Submitted Photo Dakota Hope Clinic banquet speaker Jean Marie Davis shares her story of how she fell into human trafficking as a teenager and was able to escape.

Dakota Hope Clinic of Tioga marked its two-year anniversary and Dakota Hope of Bottineau its one-year anniversary at a series of fundraising banquets held across the clinic’s three locations in Bottineau, Minot and Tioga in September. More than 1,000 supporters gathered in total to celebrate and raise funds for pregnancy help services across north central and northwest North Dakota, the organization announced in a news release.

Keynote speaker Jean Marie Davis shared the story of how she fell into human trafficking as a teenager and was able to escape nearly two decades later with the help of a pregnancy center and her newfound faith in Jesus Christ. In addition to speaking at the banquets, Davis engaged with students at Turtle Mountain High School in Belcourt, Tioga High School and Our Redeemer’s Christian School in Minot.

In Bottineau, Clinic Nurse Bonnie Engel shared how efforts are ongoing to raise awareness of the free pregnancy services offered. Lisa Powers, clinic associate at Dakota Hope in Tioga, shared that because of the services offered at Dakota Hope, local moms and dads who might have thought abortion was their only option were fully informed about the development of their baby and were made aware of the long-term holistic support available to them. Powers also discussed how local parents have taken advantage of the Earn While You Learn program to help them grow in their parenting skills and provide for their children with the diapers and other items they earn.

The audiences were moved by the testimony of a Dakota Hope client who, after completing the clinic’s Discover Peace After Abortion program, became unintentionally pregnant again. Initially fearful of making the same mistake and considering abortion, the woman shared how prayers, education and support from Dakota Hope changed her path. Her story ended in joy with the birth of her daughter, and the now married couple made an appearance at all three banquets.

The Dakota Hope team declared this year’s banquet series its most successful to date in terms of attendance and funds raised. Dakota Hope Clinic is a nonprofit that has operated in Minot since 2013.