Nonprofit offers helping hand to at-risk pregnant women

MILTON -- Getting pregnant was one of the scariest times of Ashley Perdue’s life.

Ashley Perdue and her baby got help from Step by Step, a Pierce County nonprofit for at-risk expectant women.

“I ended up dating this guy and he dropped me off at New Beginnings, a homeless shelter for pregnant women, and just left,” Perdue said.

On her own at a young age, Ashley had no one to turn to and nowhere to go until someone referred her to the group Step by Step.

Krista Linden founded the organization in 1997 to help at-risk moms through pregnancy and their first year as a parent.

“Having that support and relationship with someone who cares and is walking this journey with them is very important to their success,” Linden said. “We have a lot of women who are homeless. We do have women using drugs and alcohol. That’s a great big barrier.”

Each mom gets a caseworker to teach them about prenatal care to prevent premature and low birth-weight babies. They also help them develop parenting skills and get help with housing.

Penny Howard went through the program more than 10 years ago and now owns her own home and works as an accountant supporting her three kids.

“I feel rewarded by their (the group's) accomplishments and achievements. I feel like I’ve achieved great things because they’re doing well.  My children are doing well,” Howard said.

After 16 years, Linden says starting Step by Step in Milton is the best thing she’s ever done.

“It is the most rewarding thing we do -- a healthy baby born and a mom bonding,” Linden said.

The organization is now considering buying property at a Puyallup tulip farm, a site where they hope to provide job training.

To go to the Step by Step website, click here.