New Executive Dir. Leading Revitalization Effort at Corbin Pregnancy Center

Bridgett Craig was named executive director of AA Women’s Services in September, and she’s working to preserve the legacy of Corbin’s 37-year-old pregnancy resource center.
It wasn’t a job Craig sought.
One of the original founders who still volunteers at AA Women’s Services was talking about the center’s need for volunteers, and Craig followed up to inquire about their needs.
“The lady said, ‘We need a director,’” Craig said. “The more I spoke, this is what I realized: They were in trouble. And I was a young lady…when my mother and my best friend’s mother and another lady worked so hard to get this organization off the ground and to start it and to be there for women who needed help, who had no one…I know that there’s so many women today that need that service.”
Craig feels God led her to AA Women’s Services, and she said it’s been wonderful.
“I know that it’s where I need to be.”
Founded in 1988, AA Women’s Services offers material items and parenting classes to families in Corbin but recently scaled back their services.
“Before COVID—and I think COVID hurt a lot of things—they were open five days a week. They’re now open one day, and that is not enough,” Craig said.
A small volunteer base is what forces the pregnancy resource center to post fewer business hours, and it hinders ministry.
“Women can’t be there just on Tuesday’s, right?”
Craig said many women worked to build AA Women’s Services, but many of those original volunteers are no longer serving.
“There [were] a lot of women involved…and who did so much work on this, and a lot of them are gone now,” Craig said. “They’ve passed away or they’re older and, you know, they’re sick. If I don’t come in and do something and build it back up and get new volunteers and new people involved and the excitement back, the Women’s Services is just going to disappear. And that’s what tugged on my heart.”
The pregnancy center is “almost overflowing” with clothing and diapers and other material goods, Criag noted. Volunteers are their greatest need. Without the manpower, AA Women’s Services cannot open their doors to serve the community.
But people are already stepping up under Craig’s leadership.
“I have recruited enough volunteers that we’re going to be able to open two days [a week] in January,” Craig said. “We’re really excited about that.”
The idea of volunteering can scare people, according to Craig, because they might think an organization may demand all of their time. But supporting the ministry of AA Women’s Services doesn’t require daily availability or committing to a weekly shift.
“If you can volunteer eight hours a month, I’ve got a place for you. If you could do that, that would be fabulous because that’s a day that we could work and be open.”
One such service opportunity is the re-launch of a staple AA Women’s Services fundraiser: We Wrap for a Cause.
“You did all your shopping this weekend and so bring all those packages to us for us to wrap,” Craig said.
Someone has donated all the wrapping materials—nice paper, ribbons and bows—and the service will be provided for a minimum donation to the pregnancy center. Gifts can be dropped off at 17th Street Christian Church on December 6 and 13 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time.
After nearly four decades in Knox, Laurel and Whitley Counties, Craig and her volunteers are working hard to ensure AA Women’s Services is around to serve women for years to come.
“What excites me is that we’re still helping women; we’re still being there for them,” Craig said.