This is the second in a three-part series of articles originally published in our print newsletter. You may download the full Summer 2020 newsletter here.
For thirty-six years, longer than any other volunteer in the Bel Air office, Jeanne Murphy has been helping women choose hope at Choose Hope Women’s Center.
Jeanne first knew that she had a heart for the pro-life movement when she was a teenager growing up in New Jersey. Then, in 1973, the Roe v. Wade decision made her very sad and angry. She channeled those feelings into joining her county’s Right to
Life chapter.
When she moved to Harford County in the early 1980s, Jeanne learned about Choose Hope Women’s Center. She recognized the opportunity to help women in a more personal way by volunteering as a counselor. Initially, she took on the Saturday shift because it enabled her to volunteer while her husband was home with their three young children. She continued volunteering on that shift for over three decades!
Jeanne believes that God led her to Choose Hope Women’s Center so that she can help women and babies. She says that abortion breaks her heart, and she wants to help pregnant women make positive decisions. Over the years, Jeanne has counseled women considering abortion and those who have already decided to parent their babies but need help. She treasures the memory of a friend who adopted the child of a Choose Hope Women’s Center client and named the child Matthew, meaning “gift of God.” No matter the situation, Jeanne treats each client with kindness and compassion.
Along the way, Jeanne has been especially happy to be a part of the team of Choose Hope Women’s Center volunteers, women and men who share common values. “They’re probably the nicest people on the face of the earth,” she says. “They’re a joy to work with.”