Casa de Vida is a little house on Mill Street in Reno that's made a big difference in a lot of lives. The lives of the pregnant young women who seek help there and the lives of the babies they've helped bring into the world.Â
They offer help to about two dozen young girls a year, with medical services, counseling and classes and then they help launch those mothers into the workforce.
"We try and make this a real home," says Executive Director Shawn Vogel. "We help them all individually with counseling and finding a pediatrician and finding housing and a job. Our goals are of course for a healthy baby but also to make the mothers productive members of society."
Nelia Solaris is a new mother who is thankful for Casa de Vida.Â
"I have no family here and I really don't know what I would have done or where I'd be without this. They helped me with supplies for the baby and with the delivery and now I have two applications in for jobs and hope to be out of here as soon as I can get housing."
In fact Casa de Vida has been helping girls for 33 years. Not just with housing but with supplies. In the basement of the same house is Wanda's Closet. Donations of everything from maternity clothes to get the girls through to baby clothes to get them started, and diapers and books and baby food is stocked up daily. And it's all open to the public on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10-3. Last year they helped 3000 kids in the community.
To help keep the operation going they are holding their annual fundraising luncheon just in time for Mother's Day. It's Thursday, May 5th and the Eldorado. You can call Casa de Vida to make reservations. Their number is 329-1070. You can make donations to Casa de Vida just by dropping by.
