To provide support through education and life skills programming to young, pregnant women and mothers who are at-risk or lack safe housing to transition them to independence.
The Vision of Gianna House
To lead in improving the lives of at-risk pregnant young women, mothers, and their babies by providing them with the opportunity of a community-based environment that offers education, life skills training, and career planning that positively impact them, their children, and their families.
Community Outreach at Gianna House
As building renovations were taking place, Gianna House started a community outreach center in 2015 where education and support was provided to at-risk mothers of any age who are pregnant and/or have young children. Since its beginning, Gianna House has provided thousands of direct services to hundreds of women who are struggling during this very challenging period in their lives. Gianna House provides classes that include but are not limited to parenting, personal growth, Lamaze labor techniques, prenatal, breast feeding, healthy nutrition, yoga, crocheting and sewing. In addition, Gianna House distributes free of cost to women and children critically needed items such as clothing, diapers, wipes, pack & plays, formula, car seats, bottles and blankets, women’s toiletries and gift cards. Women who register for and attend education and self-improvement classes are acknowledged with “baby bucks,” which they use to buy needed items from the distribution room. In this way, the program provides a ‘hand up’ instead of a ‘hand out’ in an effort to restore self-esteem and reward initiatives that can enrich their families and futures.
Gianna House exists strictly through the kindness of community volunteers, donations and the benevolence of individuals and organizations, trusts, fund raising events, and grants to support both its residential and the community outreach programs.
Who is Gianna Baretta Molla?
Gianna Baretta Molla was born on October 4th, 1922 near Milan, Italy. Gianna was a physician, loving wife and working mother.
Married in 1955, she found herself expecting their fourth child in 1961. During this pregnancy, doctors discovered a large fibroma on her uterus and recommended a hysterectomy.
Knowing that a hysterectomy would result in the death of her unborn child, Gianna chose to just have the growth removed, preserving her child’s life. After surgery, complications followed throughout the pregnancy. Knowing that this delivery would be difficult, Gianna pleaded with her family and doctors, “If you must decide between me and the child, do not hesitate, choose the child.”
The baby, Gianna Emanuela, was successfully delivered and Gianna died of septic peritonitis seven days later.
When Gianna’s family is questioned about their mother’s choice, her daughter, Laura Molla answers, “My mother did not choose death”, but “at that moment she chose life for her child.” Gianna was beatified in 1994 and canonized a Saint on May 16, 2004.
G-Guidance: We are guided solely by our mission to humbly serve the underserved in our community, sharing our experience, strength, and hope to lift up women and children in crisis.
I-Inspire: We strive to inspire those we serve, and we do it with respect and through empowering them to develop the tools they need to begin to innovate for themselves. We lead by example and by being actively engaged, encouraging others to find their strengths.
A-Above and Beyond: We go above and beyond for those we serve, realizing little things make a big difference. We look for ways to enhance their lives, ensuring we fully understand their challenges and goals, and matching those with services to help them rise to meet them.
N-Nurturing: We provide a nurturing environment for new mothers, cultivating their self-worth and natural abilities, while providing educational opportunities to foster and develop new capabilities.
N-Needs: We intersect the clients’ needs with the personal strengths and experiences of the board and staff to best live out Gianna House’s mission and for us all to serve one another in a manner respecting diverse, cultural and demographic differences.
A- Action: We advocate for and respect the uniqueness and intrinsic worth of all individuals through action and real-life support.
Gianna House Core Values and Guiding Principles
The Beginning
The Gianna House mission was in the heart of our Founder, Sister Diane Masson, who launched plans to open a home for pregnant youth who are choosing life but lack the resources and support needed to bring their child to birth. Gianna House is a haven for mother and child, providing a safe home, medical care, educational opportunities and independence.
Action, not Advocacy
Our efforts are aimed towards helping people to understand the challenges underserved, at-risk young women face during pregnancy.
More than a roof over their heads or a hot meal to keep them nourished, Gianna House is a place where care of all types is offered: physical, emotional, and educational. We save lives two at a time – mother and child. While debate continues over the ‘right to choose’, we choose to support the young women that want to keep their pregnancy. We take on a much larger task: providing for the multifaceted needs of a young mother and child in this complex and challenging situation. Gianna House is a tangible solution, an opportunity to make a life-long difference.
We Provide Options
Gianna House has a two-fold mission— resident housing and community outreach. Located in Eastpointe, Michigan, its residence program currently accommodates up to four young women (ages 18-25) and their babies.
Gianna House also serves as a Community Outreach Center for low-income mothers of any age in the tri-county area. We strive to sustain healthy babies and to decrease the high infant mortality rate in our community.
A Brief History
In 2015, working with architects and contractors, and securing necessary funding, massive renovations began at the St. Veronica Parish Convent to prepare for mother/child occupancy. Living quarters were developed for the House Supervisor and a second staff person as well, requiring moderate to substantial renovations. While State of Michigan licensure was in process, Gianna House officially opened its doors with a Community Outreach Program in June 2015, available to low-income mothers of any age. This program has steadily grown, supporting hundreds of mothers and children with classes, online education, and provisions.
Along the way, a Board of Directors was named, required regulatory permits and approvals were attained, and relationships secured with other community service entities that would assist us in providing food, medical assistance, education, and resident referrals. Another core challenge was the identification of the requisite talent – employees and volunteers who would be a right fit with our vision and mission. In February 2019, Gianna House received State of Michigan Licensure – the first pregnancy home in Michigan to do so.
The Ribbon Cutting: In May 2019 a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to officially open the Pregnancy and Parenting Residence. As the Outreach Program continued to thrive and grow, we shared that we were ready to house young residents.
Gianna House also has a beautiful space for reflection, a big kitchen where mothers can learn how to prepare nutritious meals, a spacious dining room where residents can eat together, and a large community room with a well-stocked collection of books for mothers and babies. Outside is a lovely fenced-in backyard, offering privacy and security, with large flower and vegetable gardens. The dream of offering a safe, loving, supportive atmosphere that fosters a sense of pride and self-worth, and changes the lives of these young women and babies is now a reality. Residents receive the following:
A suite with a bedroom for the mother and adjoining room for baby.
Baby clothing provided through donations.
Access to online education to complete their high school diploma or GED.
Necessary social services.
Adoption counseling by local agencies upon request.
Childbirth and parenting education.
Transportation to local community resources, medical appointments, field trips, and spiritual services of choice.
Life skills education necessary to become independent and prepare for her next stage in life.
Mentoring for up to one year upon transition into independent living.
Changing to Meet the Needs of Today
Our experience made it clear that the need for a residence for pregnant teens was broader than our original focus. The majority of calls received were from young women 18-25 who were pregnant or had recently given birth. As a result, Gianna House is now dedicated to helping young mothers (18-25) who are in need of housing and other supportive services for themselves and their children. We have therefore revised our mission to assist these young women who are pregnant or who have recently given birth.
Contact Gianna House
We’d love to hear from you! Reach Gianna House by filling out the form below.
We are taking special care to ensure we are meeting the needs of our moms and babies, please allow 24-48 hours for a member of our team to respond to your inquiry.
About Gianna House
The Mission of Gianna House
The Vision of Gianna House
To lead in improving the lives of at-risk pregnant young women, mothers, and their babies by providing them with the opportunity of a community-based environment that offers education, life skills training, and career planning that positively impact them, their children, and their families.
Community Outreach at Gianna House
As building renovations were taking place, Gianna House started a community outreach center in 2015 where education and support was provided to at-risk mothers of any age who are pregnant and/or have young children. Since its beginning, Gianna House has provided thousands of direct services to hundreds of women who are struggling during this very challenging period in their lives. Gianna House provides classes that include but are not limited to parenting, personal growth, Lamaze labor techniques, prenatal, breast feeding, healthy nutrition, yoga, crocheting and sewing. In addition, Gianna House distributes free of cost to women and children critically needed items such as clothing, diapers, wipes, pack & plays, formula, car seats, bottles and blankets, women’s toiletries and gift cards. Women who register for and attend education and self-improvement classes are acknowledged with “baby bucks,” which they use to buy needed items from the distribution room. In this way, the program provides a ‘hand up’ instead of a ‘hand out’ in an effort to restore self-esteem and reward initiatives that can enrich their families and futures.
Gianna House exists strictly through the kindness of community volunteers, donations and the benevolence of individuals and organizations, trusts, fund raising events, and grants to support both its residential and the community outreach programs.
Who is Gianna Baretta Molla?
G-Guidance: We are guided solely by our mission to humbly serve the underserved in our community, sharing our experience, strength, and hope to lift up women and children in crisis.
I-Inspire: We strive to inspire those we serve, and we do it with respect and through empowering them to develop the tools they need to begin to innovate for themselves. We lead by example and by being actively engaged, encouraging others to find their strengths.
A-Above and Beyond: We go above and beyond for those we serve, realizing little things make a big difference. We look for ways to enhance their lives, ensuring we fully understand their challenges and goals, and matching those with services to help them rise to meet them.
N-Nurturing: We provide a nurturing environment for new mothers, cultivating their self-worth and natural abilities, while providing educational opportunities to foster and develop new capabilities.
N-Needs: We intersect the clients’ needs with the personal strengths and experiences of the board and staff to best live out Gianna House’s mission and for us all to serve one another in a manner respecting diverse, cultural and demographic differences.
A- Action: We advocate for and respect the uniqueness and intrinsic worth of all individuals through action and real-life support.
Gianna House Core Values and Guiding Principles
The Beginning
The Gianna House mission was in the heart of our Founder, Sister Diane Masson, who launched plans to open a home for pregnant youth who are choosing life but lack the resources and support needed to bring their child to birth. Gianna House is a haven for mother and child, providing a safe home, medical care, educational opportunities and independence.
Action, not Advocacy
Our efforts are aimed towards helping people to understand the challenges underserved, at-risk young women face during pregnancy.
More than a roof over their heads or a hot meal to keep them nourished, Gianna House is a place where care of all types is offered: physical, emotional, and educational. We save lives two at a time – mother and child. While debate continues over the ‘right to choose’, we choose to support the young women that want to keep their pregnancy. We take on a much larger task: providing for the multifaceted needs of a young mother and child in this complex and challenging situation. Gianna House is a tangible solution, an opportunity to make a life-long difference.
We Provide Options
Gianna House has a two-fold mission— resident housing and community outreach. Located in Eastpointe, Michigan, its residence program currently accommodates up to four young women (ages 18-25) and their babies.
Gianna House also serves as a Community Outreach Center for low-income mothers of any age in the tri-county area. We strive to sustain healthy babies and to decrease the high infant mortality rate in our community.
A Brief History
In 2015, working with architects and contractors, and securing necessary funding, massive renovations began at the St. Veronica Parish Convent to prepare for mother/child occupancy. Living quarters were developed for the House Supervisor and a second staff person as well, requiring moderate to substantial renovations. While State of Michigan licensure was in process, Gianna House officially opened its doors with a Community Outreach Program in June 2015, available to low-income mothers of any age. This program has steadily grown, supporting hundreds of mothers and children with classes, online education, and provisions.
Along the way, a Board of Directors was named, required regulatory permits and approvals were attained, and relationships secured with other community service entities that would assist us in providing food, medical assistance, education, and resident referrals. Another core challenge was the identification of the requisite talent – employees and volunteers who would be a right fit with our vision and mission. In February 2019, Gianna House received State of Michigan Licensure – the first pregnancy home in Michigan to do so.
The Ribbon Cutting: In May 2019 a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to officially open the Pregnancy and Parenting Residence. As the Outreach Program continued to thrive and grow, we shared that we were ready to house young residents.
Gianna House also has a beautiful space for reflection, a big kitchen where mothers can learn how to prepare nutritious meals, a spacious dining room where residents can eat together, and a large community room with a well-stocked collection of books for mothers and babies. Outside is a lovely fenced-in backyard, offering privacy and security, with large flower and vegetable gardens. The dream of offering a safe, loving, supportive atmosphere that fosters a sense of pride and self-worth, and changes the lives of these young women and babies is now a reality. Residents receive the following:
Changing to Meet the Needs of Today
Our experience made it clear that the need for a residence for pregnant teens was broader than our original focus. The majority of calls received were from young women 18-25 who were pregnant or had recently given birth. As a result, Gianna House is now dedicated to helping young mothers (18-25) who are in need of housing and other supportive services for themselves and their children. We have therefore revised our mission to assist these young women who are pregnant or who have recently given birth.
Contact Gianna House
We’d love to hear from you! Reach Gianna House by filling out the form below.
We are taking special care to ensure we are meeting the needs of our moms and babies, please allow 24-48 hours for a member of our team to respond to your inquiry.