In what ways can a small town like Mount Vernon, Texas, show stewardship to build, support, and unite our community now, while leaving future generations with the steady support they need to continue to thrive in ways our society tells us we cannot?
Tri-lakes Pregnancy Resource Center has defied the odds and is conquering the division created by the separation society has demanded we follow when it comes to mothers facing unexpected pregnancies. Tri-lakes, along with the women who work behind it, have invested in Franklin County and the surrounding areas to share that we are a pro-support community. Each person involved in Tri-lakes isn’t just supporting mothers and their pregnancies, but also fathers, children, and families as a whole.
Tri-lakes is a non-profit organization that has served approximately 114 women who have faced unplanned pregnancies since 2022, when Gabrielle Mitchell became the new owner/operator.
The many ways Tri-lakes has supported these women is by providing a safe environment where they can take pregnancy tests, sonograms, receive help with Medicaid, referrals to trusted providers for prenatal care, education in various life skills, bible studies, and many other important resources all for FREE; many in which also earn them points that can go towards their pregnancy needs, postpartum needs, and items for their baby - which they can continue to earn and redeem up to 24 months of age. Since 2023, Tri-lakes has provided 1,320 of these free services.
In order for Tri-lakes to continue to provide their resources and services to these women, they run fundraisers so they can continue to meet the physical, mental, and emotional needs of these mothers. Some of these fundraisers are the Mother's Day Baby Bottle Drive, concerts, and, most recently, the Tri-Lakes Pregnancy Resource Center Donor Banquet.
The Donor Banquet, previously known as the Tri-Lakes Pregnancy Resource Center Gala, took place on the 26th of February, 2026, at The Glove Factory and raised $21,000 with the support of our local community members. Compared to the Tri-lakes Pregnancy Resource Center Gala of 2025, there was a 525% increase!
This Donor Banquet consisted of a luxurious five-course meal from Black Dog Catering and had the wonderful Julie Ziggler Norman as the guest speaker. For those who do not know who Julie is, you may know of her father, Zig Ziggler. Zig Ziggler is considered to be one of the most influential figures in the professional development industry, with a background as an author, salesman, and motivational speaker; with a focus on positive thinking, self-improvement, and shared his belief that “you can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”- which is found in his book See You at the Top.
Julie Ziggler Norman followed her father’s motivational footsteps and brought a beautiful personal testimony to the Donor Banquet, sharing her own experience behind the healing after having an abortion, the reality behind how frequently it occurs, and the importance of the things we choose to do. This left the patrons who attended inspired to be part of the pro-support community and to take action.
Tri-lakes is directly solving a serious problem we face at the root of the problem through action with the choices being made within the surrounding community; not based on how an unplanned pregnancy occurs, but rather through the impact we make on these families lives through our support from the outside and within - by helping these parents have a true support system who is rooting for them and their children in the most vulnerable years of their lives.
Patrons also expressed that they were inspired by Julie sharing her experiences of being bullied and not having support from various adults around her due to the fear and insecurity of speaking up and informing them. Their hope from having a pro-support community that’s as authentic as Julie was while sharing her story, is that we can continue to expand the support and awareness of the needs in our community for everyone of all ages, and to cover every need possible with encouragement- especially for those women who face hard decisions in the times that they need support the most.
The Donor Banquet was free for our community to attend and experience a powerful message, and although fewer patrons attended the 2026 banquet than the 2025 Gala, the community showed that together we can create a safe and supportive community for generations to come.
Tri-lakes Pregnancy Resource Center currently operates out of The First Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, Texas, while their new building undergoes final inspections and renovations. This should be completed and ready for a grand opening sometime in the early summer months, where they can continue to support women and offer more services, such as post-abortive care, with hopes of much more to follow as they expand into more space to grow.
Photos provided by Kitty Ramsay and Gabrielle Mitchell
