The Lifeline Family Center in Cape Coral, a private organization that helps young women in a “crisis pregnancy,” released its annual report for 2007 to inform the community on the local trends of teenage pregnancy.

Last year the center received 119 phone calls from local teens who needed help with an unexpected pregnancy. The center was contacted by 43 girls between the ages of 16-18, 46 between the ages of 19-22 and 13 women 23 or older.

Also, in 2007, the center worked with 11 girls who were younger than 15.

Out of all the calls made to the Lifeline Family Center, 64 out of 119 were from young women residing in Lee County and some from other states including Georgia and Pennsylvania.

And so far in 2008 the Lifeline Family Center reported 76 calls.

According to information compiled by the center, since 2001 the number of times a girl contacted the center has increased. It increased sharply in 2002, decreased the next year and slowly made its way back to what it is today.

From 2002 to 2003 the number of calls decreased from 151 to 58, but then slowly climbed to 120 in 2005 and down to 119 last year.

Each of the girls who contacted the center said they wanted help for a number of different things, such as pre-abortion counseling, adoption information, childbirth classes, housing and medical care.

All 119 received counseling, 88 were looking for housing, 14 were seeking out medical care and nine required childbirth classes.

Kathy Miller, founder and president of the center, explained that 2007 was the first full year the Lifeline Family Center was in its brand new 18,000- square-foot facility.

Overall, the center serves 24 mothers and 12 babies at one time and offers them the Choose Life Nursery and Day Care Center where 11,267 hours of care were logged last year and the Faith Learning Center, a computer lab that allows the mothers to earn their GED.

It also offers an art studio and sewing room as a therapeutic place for mothers who possess artistic abilities to spend their time.

Mothers at the shelter also receive food, clothing and transportation at no additional cost.

In 2007 the center went through 13,794 diapers, provided 11,967 meals to residents and paid $4,875 in gasoline, tolls and bus passes for the mothers and children.

In 2007 the center took in $734,387 from fund-raising events, its thrift store, churches and private donors but in the same year spent $650,491. A majority of funds for the center come from private donations and fund-raising events, explained Scoville.

“It’s all donations, we don’t take any government money at all. It is the generosity of the community,” said Scoville.

On Nov. 3 the center is hosting “Birdies for Babies,” a five-person golf scramble where four amateurs team up with one PGA professional at the La Playa Golf Club in Naples. There will also be a kick-off party before the scramble on Oct. 9.

For more information about the kick-off party or the scramble, contact Nanette Scoville at 242-7238.