“Life is present from the moment of conception.”
Dr. Jerome Lejeune, late professor and world renowned geneticist, University of Descarte, Paris

Life Care of Brandon

LifeCare of Brandon is a non-profit, non-denominational, non-political organization that is committed to providing compassion, information and support to women, couples and families facing the challenge of an unplanned pregnancy.

They have served nearly 55,000 people since opening their doors in 1987.

LifeCare offers support to women during a critical time of life-changing decisions. They strive to provide women with factual information about their pregnancy and their options. They empower women to make healthy and informed decisions about the future of their pregnancy by offering the following services, free of charge.

• Pregnancy Tests
• Counseling and information related to pregnancy options
• Medical referrals for OB/GYN’s, Sonograms, Family Physicians and Pediatricians
• Adoption services, referrals and counseling
• Post-abortion counseling
• Community Resources
• Teaching, Loving & Caring (TLC) Program
• Mommy & Baby Boutique
• Support Groups
• Childbirth / Parenting Classes
• LifeCare Coaching Program
• Woman of Worth Program
• Birth of a Family Program

Life Care of Brandon exists to lead their clients to the unconditional love of Christ through the ministry of prevention, intervention and restoration.

Vision

To see lives,  families and our community changed as a result of sharing God’s message of life and hope in Christ.

God says, “I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out – plans to take care of you, not to abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.” -  Jeremiah 29:11, The Message

Life Care of Brandon invites the greater Brandon Community to partner with them in their vision to see the fruit of many changed lives through your financial support, donation of resources, volunteer services, and prayer.

Their Staff, Volunteer Counselors, Mentors and Coaches have a passion for supporting women, couples, and families in making positive life choices for a hope-filled future.

They commit to value every person who walks through the door of LifeCare of Brandon with:

• Acceptance
• Affirmation
• Accountability

President & Founder Cookie Gray

Cookie Gray was born on July 19, 1937 on a farm near Metter, Georgia. At the age of eighteen months she contracted polio that resulted in severe paralysis. She was mainstreamed in public school through high school using braces, crutches, and a wheelchair.

Cookie received a B.S. Degree in Elementary Education at the University of Tampa where she met her late husband. He also used a wheelchair due to having polio at twelve years of age. She taught 1st grade for six years when she became pregnant and was blessed with a precious little boy.

One year later, after her son Kenneth was born, she started a weekday Kindergarten Program at her church, First United Methodist of Brandon. She was on staff for seven years as Administrator / Teacher of the school and several of those years she was also Director of Christian Education for the entire church.

In May of 1977 after seventeen years of marriage, her husband became extremely ill and died in October of 1977. At that point she became a single mother with an eleven year old son. In time, Cookie began volunteering on a Helpline in Tampa where she was trained to counsel people in crisis. She went for further Biblical Counseling Training and worked as a face-to-face counselor for several years. In 1986 she was approached by a group in her church that had researched the need in our community for a Center that ministered to teens and young women experiencing unplanned pregnancies. Cookie was asked to become the Director of the Brandon Crisis Pregnancy Center in June of 1987. To date, with over 55,000 client contacts, she is celebrating her 24th year of service in the ministry.

Cookie states, “I have been so blessed to be able to serve others in spite of my disability. I came to the conclusion very early in my life that God allowed my disability to become a platform from which to serve Him and bring honor and glory to His name.”

 Executive Director Karen Brooks

Karen has been married to her husband, Paul, for 33 years and has two wonderful children, Bryan, who is 30 and Kari, who is 29.  She considers her faith in God and her family the greatest blessings and joy of her life.  Karen and Paul have been active members in their church for 30 years and are currently serving as Community Leaders in ministering to life group leaders.

Karen began volunteering at The Brandon Care Pregnancy Center (LifeCare) in 1988 and was hired full-time as Client Services Coordinator in 1993.  Seven years later she made a transition to a staff position at her church and then chose to further her education.  She completed the Counseling & Human Services Program at Hillsborough Community College in 2006 with a 4.0 GPA.  She returned to LifeCare in January of 2007 as Center Director to honor and support Cookie Gray, the Executive Director at that time, as Cookie progresses toward her goal of retirement.  Cookie passed the leadership mantle to Karen in January of 2011 as the Executive Director.

Karen’s passion in life is to share her faith while encouraging and motivating others to make positive life choices. She desires to live out her life mission statement which is:

“To finish the race with joy and complete the ministry which I received from the Lord, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”  (Acts 20:24)

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