Who We Are

Option 1 exists to equip women who are at-risk of abortion so that they can encounter Christ and choose life. We are a 501(3) (c) nonprofit center directed by a local Board of Directors and our ministry is solely supported by the support of individuals, businesses, and churches in the Brookings area that share our vision.

Our History

In 2006, a brave woman named Cathy Seward traveled 750 miles to Brookings, SD. Cathy had a vision, and she was on a mission to see it come to life. Twenty years prior, as a bright college student attending South Dakota State University, Cathy was well on her way to achieving her life’s dreams when suddenly, something stopped her in her tracks. She was pregnant. Scared of the consequences and what this meant for her future, she began looking for answers. Following what felt like trusted advice from close friends, Cathy made the decision that she felt was her only choice and she had an abortion. Immediately after her abortion, Cathy knew she had made a mistake.

Though the advice she was given was well-intended, she realized it led to a mistake she would be forced to shoulder for the rest of her life. She thought, “If only someone had told me, you can do this or at least helped me understand my options.”

It was the “If only” that echoed in her ears for years to come and inspired Cathy’s trip in 2006 as she met with local church leaders explaining her vision and sharing her story. Brookings and South Dakota State University students needed a pregnancy center that could provide women hope for their future, explain their options, and provide a place of warmth and understanding. They needed somewhere to have the opportunity to breathe and not feel pressured to abort their children.

In 2010, four years after that first drive that Cathy took to Brookings, after much planning and prayer; Elizabeth’s House opened its doors and began to see clients facing unexpected pregnancy.

In 2013, as part of a strategic decision, the name change to Option 1 was made to reach a broader client base and in 2019, Option 1 became a medical center and began offering limited ultrasound.

Today, we believe Option 1 is the place that Cathy dreamed of and prayed for. We are a safe, non-judgmental place for women to be loved and offered hope in a calm setting with a proven process.