Ruth Harbor

Ruth Harbor is a Christ-centered home for young women who are alone and facing unplanned pregnancies. "Ruth" means compassion; "Harbor" means a place of refuge, safety, retreat, shelter.

Ruth Harbor is a 6-8 resident home located in Des Moines. It provides young women who are alone and facing unplanned pregnancies a truly viable option -- a safe harbor -- by providing housing, education, counseling, health care, parenting training or adoption assistance, spiritual support and more for the duration of their pregnancies.
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A Home-Not An Institution
The goal of the Ruth Harbor team is to create a 6-8 resident home--the key word being HOME. Ruth Harbor will look like and function like a home. The women will live much like a family--cooking, cleaning and caring for one another according to their physical abilities. More Information...

More Than Just Another Social Program
The key difference between Ruth Harbor and other programs helping pregnant women is that the goal is to bring about a life change which ends the cycle of self-defeating behavior. This interdenominational ministry was founded on the belief that a personal relationship with Christ is at the center of life change. The circumstances which bring women to Ruth Harbor are of little consequence, who they are and how they feel about themselves when they leave is the focus. Grace is the key philosophy of this program. More Information...

Adoption Counseling And Parenting Classes
All women will receive counseling to help them decide what to do once their children are born. Women who decide to raise their babies will be required to attend rigorous parenting classes. Those who choose adoption will be well-informed about their options and assisted through the process. More Information..