Our Mission

Good Counsel is a private Catholic agency whose primary mission is to help homeless pregnant women by providing a loving family environment in a safe and secure shelter. Begun in 1985 by Fr. Benedict Groeschel and Chris Bell, both leaders in the pro-life movement, Good Counsel has grown to five homes in the New York greater metropolitan area.

Working closely with the Sisters of Life through our Lumina outreach we have developed an outstanding program of support and healing for those suffering from abortion related problems.

How we accomplish our mission?
Love, support and tools needed for stability and success.
Good Counsel's staff surrounds our mothers with unconditional love. To figure out how we can best help each mother, Good Counsel evaluates the whole person by assessing her life skills, literacy level and personality. Women receive educational and vocational assistance and professional counseling. Mothers staying with us are able to learn a trade and map out goals to achieve while at Good Counsel and when they move on to new, independent lives.

Our 24/7 hotline.
Many of the women who come to Good Counsel have been rejected by their families, friends and the fathers of their children. Good Counsel reaches out to women nationwide with a toll-free crisis pregnancy hotline (800-723-8331) that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Referrals to regional assistance programs
Whether a woman calling for help is near a Good Counsel home or not, we can refer her to a more local organization so that no mother is ever turned away. We provide referrals and resources to anyone who needs them, with a promise of confidentiality and always with respect.

Three key programs:

• Life Skills Program
  • This in-house program prepares residents for independent living by covering topics such as Parenting, Spirituality, Health and AIDS Education, Career Development and Financial Management.
• Exodus
  • Through this program, mothers participate in certain programs even after leaving a Good Counsel home so that they still receive transitional support.
• Technology
  • The Internet is an essential tool in today's world. Good Counsel mothers are taught how to utilize our computer labs and the internet to advance their educational goals, search for employment, post their resumes online and much more.

Post-abortive counseling and a referral program
Good Counsel's Lumina program fills a void in the modern world, helping post-abortive women and men find healing. A confidential post-abortion counseling and referral program, Lumina allows us to touch the lives of those dealing with the after-effects of abortion.

What makes Good Counsel unique and especially worthy of donor support?

• The Staff
  • Good Counsel's staff is trained to deal with difficult pregnancies, whether physical, emotional or psychological. They're committed to helping these women move on to independent and successful lives.
• Christian Environment
  • While Good Counsel services are offered to all women, we also provide a Christian environment and programs focusing on spirituality. Each of our five homes has a chapel, and Good Counsel places great importance on the value of self-respect and abstinence as the most practical lifestyle for single mothers.
• Crisis Intervention
  • Good Counsel's Outreach department is often responds to crisis pregnancy situations. Some charities require a lengthy admissions process—interviews, referrals, etc., but Good Counsel immediately helps any mother who comes to us, regardless of where she's from, how she became pregnant or any other complications she may face. Virtually no other agency provides support for pregnant women who are mentally ill or who suffer from substance abuse. These moms receive the support they need to confront and overcome these painful issues in our close-knit, family setting.

At Her Own Pace
A Good Counsel mom may live in a home throughout her pregnancy and then up to a year or more after the birth of her baby. Each residence becomes a woman's home where she is able to learn parenting skills and encouraged to work or attend school while living with us. All mothers share household responsibilities like cooking, cleaning and other chores. As one can imagine, the needs of operating successful Good Counsel residences are many.

Good Counsel greatly benefits from any donor support when implementing our programs and assisting mothers and babies in need.