History

Dallas Life, Inc., was incorporated in November 1982 and opened its doors to clients in March 1983 as the Crisis Pregnancy Center of Dallas or CPC Dallas. Jim McKee, a youth pastor at a local Dallas church, had heard about crisis pregnancy ministry through a Billy Graham Crusade. He responded to God’s leading to open the first crisis pregnancy center in the Dallas area. He gathered together a group of individuals who shared his vision, many of whom are still involved in the DPRC, and they became the first Board of Directors.

The purpose under which Dallas Life, Inc. was incorporated was as follows: “To receive and maintain a fund or funds of real or personal property, or both…to use and apply the whole or any part of the income therefrom and the principal thereof exclusively for charitable, religious, scientific, literary or educational purposes….”

CPC Dallas underwent several changes throughout its formative years. In 1988 satellite offices were opened in Duncanville and Carrollton. The Carrollton satellite was later closed because of lack of funding from the community. The Duncanville office became a separate entity from Dallas Life, Inc. through strong community support. Today, it remains a vital ministry in Duncanville. Jim McKee resigned as Executive Director in 1988.

In 1990 the Board of Directors of CPC Dallas considered closing its doors because of a lack of funding and leadership. God provided, however, and Marilyn Morris, an experienced CPC Director who moved to Dallas from Ohio, became the Executive Director of CPC Dallas. She brought new vision and energy to the ministry and built the foundation upon which this organization has continued to grow.

Marilyn Morris resigned in 1993 to launch Aim for Success. Pat Browning served briefly as director until 1994, when Darlene Norberg accepted the position of Executive Director, having previously served as a volunteer and on staff.

In May 1998, after much prayer and research, the Board of Directors of the Crisis Pregnancy Center of Dallas changed its name to the Dallas Pregnancy Resource Center (DPRC). This change was prompted by research performed by the Family Research Council indicating that many women experiencing unplanned pregnancies do not see themselves in a crisis, therefore, they are hesitant to visit a place called a “crisis pregnancy center.”

As pregnancy resource centers around the nation continued to reach out to women experiencing unplanned pregnancies, the value of offering a sonogram free of charge to these women became clear. In October 1998, the DPRC became the sixth pregnancy center in the nation to house a full-time medical clinic within the pregnancy resource center. The addition of medical services rapidly changed the dynamics of the ministry as visits from women at risk for abortion quickly increased by 117%.

In 2000 the DPRC was contacted by a group of individuals in the Rockwall area who desired to open a pregnancy resource center. The DPRC chose to assist in planting this new ministry. The Pregnancy Resource Center of Lake Ray Hubbard is now a growing resource for women in the Rockwall area. DPRC’s growth continued as a satellite office was opened on Greenville Avenue in Dallas in April 2001. This satellite office averaged nearly 160 client visits each month during its first year of operation.

2003 was a year of great changes for the DPRC. Darlene Norberg, who had served for nine years as Executive Director, resigned in July to pursue pro-life ministry opportunities on the national level. In September, the DPRC welcomed Marcus Bellamy, who had previously served at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, as the new Executive Director.

In 2007 the DPRC hosted our first Southwest Regional Medical Conference for Pregnancy Center Nurses in Texas and the surrounding states. In the summer of 2007 the DPRC relocated its Jupiter site within its building at Jupiter Road and moved the Greenville site to 6500 Greenville Ave., a professional office building one-half mile south of its previous location. In 2007 the DPRC served 5,724 client visits and the budget was $757,100.

Through the years the purpose and mission of the DPRC have become more focused. The mission statement currently reads: “The mission of the Dallas Pregnancy Resource Center is to offer Christ-like love in a compassionate and responsive manner that values the family and empowers women and their partners to choose life.” This mission statement continues to guide the decisions of the Board of Directors and staff as they lead this ministry.