‘The camaraderie of motherhood:’ St. Gerard’s Campus transforming lives in Florida   

The graduating class of 2026 at St. Gerard’s Campus is only four students, with four babies in matching green caps and gowns.

St. Gerard’s Campus, named after the patron saint of mothers and unborn babies, is a maternity home, pregnancy resource center, high school and daycare in St. Augustine, Florida. Since its founding in 1981, it has been housing and equipping young mothers to pursue their career and life goals.

Executive Director Brittany Glisson, who graduated from St. Gerard’s in 2003, said every part of her job at the school is personal, adding the “camaraderie of motherhood” drew her in.

“It was the first time I saw other mothers taking care of their children and it really just got me in the mindset of ‘you can do that,’” she said.

Glisson arrived on campus with her high school boyfriend’s initials carved into her back – clear evidence of ongoing abuse. Two years before, she had conceived his child, but her parents decided to abort the baby because of the clearly violent relationship.

According to Glisson, many young women will conceive again within two years of having an abortion, with the hope of redeeming their murdered baby. After the turmoil of her past pregnancy, she said she wanted a second chance.

“I got pregnant again because I was going to do it right,” Glisson said.

Now, Glisson uses her own story to comfort and encourage her students.

St. Gerard’s Campus is the only maternity home in the country with three state- and federally recognized certifications. These include daycare and Florida school choice certifications and licenses that allow the campus to house students from their teens to 20 years old.

At the core of St. Gerard’s mission is the value of choice, Glisson said. No resident is forced to be at the school, despite foster care caseworkers often asking the campus to accept expecting minors from the system.

“They are choosing to be here, they’re not being placed here,” Glisson said.

Often, when students are discouraged about continuing their schooling with a new baby, Glisson reminds them of the reasons they chose to attend. Because no one forced them to come, the young mothers have a sense of ownership and pride in their actions, she said.

Glisson’s office is usually overflowing with babies crawling into her lap. During her meetings, a student will often interrupt her to hand over a baby or ask a question.

Because she likes to be available for her students, Glisson arrives early to meet the women as they come off the bus or wake up. She said the most important thing for her young women to know is they are seen and known.

“We are called to love them both. Saving moms is saving babies,” Glisson said. “In the pro-life movement, for a lot of years, it very much felt like ‘we’re going to save the babies,’ and I say absolutely. However, let’s empower these moms too, so they feel like they’re part of us. That’s where our call really is.”

When Florida banned abortion after six weeks’ gestation in May 2024, clinical abortions dropped 30% within the first month following the ban, according to a study.

While the new law has saved the lives of countless children, the number of pregnant minors in need has increased, multiplying the demand for maternity homes.

St. Gerard’s Campus has seen this firsthand. Its current capacity is five live-in students, with more housed off campus. But Glisson receives more requests for live-in options each year.

Beginning in 2028, the campus hopes to triple in size with plans to add five rooms for residential students and five rooms for graduated moms, who will join the school’s new transition program, Thrive.

After graduation, the young women often stay in contact with the school and staff, Glisson said. She’ll receive updates and photos of her students at their new jobs or their children going to preschool. The stories of these women often bring her to tears because of the change she has seen in them, she said.

“God did a miraculous work in me here,” Glisson said. “It allowed me to take the pain and the struggles that I had and really change not only my life but empower others who are going through the same thing, so it’s an honor. I love it.”