OF COLuMBIA: HBP Teens Non-residential. Support services and structured classes for pregnant and parenting teens. Case Management and Home Visiting. Centered particularly on the needs of young African-American parents. Multi-phase program. Ages Served:12–2124.DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: DC Social Innovation Project Non-residential. Teens to Doulas: This innovative program trains teens who are already parenting to serve as doulas for women in the community. The goal is for successful teen mothers to share their skills to reduce the risk factors in the community for other mothers.25. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Teen Parent Assessment Program (TPAP)(Non-residential) Financial Issues: This is an assessment program that evaluates teens for independent living in the D.C. area. Usually, teens can apply for TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) in D.C. , but must be living with their parents to receive this aid. The Teen Assessment program determines on a case by case if the pregnant/parenting teen in an independent or other living situation qualifies for the aid. Service Contact: Teen Parent Assessment Program Contact Phone: (202) 698-6671Contact TTY: 711. If you are unable to get an appointment for the Teen Parent Assessment Program, you may need to get a referral from your school guidance counselor or other social services.26.DELAWARE: Diocese of Wilmington Bayard House27.FLORIDA: (HOUSING) Group Home, Bellview FL, Hands of Mercy Everywhere Hands of Mercy Everywhere. Christian-oriented residence that also offers diverse practical, educational, and therapeutic services to teen mothers. Ages served not specified28.FLORIDA: Hannah's Transitional Living || ANCHORAGE CHILDREN'S HOME || (850) 763-7102 Transitional living apartments for pregnant and parenting young women. Ages 16–2229.FLORIDA: Home Our Mother’s Home. Keeps teen mothers who are in foster care with their children.30.FLORIDA: (Pinellas County) Transitional Living Programs - Family Resources SafePlace2BTOO-Young Moms. (Scroll down the page for maternity services. The first program listed on the page has the same name but is for LGBT youth.) Housing and support. 18 month program. Ages 16–21.31.FLORIDA: Woman to Woman - Children & Family Services Gulf CoasJewish Children & Family Services. Non-residential mentoring and goal-setting for pregnant and parenting teens. No age range specified.GEORGIA: House of Dawn: Changing Lives, Changing Generations770–477–2385Housing👩‍🎓Educational SupportCareer and Life skillsCounselingAges 13–23GEORGIA: Home | The Living Vine Christian Maternity Home.HousingProgram emphasizes strict Christian environment, so possibly suitable only for committed Christians.Hawaii: Hale Kipa: Independent Living Program808.754.9844Emergency ShelterAges 12–17HAWAII: Neighborhood Helping Pregnant and Parenting Teens Neighborhood Place of Puna. Non-residential. Practical, material and emotional support.37.HAWAII: (HOUSING) Mary Jane Home | Catholic Charities Hawaii The Mary Jane Home. Ages Served: 18 and over.38. IDAHO: (and Eastern Washington) Alexandria's House | Volunteers of America Ages Served: 16–20.39.IDAHO: (Burley) Cassia High School Alternative Public High School. Serves teens who would benefit from an alternative school, including pregnant and parenting teens. Childcare for teen parents provided.40.IDAHO: Marian Pritchett School Marian Pritchett School. (Serving pregnant teens since 1964) Public High School for pregnant and parenting teens. Includes Giraffe Laugh Childcare for students attending Marian Pritchett School. Marian Pritchett - Giraffe Laugh.41.ILLINOS: (HOUSING) (Chicago) response-Ability Pregnant and Parenting Program (RAPPP) The Night Ministry operates 120-day housing programs for youth and for pregnant and parenting young mothers and their children. Call toll-free 877-286-2523. Ages 14–19.42.ILLINOIS: http://theharbour.org/successful-teenseffective-parents.html The Harbour. STEPS Program. Individual subsidized apartments for teens and their children. Parenting classes, counseling and case management. Age range served: not specified.43.INDIANA: Maternity Home With A Heart Hannah’s House. (HOUSING.) Faith-based/Christian. Parenting classes, counseling, referrals to community resources, emotional support. Serves ages 13 up. (Website states youngest resident they have served was 13 and the oldest was 43.)44. Indiana: Project Home IndyResidency for Teenage Mothers (Link leads to application page)HousingMedical CareEducational SupportParenting ClassesLife Skills ClassesAges 15 -19 at admission.45.INDIANA: Young Families of Indiana Network Future Promises. Non-residential school-based support for pregnant and parenting teens.46.INDIANA: (South Bend) Youth Service Bureau of St. Joseph County Young Mom’s Self-Sufficiency Program. (YMSSP) Non-residential support services.47. IOWA: Ruth Harbor - Pregnant? Christian orientation. Counseling, midwife care, doula services, recreation, outings. Ages ?-24. Does not specify minimum age.48.IOWA: Transitional Living for Teen Parents United Action for Youth. (UAC) Housing and other supports. Ages 17–21.49. IOWA: Transitional Living Services - Youth & Shelter Services, Inc. - Iowa50..KANSAS: About Us | Wichita Children's Home 1. Bridges. Housing for pregnant and parenting teen mothers 2. Moving on to Motherhood (MOM-Non-residential case management and support.)52. KENTUCKY: (HOUSING)Mother & Baby Home All God’s Children Mother & Baby Home. Faith-based. Nationally Accredited Childcare program onsite provides care for resident’s babies so they can attend school. Support, therapy, classes. Ages 13–21.53.KENTUCKY: (Louisville) Teenage Parent Program Georgia Chaffee Teenage Parent Program (TAPP). Non-residential. Provides support and services to help pregnant and parenting teens complete their high school educations.54. KENTUCKY: 👩‍⚕️ Young Parents Program (YPP.) Non-residential. Specialized obstetrical care, support and counseling. Ages served: Under age 18.55. LOUISIANA: I'm Pregnant. Now What?Phone : (318) 925-4663Crisis Line : (318) 277-9506Email : [email protected] Sanctuary for Women. Faith-based/Christian. Counseling, goal-setting, career planning, parenting classes, life skills and recreation. Participation in religious activities may be required. Onsite accredited education/certified teacher for High School completion or GED. Ages served: 13–23.56. LOUISIANA: Parenting Jus4me. Non-residential. Support and parenting classes for pregnant and parenting teens. No age range specified.57. LOUISIANA: http://ttp://www.lighthouseministriesinc.org/ The Lighthouse Child Residential Center. Faith-based. Cares for pregnant and parenting teens and their children. Licensed to care for children from birth through age 18.MAINE: FINANCIAL HELP: TANF and Teen Parents58. MAINE: rgh Rumford Group Homes Teens are housed in several different apartments supervised by the program and are provided with various services. Ages 16–21.59. MAINE: Crisis Center | Bangor, ME Shepherd’s Godparent Home. Ages served: teens to thirties.60. MARYLAND: Programp=s for Pregnant Teens and Teen Mothers | Hearts & Homes for Youth Damamli. This program is for pregnant and parenting teens in the foster care or juvenile justice system. The program starts the teen in a specialized foster home and later she lives independently with her child, with support from the program in her own apartment. Age range: 16–20.61. MARYLAND: Housing & Support Saint Ann’s: Grace House, Hope House and Faith House. Residence with onsite High School. Ages 13–21.62. MASSACHUSETTS: Programs Bridge Over Troubled Waters. Single Parent Housing. Transitional Housing for teen parents. Does not specify age range served.63. MASSACHUSETTS: (Boston) St. Mary’s Home Faith-based history but apparently no religious requirements or programming for participants. Housing. Case management, onsite high school completion, parenting classes, therapy. Ages 13–21.64. MICHIGAN: Shelter - Alternatives For Girls Provides emergency shelter for homeless teens and their children. Transitional housing program also available. Website did not mention specific maternity care programs offered. Ages 15—MICHIGAN: Eastpointe. Gianna House now open, but the website isn’t up currently. RESIDENTIAL. Ages 13–17. Contact information will be posted here ASAP>65. MICHIGAN: MI Health Family - MOASH Websites provide information on help for pregnant and parenting teens in Michigan. Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health. (MOASH) PREGNANT & PARENTING TEENS Ages served not specified.66. MICHIGAN: Michigan Adolescent Pregnancy and Parenting Program (MI-APPP) Case Management for pregnant and parenting teens. No are range specified.MINNESOTA: LEGAL RIGHTS OF TEENS: The Rights of Teen ParentsMINNESOTA: A School for Pregnant and Parenting Teens Longfellow High School. Non-residential public high school.MINNESOTA: The Nest: A Maternity Home The Nest. Focuses on ages 18–25 but may accept minors placed by parents. More information soon.MISSISSIPPI: http://mchms.org/pdfs/MCH_Two_of_Us_Brochure_032314_RGB.pdf Two of Us Therapeutic Maternity Home. Full-time licensed nursing staff. Highly specialized intensive care and education for mothers and infants. Ages 10–18.MISSOURI: 👩‍⚕️ https://www.barnesjewish.org/Medical-Services/Obstetrics-Gynecology/Women-Infants/Childbirth-at-Barnes-Jewish/Teen- Pregnancy-Center Barnes Jewish Hospital. Non-residential services, including specialized obstetrical care, classes and support. Ages 17 and under.MISSOURI: Mother's Refuge - Supporting Young Mother (HOUSING). Ages 12-21. Does not appear to focus on excessive religious pressureMISSOURI: Nativity House KC Faith-based. Roman Catholic.MISSOURI: Youth Services - reStart reStart Youth Services. Four transitional housing units for pregnant and parenting teens. Ages 16–21.MISSOURI: Home The Sparrow's Nest. (HOUSING) Ages 19 and under.MONTANA: Blackfeet Teen Pregnancy/Parenting Coalition Teen Pregnancy Parenting Coalition. Non-residential. GED tutoring. Case Management. Peer support. Nutritional Counseling. Childcare. Ages Served not specified.MONTANA: Mountain Home Montana Non-religious, comprehensive program. Housing. Bonnie Hamilton Home. (Group living) Mountain Home Apartments. (Individuals living with child.) Licensed Therapy. 24–7 mental health crisis line. Other resources. Ages 16–29.MONTANA: Nurtured baby, Healthy adult, Strong community Florence Crittenton . (Needs updating)NEBRASKA: CARES. ( info needs updating-program may be closed.)NEBRASKA: Center for Healthy Families Nebraska Mental Health/Project Harmony. Non-residential. Support services for pregnant and parenting teens. No age range specified. (Omaha residents only).NEBRASKA:Teen & Young Parent Program - Nebraska Early Childhood CollaborativeNNEVADA: “Living Grace” website is not available as of 8/15/2019. Will update as I get more information.NEVADA: Pregnant and Parenting Teen Saint Jude’s Ranch. Most residents are youth placed here by state social service and juvenile justice agencies.NEVADA: Contact Casa De Vida. (HOUSING) —More information available soon.NEW HAMPSHIRE: (Littleton)TRANSITIONAL LIVING PROGRAM (HOUSING). Case management, GED/Highschool completion, parenting classes and other services for pregnant and parenting teens and young adults. Ages served 18–21.NEW HAMPSHIRE: Our Place | Catholic Charities New Hampshire Our Place. Non-residential Faith-based. (Roman Catholic) Prenatal, breastfeeding, parenting and other classes and resources for parents of all ages.NEW JERSEY: http://ttps://www.cge-nj.org/program-offerings/adolescent-program/ The Center for Great Expectations (Adolescent Program) (HOUSING) AOther programs for women also available. Licensed Clinical Staff. Ages served: 13–18,NEW JERSEY: Capable Adolescent Mothers Crossroads Programs. (HOUSING) Intensive Long-term program. For General Program Information regarding Crossroads’ programs and services, please contact Michelle Wright at 609 880 0210, ext 109. Ages: 16–21.NEW JERSEY:services and Programs that help young homeless mothers and pregnant women Raphael’s Life House, Inc. Housing, licensed counseling, parenting classes, GED completion and career development. Ages served: Not specified.NEW MEXICO: Catholic Charities of Gallup NM (HOUSING)Casa San Jose. Residential care for pregnant and parenting teens. Ages Served: Not specified.NEW MEXICO: 14 to 17 Information Page Information from Pegasus Legal Services for Children about legal rights of minors in New Mexico, including teen pregnancy and parenting.NEW YORK: Residential Services Catholic Charities Community Maternity Services. Multiple programs: Heery Center-Ages 12–21, focuses on pregnant and parenting girls placed by juvenile and state agencies. Joyce Center is the transitional living maternity home.NEW YORK: Pregnant/Parenting Teens Children’s Village-Inwood House. Age range served not specified.NEW YORK: (Rochester) http://ttp://centerforyouth.net/index.php?cID=89 The Center For Youth. Chrysalis Program. 18 month program. Residential setting for pregnant or parenting young women. Ages 16–21.NEW YORK: Supportive Housing (Brooklyn) Diaspora Community Services/ “Mother’s Gaining Hope”. Federally funded “Maternity Group Home”. (MGH) I have not further details on ages served or its programs at this writing.NEW YORK: SERVICES SUSPENDED DUE TO BUDGET. (Concerned readers please consider donating. )(Niagara region) https://hannahhouse.ca/ Ages: through age 24. No lower age limit stated.NEW YORK: Regina Maternity Services Catholic Charities of Rockville Centre. Housing For pregnant teens and their children. Regina Residence is a structured program with case management. Mary Residence is supported independent living for graduates of Regina Residence. Ages 11–24.NORTH CAROLINA: http://www.angelhousematernityhome.org/admission_information0.aspx Angel House Maternity Home. Minimum Age: 17NORTH CAROLINA: Services for single, pregnant, & non-pregnant teens, women and their families | Florence Crittenton Services | Charlotte, NC Multiple residential programs. Ages 10 and up.NORTH DAKOTA: St. Gianna Maternity Home (HOUSING) Residents required to participate in prayers and attend Mass. Ages Served: Serves minors but does not specify age range.NORTH DAKOTA: Home | The Perry Center Serves minors placed by parents, but does not give age-range. Christian oriented services, apparently placing emphasis on evangelism but also offering life-skills and other practical services.OHIO: (Franklin County) The Center for Healthy Families The Center for Healthy Families. Non-residential. School and Community based services for pregnant and parenting teens offered at four high schools. Services for teen fathers also included. Ages: 13–19.OHIO: (Mentor, Ohio) Pregnancy - Hannah’s Home. Minimum age 18. More information available soon.OHIO: The Highlands - Shelter Care (HOUSING) Residential care for pregnant and parenting teens and their children. Ages 14–20.OHIO: (Columbus) 👩‍⚕️Teen and Pregnant Program Nationwide Children’s (Hospital). TaP. Non-residential. Comprehensive medical care, classes, counseling, referrals for pregnant girls and women ages 21.5 and under.OHIO: WIC (Supplemental food for Women, Infant Children) WIC - American Pregnancy Association\http://file:///C:/Users/17074/AppData/Local/Pa/TempState/Downloads/158843%20(1).pdfOKLAHOMA: Broken Arrow Public Schools Mentoring Healthy Parents (Formerly Margaret Hudson Program). Non-residential. Support for pregnant and parenting teens. Age range not specified.OKLAHOMA: J.A.M.E.S., INC. WEBSITE CURRENTLY DOWN> CHECK BACK SOON> Educational support and college scholarships for pregnant and parenting teens. High School seniors and college students.OKLAHOMA: http://s://www.choctawnation.com/tribal-services/member-services/choctaw-support-expectant-and-parenting-teens-sept Choctaw Support for Expectant and Parenting Teens. (SEPT) Services for teens pregnant with or parenting a Native American child under the age of one year. Must live within the 10.5 county service area of Choctaw Nation. Ages 13–21.OKLAHOMA: (Owassa) Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children . (HOUSING) (Owassa) Maternity Cottage and transitional living apartments for Mother and Child Program. Participants must attend Southern Baptist church while in residence. Age range served not specified.OKLAHOMA: Transitional Living Program (HOUSING) Housing offered to youth, including pregnant and parenting teens and their children. Ages 16–21.OREGON: Safe Haven Maternity Home Safe Haven Maternity Home.OREGON: Dedicated to helping young mothers Saint Child. Housing for pregnant girls and women and their infants. May stay for up to a year after birth of baby. Faith-based (Christian). Counseling, education, job training, life skills and other supports. Participants are offered bible study and other Christian activities but are apparently not coerced. Ages 14–24.Pennsylvania: (Lansdale) (HOUSING) Home Morning Star Maternity Home. Ages 13–25.Pennsylvania: Maternity & Pregnancy Services - Catholic Charities of Harrisburg PAPENNSYLVANIA: http://ttps://www.valleyyouthhouse.org/programs/transitional-housing/maternity-group-home-mgh/RHODE ISLAND: (HOUSING) (may be for 18 and above only) Little Flower Home - Serving RI & Southern MA - Housing for 'Pregnant Homeless' WomenRHODE ISLAND: About Nowell Leadership Academy (Public Charter High School) For Pregnant and Parenting teens.SOUTH CAROLINA: Help for pregnant and parenting young women in South CarolinTENNESSEE: Comprehensive Resource Center The Hagar Center. Non-residential. Classes, support and material assistance.102. TENNESSEE: http://ttps://mercymultiplied.com/about-us/ Mercy Multiplied. Faith-based/Non-denominational Christian. Residential programs are located in four states for girls including a facility in Nashville, Tennessee. The programs are designed to work with on many issues, including pregnancy. The website states that the program does not demand that the pregnant mother relinquish her child to adoption, however, neither is there any indication of housing or services offered for the mother/child family. Adoption services prominently noted on website. Counseling is strongly centered on Christian teachings, although Mercy Multiplied states that its counselors are Master’s Level or graduate student interns. Counseling process includes/demands “commitment to Christ”. This program might be appropriate for young women who of their own free will wish to pursue Christianity. Ages Served: Unknown at this writing.107. TEXAS: Annunciation House: Apply for Services108. TEXAS: Apply | LifeHouse Houston. Housing and other support. Strong focus on Christian evangelizing. Ages 12 and up. (Other services for non-residential clients also available.)109. TEXAS: Teen Parenting Help - Jane's Due Process Information and support for pregnant teenagers concerning Texas legal rights.110.TEXAS: Viola's House111. UTAH: 👩‍🎓Horizonte Instruction and Training Center. Young Parent Program. Programs Non-residential. High School completion and vocational education with onsite childcare provided by Head Start. Parenting and other skills. Flexible scheduling. Contact Person: Kathy Williams (801) 578-8574 ext. 233.112. UTAH: Teen Mother & Child Program Non-residential. University of Utah/Teen Mother and Child Program. Obstetrical care/Nurse-Midwives. Social and psychological support and referrals for other needed services. Ages served: 19 and younger.113. UTAH: YWCA Of Salt Lake City. Referrals to Transitional Housing. No other details as of this writing.114. VERMONT: Family Literacy Center (Non-residential) Educational center for pregnant and parenting teens and young adults. Infants may attend classes with parents until they are four months old and after that Onsite Nationally Accredited childcare is available full-time. Onsite licensed therapy, parenting and nutrition classes and other social supports. Ages served: High school freshmen age through age 25.115. VIRGINIA: Grace Home Ministries. (HOUSING) Program is long-term and residents encouraged to stay for as long as two years with their babies. Faith based/Christian. Program includes participation in Christian experiences. However, Grace Home states: “We believe religion is a matter of personal conviction; therefore, we don’t put any pressure on program participants in matters of personal faith or beliefs. Mentoring, childcare classes, case management. Ages 1–20.116. VIRGINIA: (Lynchburg) ADOPTION-ORIENTED! Liberty Godparent Maternity Home. Services | Liberty Godparent Home If you have decided for adoption AND you are a Baptist or of a similar faith, you might consider this facility, as its emphasis is on adoption. The program does offer “Mommy and Me” support if you decide on raising your baby yourself, however, the emphasis is clearly adoption. Faith-based. (Baptist) Residents attend Thomas Road Baptist church. Other services from their website: All residents are required to attend school, pursue a GED, or participate in vocational training. Classes are offered off site at Liberty Christian Academy through Liberty University Online Academy (grades 6-12). Tutoring services for GED and SAT exams are available as needed. To help each young lady build a positive future, the LGH staff is committed to educating the residents on Life Skills and other topics such as Decision-Making, Parenting, Adoption, and Nutrition. About Us Overview | Liberty Godparent Home Ages Served: Not specified.VIRGINIA: (Fairfax County) Second Story for Young Mothers - assistance for mothersSecond Story for Young Mothers. (HOUSING) Residential services offered through independent living in townhouses for young mothers between the ages of 18–21. Pregnant and parenting teens between the ages of 16 and 18 receive non-residential community based support, education and services. Follow-up support and case management also offered. 24/7 Crisis Hotline - Call 1-800-SAY-TEEN or text “TEENHELP” to 855-11 TTY 711VIRGINIA: (Alexandria) Keep it 360 | The Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy (ACAP) T.C. Futures. (Non-residential.) From website: The T.C. Futures Group provides parenting meetings and developmental playgroups specifically for Alexandria’s teenage parents and their children. Parents learn about positive parenting skills, child development, and local resources. The group meets every other week after school at T.C. Williams High School. Participation is not limited to T.C. Williams students; all teenage parents in Alexandria are invited to attend. Participation is free, and Spanish translation is available. For more information, contact David Wynne, TC Williams Social Worker, at 703.824.6800.VIRGINIA (Fredricksburg) Mary's Shelter Mary’s Shelter. (HOUSING) Faith-based. Provides residential care for up to three years. Minimum Age: 18.VIRGINIA: Mommy and Me Program. ( A program component of “Youth For Tomorrow”.). (RESIDENTIAL/HOUSING) Faith based/Christian. Intensive program for pregnant teens and their infants. Education for teens at accredited school on campus, health care, parenting classes, in-house therapy and nursing staff. ) Admissions are either by court placement or social service agency referral. Teens may stay until their child is four-years-old. Ages: 12–18.VIRGINIA: (Winchester.) About | New Eve Maternity Home New Eve Maternity Home. (HOUSING). Faith-based/Roman Catholic. Help with education, employment, life skills. Ages served: 18 and above. (?)VIRGINIA: (Norfolk) THIS LISTING NOT ACTIVE CURRENTLY. WILL UPDATE ASAP. Eastern Virginia Medical School. Non-residential. Specialized obstetrical care. Classes, parenting skills, emotional support, transportation to prenatal appointments.WASHINGTON: (Seattle area.) Housing Cocoon House. (HOUSING) Housing for pregnant and parenting teens and their children. (Short -term and long-term.) Support for education, life skills and employment. Ages 12–17.WASHINGTON: (Spokane) Alexandria's House | Volunteers of America (HOUSING). “Spacious historic home”. Mentoring, support, doulas, other services. Ages: 16–20.WASHINGTON: (Spokane)http://ttp://gracesonhousingfoundation.org/ Hope and Housing for Teen Moms and their Children Graceson Housing Foundation. (Housing.) Faith-based/Christian but spiritual activities are left up to choice. This program is strong on community and nurturing. Classes, life skills, and employments skills also offered. Ages 13-18.WASHINGTON (Seattle) 👩‍⚕️ "Family Medicine Residency Teen Pregnancy and Parenting Clinic. (A program of Kaiser Permanente but you DO NOT have to be a Kaiser Permanente member to receive services.) Non-residential. Accepts Medicaid and other insurance. Prenatal care with delivery at Swedish First Hill Hospital. Offers help getting medical care coverage, nutritious food, childbirth classes, parenting classes and well-child care for the baby until two years of age. (Well-child care is only for the babies whose mothers used the Teen Pregnancy and Parenting Clinic for their prenatal care and delivery.) Open Tuesdays and Thursdays. Drop by or call: Kaiser Permanente Capitol Hill Campus, West Building 206-326-2656. On the bus line. Ages served: Not specified.WEST VIRGINIA: Crittenton Services, Inc. A Florence Crittenton program. (More information to follow)WISCONSIN: (Milwaukee) Pregnant and Parenting Youth Program (PPYP). Non-residential public school-based support.WISCONSIN: (Sheboygan) 👩‍🎓 Sheboygan Area School District Non-residential. TAPP/Parenting Lab. School-based support for pregnant and parenting teens. Guidance counselor assists pregnant students with educational plan/ONSITE childcare/parenting lab for teen parents. Classes designed/flexible to accommodate pregnancy related issues. Pregnant or parenting students in Sheboygan contact your school guidance counselor to access these services.

I ended up in the Bay Area because I was fed up with the life I had in Tennessee, and because a friend in Alameda offered me her couch.I had been working as a call center representative for 3+ years in Murfreesboro, TN, and I was miserable. I’d spent the previous 4 years getting a BS in Audio Engineering at the prestigious Recording Industry program Middle Tennessee State offered. I had a huge desire to get into a music production career in Nashville, but after sobering up from a summer internship where I got a cold taste of how hard it is to make a living in the music industry, I settled into the life of a call center worker to pay the rent and avoid moving back in with my parents.I was living paycheck to paycheck, but I had my own apartment and health insurance, so life seemed manageable. During these 3 years I went through a brief marriage to my long-term girlfriend, but we seperated six months after eloping. I had very few friends left in my college town, and spent most of my time outside of work locked in my apartment writing music and playing video games. I was deeply depressed, but after the 2008 recession hit, I decided this was about as good as I could expect my life to get for the foreseeable future.Around February of 2009, I reconnected with an old middle school friend on Facebook. She’d left our hometown in Alabama after college and gone out west to find work. Eventually she settled in the Bay Area and was working as a marketing consultant for Kaiser. We shared our life stories for months and eventually I visited her and her friends in July.I still remember her picking me up from the airport and driving me across the Bay Bridge for the first time. I couldn’t believe the sheer number of buildings, people and cars all around me, not to mention how beautiful the bay looked going over the bridge. I met so many people from so many different walks of life in the short week I visited, and it humbled me deeply. For a southern guy like myself, the Bay Area felt like another country I’d stumbled into.When I returned home, my mind was set. I would quit my call center gig, pack my car, and start driving out west in a month…no exceptions. I had no job lined up, only an offer to stay with my friend and her roommates until I’d secured full-time work. I spent three days driving along I-40 from Nashville to Oakland, staying at cheap motels and using directions I’d printed off in advance from Mapquest. It was the most adventurous I’d ever gotten in my entire life.It’s been almost 10 years since I arrived, and I wouldn’t have done anything differently. I’ve had the opportunity to work for some amazing companies without having a software engineering or product background; opportunities I would have never gotten back home. I met my wife out here, who I’ve now been with for over 6 years and could not be any happier sharing life together. And I’ve had countless experiences and interactions with so many people who come from different backgrounds and cultures from my own, and it’s changed my perspective on so many issues that would have remained stagnant and unbending if I had resigned myself to my previous life.When I was getting my car prepped for the journey out here, I remember our long-time family mechanic asking me where I was heading off to.“San Francisco”, I said with a beaming glow of hope and optimism on my face.“Ahh! It’s so beautiful. It’ll change you though. Don’t forget where you came from.”I haven’t.