News & Updates
2024 End of Year Newsletter
In This Issue, learn about how God Is Using This Ministry to Save Lives, the way Knights of Columbus come to the rescue, how a woman chose life, about the Barbara Saba Award, and more!
Letter from the Executive Director
View the year end letter for 2024 from Carrie Slaton, executive director of Next Step. She discusses the help we’re able to offer (including God’s Truth!) to women and men experiencing an unexpected pregnancy. Because of your support, our staff can give the care, compassion, time, and hope to each one who walks through the door; each an opportunity to choose life!
Thank You to all who made the 2024 Fall Fundraiser a success!
Thank you for your support! Our heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who has supported Next Step in monetary contributions, prayer, volunteering, and sharing this mission with others. This includes the 216 people who attended, 37 of which are new supporters of Next Step. Thanks to your support, we have successfully raised $155,000 in funds, allowing us to continue empowering women to make confident and healthy life choices. Your support makes a significant difference, and we are deeply grateful for your partnership in advancing our mission. Together, we are making a meaningful impact, and we couldn’t do it without incredible supporters like you!
Joshua Michael Liu Memorial Scholarship Winners
Thanks to our generous donors, Next Step is honored to present the Joshua Michael Liu Memorial Scholarship to local high school seniors. This $500 scholarship underscores our passion to give back to the community and foster the value of a mother and child's lives to the next generation of young adults.
Thank you for another amazing Gianni's restaurant night fundraiser!
Gianni’s Tips for change was fun and delicious for all! Volunteers & staff from Next Step—including founder Barbara Saba—served for the evening at Gianni’s in San Ramon. Tips and a percentage of sales from the night were donated directly to Next Step!
Thank You for Helping Us Celebrate Moms
Thank you to everyone who pitched in to make the Mother's Brunch a success! Because of your generosity, Next Step clients enjoyed a delicious brunch and relaxing massage. The best part of the event was that these moms made new friends, empowering stories were shared, and those cute babies were there to be held.
California March for Life
As Executive Director at Next Step, I am always looking for ways to support decisions for life. That's why I was in Sacramento for the March for Life. California Family Council and March For Life hosted the 2024 March for Life in Sacramento on Monday 4/22. It was an encouraging and memorable event.
Local Church Partnership with Harvest Valley
Recently we had the opportunity to present our grief program and partner with Harvest Valley Church in Pleasanton, CA in a baby bottle campaign. Next Step offers Abortion Recovery and Reproductive Grief care.
Support for SB 1368
It isn’t very often we see a bill in the state of California in favor of pregnancy centers, so I am very excited to share with you, and ask you to support the upcoming SB 1368. This bill has been assigned a hearing for the Senate Education Committee on April 24.
New Parents Donate Baby Items
Chloe’s birth mother had cancer and she was advised to abort the baby. But God had other plans for their lives. Chloe was adopted by first-time parents, whose lives were changed forever by her mother’s decision for life in the face of very difficult circumstances.
Community Engagement Night
We had the first Community Engagement Night of 2024 on Tuesday, February 27. We saw an amazing live ultrasound and staff, including Executive Director Carrie Slaton, were on hand.
Youth Group Visits Next Step
We hosted a tour for Celebration Church youth group last week. They toured the facility, learned about how we help the community and had the opportunity to see an ultrasound!
Baby Shower & Diaper Dash Update
Thank you for your support! The Diaper Dash & Baby Shower event was fun and allowed us to see some of you amazing supporters who delivered needed resources. And those who gave in person or giving online helped us restock our baby resources.
You made Gianni's restaurant night a success!
Gianni’s Tips for change was fun and delicious for all! Volunteers & staff from Next Step served for the evening at Gianni’s in San Ramon. Tips and a percentage of sales from the night were donated directly to Next Step!
Merry Christmas from the Next Step team!
Merry Christmas from the Next Step team! Thank you so much for your enthusiasm and support. Wishing you a blessed Christmas & happy new year! Thank you for your generous support of Next Step in prayer, volunteering, financial gifts, and …
Letter from the Executive Director
View the year end letter for 2023 from Carrie Slaton, executive director of Next Step. She discusses the help we’re able to offer because of your support, including one woman’s story of hope in her time of need.
2023 End of Year Newsletter
In This Issue, learn about a client who has hope to consider all of her options because of your support. Find out how Next Step’s executive director is bringing awareness about pregnancy centers to the State Capitol, see the faces of babies born because of your support, and more!
Volunteer Spotlight: Kaisa Kimmerle
Volunteer Spotlight: Kaisa has been volunteering with us for about 6 months. She has been helping with the resource room and other projects weekly. Kaisa is originally from Finland. She has been married for over two years and has only been in our area for about a year.
Because of you, the Embrace Hope Fundraiser was a success!
Because of you, the Embrace Hope Fall Fundraiser was a fun & fulfilling success! Learn more about the impact you made and see event photos. Thank you for partnering with Next Step at the 2023 Embrace Hope Fundraiser!
New Certification Allows for More Opportunities to Support Women
Sandra Silva, Reproductive Grief Care Coordinator, recently completed all the requirements for Next Step to be certified in Reproductive Grief Care by the Institute of Reproductive Grief Care. This included taking classes, creating a self-care policy, and filing the applications to be certified.