Maternity homes across the country give women the courage to become mothers

Many women come to shelters pregnant without financial resources or family support that they need, but maternity shelters, help them have their baby.

Kathleen Wilson, the founder and director of Mary's Shelter, a maternity home in Fredericksburg, Virginia, said her primary goal is to help women who are pregnant and in crisis escape the cycle of homelessness, drug addiction, crime and abusive relationships.  Kendall Tietz is a Production Assistant with Fox News Digital. 

"What we do here is give women the opportunity to live with us for three years, sometimes more … so that all of their goals can become a viable reality" and they can ultimately "move on and live independently in a safe and independent way."

One mother, Francesca Perrotta, said she owes her life to Bethlehem House in Omaha, Nebraska because she said they gave her the courage to have her child. She said she was convinced she couldn't be a mother after she had had her four children taken from her by the state, which led her down a path of addiction and illegality.